Step advice

[craigIam]

Hi, recently I've removed the carpet from our stairs with the intention of sanding them back and staining.
But prior to us living in the house, we found that they must have had carpet running down the centre of the stairs.
I've had to sand away white paint on either side.
Unfortunately, after hours and hours of sanding there is a pronounced darker middle area running down the steps.

I've included a photo as reference.

If I stain, will this still be pronounced?
Is there a way to rectify this, and sanding doesn't seem to help?

Thanks,
Craig

 

[Deleted member 174758]

If you stain the dark band will still be there, and unless you ebonising the stairs or using something like Jacobean oak (dark brown) stain. It is caused, I think, by the timber on the outsides being bleached whilst the middle was covered with carpet.

You could try stripping any remaining finish (probably by sanding) then bleaching the darker middle portions with a 2-pack wood bleach (not a domedtic bleach). It may take 2 or 3 weaker applications to get the required level of bleaching - more controllable than trying to get a match in one application

After bleaching it may be necessary to restain to get the desired tone. I'd suggest a water based stain which can be used to build up the desired tone by multiple, weaker applications

 

[craigIam]

Thanks very much for your reply, has no idea that wood bleach was a thing.
Coincidentally, my other half does want a very dark stain, so I suppose it's taking a risk without bleaching or not.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

If she wants a dark tone you could always go for a water based stain where the depth of colour is normally built up using multiple diluted coats rather than a single dark coat. That way it might be possible to gradually build the coloutr in the outer edges as well as feathering in to the darker middle before applying the final all-over stain coat(s). A clear lacquer of appropriate glossiness can be used to protect the stained wood

I cannot emphasise enough the need to remove as much finish as possible as well as the need to dewax/deoil all surfaces to be stained. After sanding vacuum out the surfaces as well as giving them a wipe over with a clean cotton cloth (rag) dampened in white spirits to lift any remsining residues and dust

 

[catlad]

I hope you live in a detached house? because if you don't the neighbours
won't be happy.

 

[craigIam]

If she wants a dark tone you could always go for a water based stain where the depth of colour is normally built up using multiple diluted coats rather than a single dark coat. That way it might be possible to gradually build the coloutr in the outer edges as well as feathering in to the darker middle before applying the final all-over stain coat(s). A clear lacquer of appropriate glossiness can be used to protect the stained wood

I cannot emphasise enough the need to remove as much finish as possible as well as the need to dewax/deoil all surfaces to be stained. After sanding vacuum out the surfaces as well as giving them a wipe over with a clean cotton cloth (rag) dampened in white spirits to lift any remsining residues and dust

Thanks for the advice.
Really appreciate it.

 

[craigIam]

I hope you live in a detached house? because if you don't the neighbours
won't be happy.

Are you referring to the smell of the 2 part bleach?

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Potentially the noise of your kids barrelling up and down the (uncarpeted) stairs in their Sunday best clogs?

 

[craigIam]

Potentially the noise of your kids barrelling up and down the (uncarpeted) stairs in their Sunday best clogs?

No problem there. They're both older teenagers that only creep around after dark.

 

[catlad]

I lived in a house where the guy next door decided to modernise, he got rid of all the carpets in the hallway and stairs. It went from never hearing him too listening to him on every step of his hallway and stairs.