How to Spray Paint Stair Risers and Skirting

Spraying Paint

• Both spray paint from a can and paint that is sprayed using a paint sprayer are suitable for this project. Using a spray can is easier and requires no special skill or equipment; however, unless your stairs are quite short, this could become an expensive choice. A paint sprayer uses regular paint and can be refilled. While there are several choices in paint sprayers, a cup sprayer is best for a project like this, which requires a focused spray and detail work. A cup sprayer doesn't require a lot of skill or experience for operation, but paint may need to be thinned before you can spray it.

Preparation

• Check the stairs for loose or protruding nails, and either remove them or make them flush with the surface using a nail set and hammer. If there was any carpeting on the stairs, there may be leftover nails or staples, which should be removed. If your stairs already have a finish on them, you may need to remove it to get the best adhesion. You can use a chemical stripper or sand off the finish. Using a chemical stripper is easier, but sanding doesn't create fumes. You may want to sand anyway to smooth out the stairs and improve the appearance of the paint later. Cover outlets before you sand, particularly if you use an electric sander; this also protects them from paint during the painting process. Clean the dust afterward. Although not mandatory, applying a primer before the paint improves the end results.

Masking

• Unlike brushes or rollers, sprayed paint lacks focus and can cover areas you don't intend to paint, so protecting areas you don't want to be painted is extremely important. Mask the treads; newspaper or plastic sheeting make good covers that can be taped down with painter's tape. Cover the walls and stair rails to protect them when you paint the skirting, and place drop cloths on any floorspace below the staircase. You may want to plan on repainting the walls along the staircase. Practice with the sprayer before painting the stairs to get a feel for how far away you need to stand to avoid drips, and how much overspray there will be.

Decoration

• Plainly painted risers and skirting are classic and striking, but many homeowners look for something with more personality or uniqueness. Try using spray paint with a stencil to make a design; this technique usually is used on the risers rather than the skirting. Make stencils that fit your stairs with pieces of blank stencil material or adhesive shelf liner. If you use stencil material, you need a way to make it stick to the stair riser while you paint. Never hold a stencil in place with your hand, as this is dangerous with a paint sprayer.