How to Redo Painted Staircase Spindles

Painted spindles add a nice touch to a staircase, but if the painted color does not match your decor, you may want to consider adding some personality. There are two ways to go about redoing the spindles. The quick way, if you want a DIY weekend project, is to simply clean, prime and paint the spindles. This will give you quick results, but the wood grain and texture will not show through, and the paint may appear thickly plastered. To do the job right, you’ll need some elbow grease and plenty of patience.

Orbital sander
60-, 120- and 220-grit sandpaper
Tack cloth
Vacuum
Primer
Sponge brush
Paint

Instructions

- 1
  Sand the paint off the spindles using an orbital sander. Sixty-grit paper will remove the paint. After all the paint is off, sand again with the 120 and then the 220 grits for a smooth finish. You’ll want a small orbital sander for this project with a pointed tip for fitting into any carved detail work on the spindles.
- 2
  Rub down the spindles down with a tack cloth to remove the dust and vacuum the room to remove dust from the floor.
- 3
  Coat each spindle with a layer of primer and allow the primer to dry completely.
- 4
  Coat the spindles with two coats of your desired paint color, allowing the paint to dry between layers.

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