Oak is a respectable wood. Known for being a sturdy, solid and reliable building material, it became the builder-grade material of choice for contractors in the 1990’s. Oak floors, oak cabinets, oak banisters…
Our home was the poster-child for 90’s construction.
This is the previous owner’s stuff swimming in a sea of oak. After 14 years of soaking up the sun and being handled on a daily basis, the finish was worn, the grain was dark and the mere sight of it burned my eyes, because it was just so ugly. As my husband said, “It looks like a well used, middle school gym floor.” (No offense to all you oak lovers out there, it’s just not my thing…)
BUT, we saw the possibilities of what this house could be, so we made it our very first project to refinish all the oak floors and stair treads. And by very first we mean it was literally started 5 minutes after leaving the closing table, and by we I mean we hired people. The key to a happy marriage and keeping sane when renovating is knowing what projects you’re physically capable of, and which are beyond your skill set. This was one of those latter times.
Our floors soon became a gorgeous mix of Minwax Ebony and Jacobean, but we had one little big problem:
The OAK banisters. The flooring company we hired told us because of all the nooks and crannies in the banisters, sanding them down and staining them as dark as we wanted never really comes out great and that our best bet was replacing them.
“ABSURD!”, I thought.
So I checked with a couple other companies, whom all basically said the same thing. One company said they could do it, but it was to the tune of a couple mortgage payments. Yeah, no. And replacing the banisters was also an obscene cost. Determined to find a solution, I turned to the one resource I knew could help… Google. And that is where I learned the magic of Gel Stain.
So this whole long winded setup finally leads to a tutorial: How to Gel Stain (ugly) Oak Banisters.
This project requires NO sanding and a beginner DIY skill level.
This project is easy, but time consuming because of drying times. Allow yourself 4-5 days to have this project finished. Choose days when you can have the windows open as the stain and poly are a bit stinky and you probably shouldn’t be breathing all that stinkyness in. The end result is more of a paint like finish, not that of a stain. With stain you’ll get variations of color and really see the wood. This is very opaque, yet with oak, you will still see the definition of the grain. The color in person is a very dark brown that matches the darkest grain in our floor, it’s not black. See the close ups below.
You will need:
- 1 can of General Finishes Java Gel Stain (You must, I repeat, MUST use General Finishes Java Gel Stain. It’s consistency and coverage are unlike any other gel stain on the market. The color also matters. Java being so dark gives great coverage – I can’t vouch for any other color. A little goes a LONG way, so get the smallest size possible!)
- 1 small can of Minwax Wipe On Poly. (I used Gloss)
- Painter’s tape. (I used delicate tack which is easier to remove IMO)
- A degreaser (TSP or TSP Substitute) OR if the poly finish isn’t worn down like ours was, use a Liquid Sander/Deglosser instead to take a bit of the finish off.
- A couple pairs of disposable gloves. I love nitrate gloves because they don’t rip, stain doesn’t penetrate them, they stay in place, and you can rinse them off so they’re reusable!
- A couple of old white socks (Don’t use brand new socks, they need to be lint free.)
- Staining Pads (I used ones like these.)
- Cheap-o small foam paint brushes. (What’s up Dollar Tree craft aisle?)
- A small tray to pour the poly in (I used a clean plastic take out container.)
- Rose paper, builder’s paper or a tarp to protect the floor.
- Mineral Spirits (Optional. This allows for easy clean up of the Gel Stain should you want to save brushes or if you accidentally splatter it someplace.)
Step #1: Tape and protect.
Tape off whatever you do not want the gel stain touching. I was just doing the banisters and end posts, not the balusters, so we taped off the top of each baluster to avoid staining them. We also taped where the banisters and posts met the walls. Once taping is complete, lay down your floor protection.
Step #2: Open the windows.
This project contains lots of stink, so make sure the area is well ventilated!
Step #3: Prep for total oak destruction.
Use your degreaser or liquid sander/deglosser on all of the areas you will be gel staining. Don’t forget UNDER the banister! Follow the instructions on the package, but don’t break too much a of sweat on this step. You’re not looking to strip the wood, you’re simply looking to take down the shine a bit and create a clean, grease-free surface to apply the gel stain to. After it’s all clean, wipe the surface down with a damp cloth and let it dry.
Step #4: Gel application #1.
Open the gel stain and give it a mix-a-roo. Glove yourself, then put a sock over the glove of your working hand. Dip the socked, gloved hand into the gel stain and begin your application. Nice even strokes of awesome oak destruction. Not wiping it all away, yet not leaving too much globby gel stain behind. The first coat will not, I repeat, will not cover all oak and it will, I repeat, will be streaky. Once that first coat is on you will need to wait 12-24 hours to apply the next coat.
Step #5: Take a break.
You deserve it! It’s important to make sure it’s dry before the next coat otherwise when you apply more stain, it will lift the stain that’s still wet.
Step #6: Gel application #2.
Same process as Step 4. Remember, no glove, no love. This stuff stains hands beyond repair. At this point you’ll have anywhere from 85% – 100% coverage of that awful oak. Wait for it to dry completely and see if step 7 is needed.
Step #7: Gel application #3 (if needed.)
If you still see oak and you’re looking a bit streaky, you’ll need to do a 3rd coat. I know, I know. You’re sick and tired of the mess in your hall, but you’re almost there and it’s going to look great. Keep going! BTW, if the color is starting to look flat, don’t worry, the poly is going to bring it back to life.
Step #8: Itty bitty touch ups.
Chances are you missed a few teenie, tiny areas. Probably under the banister where the ballusters connect. Places only you, the Virgo type-A perfectionist will see or know, but there’s no way in hell you’re leaving them. This may be a DIY job, but it MUST come out perfect. I digress…
So umm yeah, take that tiny foam brush and touchup areas needing it. If you’re touching up on the top of the banister, light blended strokes are recommended (this stuff isn’t self leveling, so you’ll see big ol’ globs when it dries if you leave them as big o’ globs.)
Step #9: STOP!
No you cannot poly just yet. I know, you’re getting impatient, but please wait for the touchups to dry completely. Let’s not screw this up now… Kill some time by following me on Instagram @practicallyspoiled. Or just lose yourself in my Pinterest boards for hours. (shameless self promotion.)
Step #10: POLY TIME!
Make sure all the gel stain is dry, then shake the poly and dump some into a tray. Open the windows if they aren’t already. Poly stinks worse than the stain. Glove yourself then grab a staining pad. Dip it in, and slightly ring it out so it’s loaded, but not sopping. Then my friend, the moment of truth… swipe that poly on! Nice and evenly. Check the area you’re working on to ensure you have everything covered before moving onto the next area. Touch ups once the poly begins to dry look awful, so a careful eye is need to get an even finish. Let it dry for 24 hours, you know the drill…
Step #11: Done? Or not?
At this point, I was happy with the finish so I removed the tape and admired my work. But if you want a higher gloss finish or your banisters get a lot of use, you may want to go for round #2 of poly.
And now for the reveal…
From so much oak, to no more oak! Well, in this room at least… but I did just knock off one more oak project – my kitchen cabinets! Read about it here.
This oak eliminating banister project came in at just $55 for supplies. Which is a bargain compared to the ridiculous quotes we were given. Time wise it took about 9 hours, spread over 4 days (not including painting the white under the treads.)
So, are you ready to take on your banisters?! Please share links and pictures if you do!
Oh, and in case you’re wondering:
• I painted the oak trim and under the treads white (Benjamin Moore Regal Select in Semi-Gloss, straight white out of the can, no pigment added). I used liquid deglosser, then one coat of primer before painting. My balusters were already white, so I just touched them up as needed with the same white paint.
• The stain on the floor and stair treads is a blend of Minwax Jacobean and Ebony. The finish is a custom blend to be something between matte and gloss. As stated earlier, we HIRED people to stain the floors and treads. The wood is a mix of red and yellow oak.
• The wall color is Benjamin Moore, Revere Pewter.
• The mirrored chest is from HomeGoods, $149 clearance!
• I’m not done decorating in here, so please ignore the mess of candlesticks on the chest!
This post is not sponsored, all opinions and instructions are my own. Please DIY at your own risk. This post does contain affiliate links.
Hi, I am excited to stain my oak banister! I have two little kids , how has the stain held up over time?
Thanks!
It’s held up quite well! I’ve only gotten one ding, where I rammed a laundry basket (accidentally) into a post really hard. I simply used a qtip with gel stain to touch it up and it was in perfect shape again.
Recently started on the trim painted the wood trim throughout my house and was going tp paint the bannisters but after reading your post I think I like the dark stain better . I will have to paint the spindles white ,I’m fine with that. I also read your oak cabinet transformation. I picked up a home to rehab and has oak cabinets in good condition. I want to do the uppers in off white to match an island I’m purchasing but wanted to do the lowers in a dark color. Do you think this finish wood look good on the base cabinets with off white uppers. I think it would look much better than painting them. Wanted to get opinions.
Do a search for “two toned oak cabinets” to see the look! I’ve seen it done before and I do love a good two tone. Sometimes the grain pops a bit on a dark finish. I would recommend doing a matte topcoat to try and minimize it! Good luck on your projects!
I’ve wanted to use the Java stain on the banister and newel post for quite some time. My only reservation is the reselling value. Will the home decrease or increase in value when it sells?
My floors were professionally refinished with a dark walnut , but the banister didn’t take the stain very well.
My furniture is Java and door knobs are black. I think it will compliment it all, but again, it’s that selling point.
Can anyone offer some input?
That’s hard to say. It’s a matter of taste I suppose? I believe that my banisters help increase the value of my home as now I have consistency with the flooring and it gave it an updated look in comparison to the oak.
Hello! I’ve read three different tutorials on doing the exact same gel stain on my oak staircase. I was SO eager to do this and I wanted the dark Java color. However after three coats mine is still extremely light. Doesn’t appear to get any darker with additional coats. I applied heavy stain with foam brush and old sock ( at this point it looked great and dark just like I wanted) but when I wiped the excess off after waiting 10-15 mins just before it started to dry it didn’t leave the pretty, dark, rich color I wanted. I repeated three coats waiting 24-36 hours in between coats.
HELP!
I’m so disappointed!
Ps I did use the general finishes Java gel stain
I’m trying to attach a pic but can’t figure out how
The problem I see is that you’re wiping it off. You don’t wipe it off, you do very thin coats, allow to dry, then build the color up. The tutorial above shares full details of how I did it. Good luck!
Hi, I followed all your directions and everything went well EXCEPT the hand rails. They just won’t dry, no matter what I do. The first coat I left on for a week and they were still tacky, so I used the mineral spirits to wipe them off and start again – second coat, same thing. So, third time I wiped it off with mineral spirts, sanded it down a bit and tried again – still tacky! The rest of the stairs were fine with no tacky issues. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks for the post, yours are beautiful!
Sorry you’re running into problems.
A few factors: Humidity. If you’re in a humid climate it could be effecting drying times. (Can take a VERY long time to cure if the humidity is high) Air flow. Do you have fans pointing at the handrails? It helps to keep the air moving around. Thickness of coat. If you’re applying it too thick, it just won’t dry. Very thin coats are best.
Hope this helps!
Thank you so much for this tutorial we did our banister with your instructions and it turned out great!
You’re welcome, so glad to hear!
Hi,
I have honey color banister and bottom board. If I stain dark gray or espresso do you think that it will cover all the original orange stain of the honey oak? Mine has a shiny coat. Should I sand it before applying the stain?
Thank you!
Can’t speak for the coverage of anything except for General Finishes Java Gel stain. Never have used any other colors. If your banister has a very high gloss, try two rounds of the liquid deglosser first to see if it knocks down the finish a little. If that isn’t successful a light sand to rough up the finish will help adhesion. Good luck!
Thank you! This will save us thousand of dollars, Contractors we talked to ask for some where between 2.5-5K. it’s just ridiculous. I was happy to find your very useful and informative blog.
I got ridiculous quotes too. I knew there had to be a DIY way! Glad to hear this helps!
I know I’m a couple years late to the post but I followed your post exactly. We replaced the balusters (they were 33 years old and needed updating) but the banister turned out GORGEOUS! Thank you so much!! It turned out perfectly (we have been gutting our house for 2 years and nothing has been easy, this was as easy as you made it sound and I was VERY skeptical). I wish I knew how to share this pics!!
Never too late to this post! Congrats on a successful project! Isn’t gel stain amazing stuff? If you don’t mind me emailing you, you can shoot the pictures my way and I can share. Let me know!
Do you know if they completely removed the spindles to retread your stairs? I have a staircase whose “before” picture is similar to yours, meaning the ends of each stair are oak while the step itself is carpet. I’m trying to figure out whether or not I’ll have to redo my “ends” to get this effect. By the way, this is BEAUTIFUL!
Hi, my stairs did not get new treads, they simply got refinished. The previous runner sat over full treads. Some balusters were removed (not all) but they easily reinstalled them later. Hope this helps.
OMG I cannot wait to do this! My only hesitation is one of gel stain color! I have a can of black and one of Java and I keep waffling back and forth. My walls are lt grey and the spindles are already white. I’m just worried the Java won’t be dark enough and I will regret not going black. Any thoughts???
I personally think the Java is really, really dark. It’s nearly black. It only looks a bit dark brownish when in extreme direct sun. Hope this helps a bit!
Yeah that’s what worries me since I have a huge window above that lets in a lot of light. Thanks for your help!
No problem. I have a very large window as well, but I only get direct sun in the late afternoon. Sounds like your gut wants black though 🙂 I think black would look great against gray walls. Good luck with your project!
Hi Kelly!
Regarding the poly coat… is this necessary for protection and longevity? I would prefer less shine, so just curious if I can skip over that one 🙂
Thanks for your help!
Hello! Yes, it’s VITAL to protection! If you prefer less shine there are other finish options to the poly. I personally would not skip this step. Good luck!
Awesome diy, thank you! Here’s my project: https://www.instagram.com/p/CHVkAqyjBNb/?igshid=hs9e1idi1xa2
For my fellow Canucks, the stain is available at Ardec.com or Lee Valley in Canada. I found it took several days to 1 week to dry but having the vent fans(bathrooms) on really helped. I needed to do a 4th coat and noted that doing the rungs/balusters required more stain than I would’ve thought so if that’s your plan, I’d suggest getting the bigger can. Also, the tip to use the foam brushes was perfect for getting into all the nooks on the balusters.
Thanks for sharing! Looks great! Glad you gave it ago!
wow Thanks for the tutorial. I am getting my stairs done from carpet to wood/laminate…I am tired of shampooing that carpet. Then, I told my husband I will stain the handrail since it’s look so old and tired. Hopefully my project will come out as nice as yours. I just started sanding my handrail, before I saw your tutorial. The banister is also white so I am thinking to retouch it like you did. Thanks so much.
A good staircase makeover makes a huge difference! You’re welcome and good luck!
Hi! We are in nearly the EXACT same situation! Just had our old oak floors stained Dark Walnut (Minwax). They look fantastic. Our stairs have the carpet runner that yours did… did you have solid planks under your runner? Ours have a deep cutout so each plank will need to be replaced. The quote to have it all done was astronomical!!
Yes, my stair treads were full and the original runner was placed over them. While I enjoyed the bare stairs for a while we actually wound up putting a new runner over them. They were a tad slippery sometimes and after having a child I wanted to make sure no one could slip and fall down them. I’ll update this post soon with a picture of the stairs with the runner now. You actually may wind up liking it!
Thanks for the step-by-step guide! I bought an oak-filled early 90’s house last year. Wanted to rip out the banisters and go with wrought iron, but after hearing the numbers, I would way rather spend that money on a kitchen or bath reno. Now, my banisters are no longer cream-and-oak, but pure white-and-java, and look amazing for south of $100. Thanks again!
You’re welcome. Awesome to hear this! Enjoy the new look!
Hello Kelly, Thank you so much for your tutorial write-up on Gel Staining dated Oak Railings. I just ordered all recommended products for the project and super excited to start. I do have a question on the top of the stair trends you had professionally finished. I have stairs with oak on the sides for about 6 inches and then inset carpet. The wood tops on the side really aren’t walked on. Would you recommend the gel stain in this case? I was also curious about the professional finish steps, did they sand before staining with the minwax or just do the degloss and apply the minwax blend?
You’re welcome – good luck with the project! I believe if you scroll real deep in the comments someone had mentioned that they simply used the same tutorial to do the small portion of wood next to their carpet runner. If it doesn’t get walked on, I don’t see why it wouldn’t work just fine. You will have to be EXTREMELY careful to not get the get stain on the carpet though. In my. case, the professionals removed the old runner and hand sanded the steps before staining/painting. They did not use a deglosser because they sanded really deep. Hope this helps!
I really loved reading your DIY process! Seriously considering updating our oak bannisters as well…ugh. I look forward to reading about more of your projects’
Stay well ❤️
Thank you! DO IT – TAKE THE PLUNGE! You’ll be so happy you did!
I love this- just bought a home with lots of oak- bought it with the intention of hiring someone to paint trim, cabinets, banisters – just to do the cabinets was $6k- so I either need to fall in love with oak (UGH!) or find another solution. I am going to start with the banisters- do you think I could do the trim and my cabinets using the same process and products? Thanks for your inspiration, humor, and detailed instructions and product list!
Aw thanks! Welcome to the world of dated oak. For the cabinets I would suggest looking up a tutorial for gel staining cabinets. There are lots out there and they can speak better to that process. For the trim, you can do what you do to the banisters, but tape well! It may get messy and is quite a bit more laborious than just painting out all the trim. Good luck!
Hi, I love the banisters! We are about to close on a house with lots of oak. I have a question about your floors. Did you live in the house during the refinishing? How long did it take? Do you mind sharing the cost and square footage?
Thanks !
Thanks! No, did not live through the refinishing, it was terribly messy and HIGHLY stinky! We did it before we moved in.
So…. how do you get up and down your stairs while it’s drying? I know you mentioned the older socks, but can you go up and down immediately?
This is a tutorial on how to gel stain banisters, not the steps themselves.
Hi there! I’ve done a couple of projects already using this same gel stain and I’ve had great success with our oak bathroom cabinets. I’m in the middle of doing our stair railings now but finding that some areas just won’t dry completely. I know this could be possible if you put the stain too thick but I’m convinced we didn’t. We’re feeling kind of stuck at this point. Any suggestions on what to try? Thanks!
Sorry so late to the response. Humidity and not properly preparing the surface below are two other factors that could be the issue. Were you able to resolve it?
Hi there. We applied a miniwax stain on our bannister and don’t like it. We now what to do what you did. Do we need to strip the stain first? Also, one of the posts has a stain plus a poly coat. Do we need to strip the poly coat first?
Thanks so much for any input here!!
No need to strip the stain, if you’re doing java, just go over it. For the polied post you might need liquid sander to take the finish down a bit before applying the java. It’s going to look different from the handrail before you apply the final poly to all. Just make sure to get the handrails deep enough in color with the java so everything blends in the end.
Hi Kelly,
I am interested in doing this but would like my railings to be white. What would you recommend?
Probably just a quality trim paint followed by a good coat or two of poly! If you paint them, you may want to use a primer before hand for maximum adhesion.
We finally had the 27 year-old carpet pulled from out staircase. It cost a fortune, but we had
red oak installed. My husband has sanded the spindles, bannister, and floor treads. THE PROBLEM is that I do not like oak on staircases or rails, so we are leaning toward painting black (with white on the back). So many are saying how foolish to paint expensive oak. Can you help with this decision?
I think you know my feelings on oak, LOL! I’m all for covering it by any means possible – stain, paint, etc!
Hello,
I am so excited to try this! I have read over this post about 5 times now since first seeing it and I think I have worked up the courage to do it! Thank you so much for the instruction and inspiration!
You’re welcome – good luck!
I think I’m going to give it a go as well!! I’ll wait until Spring since the windows need to be open. I was just having this discussion the other day with our bathroom contractor and the advice he gave me on refinishing my banisters is almost identical to yours, Kelly! I am looking forward to the finished results, not the actual work!
Kim
Hi Kelly, my husband is a paint contractor and told me that if I was to do this the treds wouldn’t stand up to time.
How long ago did you do this and are the tread showing any wear or chipping?
Im trying to prove him wrong. We only have 1 adult child still living at home so its not like the stair treds are going to take that much abuse.
He’s correct. I did not gel stain the treads. As stated above they were professional stained. This tutorial is for the banister only.
Oh my, you have inspired me! New floors will be going in soon and then I plan on using the process you took for the handrails. The only question I have for you is, do either of the two poly finishes you used for either the cabinets or the banister..does one over another leave any bit of a tacky/sticky feel or are both left smooth to the touch? Thanks!
Glad to be of inspiration! Smooth! As long as they’ve cured properly (and the poly wasn’t globbed on) it should dry completely smooth and rock hard. Good luck!
Did you use gel stain on your floor as well? Doing the banister now and wondering what to do with the floors (similar to what yours were). Thanks!
No, gel stain was on banisters only. I mention that Minwax was used on the floor (done by professionals) in my post above.
Hi Kelly,
Thank you so much for inspiring me to begin this project. I bought the Java gel and tested it.. it looks dark brown and I wanted a soft black for a modern look. If I put multiple coats of this Java color will it turn it to be more like a soft black?
Thanks!
It’s very, very dark brown as I describe in my post. It’s not soft black looking if that is what you’re going for. Hope this helps!
Love this!! Thanks so much for posting! Am I supposed to wipe the stain off in between coats? I don’t see you say that anywhere, but the guy at the stain store said to do it and I’m afraid I messed up my railing, as it’s not gettin gauche darker with each coat.
Nope – follow my instructions exactly. Good luck!
HI. I used this process on a hand rail and it worked beautifully! However I just did this on an old table and the second coat turned a milky,cloudy white. Any ideas? Not sure what to do! Thanks!
Glad your hand rail came out great! Not sure with the table, as I’ve never gel stained a tables, but it could have possibly reacted with the previous top coat.
I just finished my bannister! Thanks for the inspiration. Mine looks wonderful!!!
Great to hear! Enjoy it!!
Seeing that the comments go back 3 years – late to the party as usual. But better late than never! So, love, love, love the stairs. I have the same issue but a nice carpet runner (black/gold) and the stairs are white in between and darkish red oak on top. I may go with a java/mahogany gel stain to freshen up the banisters. My real question is — the kitchen. Again, red oak floors, red oak cabinets with a small amount of toile-like green/white wall paper, green white copper backsplash (both of which I LOVE) and a brown granite top. More brown. UGH. So, i’m thinking of doing the cabinets with a dark java gel stain (and copper knobs). Will be a fraction of the price of painting ($5600) and may freshen it up until we can afford a re-do. Right now, it’s all brown (and no sunlight). I have approx. 50 doors/drawers.
Hi
I am going to try this out. I was wondering how much stain to order (pint, quart, gallon). I probably have half the amount of railing than shown in your picture.
Smallest size you can get is fine! A little goes a long way.
I love the color on your walls – what is it (brand, color & finish)?
It’s posted above, but It’s Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter. 🙂
Love all of your work! Super talented. I was just about to ask about your Foyer’s wall color. Such a tricky color Revere Pewter. Your walls look beautiful! However, in my kitchen, the newly painted Revere Pewter pulled a pale green cast. I did a lot of research on Revere Pewter, all wonderful results, like your wall. Must be due to my ‘still’ orange oak cabinets. Haha. Thanks for taking the time to post all your DIY’s, perfection!
I did it! My staircase looks so beautiful! Now I have to wipe on the poly. This may be a silly question but do I put the poly on the white spindles too or just on the railings with the stain?
Not silly! Just the railing needs it for protection!
I am inspired with your approach. There is no sanding and grinding which leads to dust.
I have the same issue i.e. banisters color don’t match anything in the house anymore.
Tape and protecting the balusters and protect the walls and floors. half of my stairs is between walls, and other is open so it has carpet in middle and wood where balusters meet floor.
wil
Good luck with your project if you decide to give it a go!
OMG your a life saver ! I need to match my stairs and landing with the chocolate bamboo floor in my studio . I was dreading a quote from the contractors. Thanks to you I’m ready to tackle this project!
Good luck!!!
Hello! I was just wondering why use the Minwax poly and not the general finishes poly you used with the cabinets? I did my oak cabinets exactly how you did with the general finishes poly and it turned out amazing!!! Thanks so much by the way!
You’re welcome! Yay another success story 🙂 I actually had not discovered the wonderful-ness of General Finishes when I had done this DIY. If I would have discovered the brand earlier, I probably would have went with it. With that said, the Minwax Poly was great and is holding up wonderfully.
Thank you! I had some leftover general finishes from my cabinets so I put 3 coats on there just in case! Thanks again for your inspiration!
Thank you so much for all the detailed DIY! I had the oak stairs and decided to paint them with black Restolium, oil based… I hate it. It’s so harsh. Now I want to put some white and bring a little of the wood grain back. To do it like your DIY, do you think I need to strip the black Restolium? If so, can you recommend how to strip it?
Unfortunately, I’m not sure what the best way to strip fresh paint is. Because it’s black you wouldn’t be able to go right over it either… Try giving it a google. Sorry I’m not of more help!
Good morning, I am so inspired by your blog! I keep doing little projects around the house to build up my courage to do a big project like my banister which looks just like your old one. I used your exact steps to do my large OAK fireplace and it is amazing so I think I am ready to attack my banister. Any advice that you see now that you might have wanted to do differently?
Thanks so much! Glad you were able to tackle the fireplace successfully! The only thing I may have done differently with my banisters is use a semi-gloss poly rather than a gloss. Just from an esthetic point of view…
This article was SO Helpful! We just had our natural oak floors and stairs refinished. Took the carpet runner of our stairs and WOW, what an ugly mess. We ended up going with a Dark Walnut stain on the floors with a semigloss finish and it came out so good. I’m doing the final coat of poly today on the bannisters and I can’t believe how good this looks already. You also inspired us to paint our foyer the same color – Revere Pewter. Is there a way to upload pictures so I can share?
Question – we’re going to have our Kitchen cabinets professionally painted antique white. We were thinking of staining our center island an accent color (Java) to match the bannister and the dark hardware we have in the house. Right now I believe we have natural cherry cabinets. Would you recommend using this same staining approach on the center island? Do you think it will hold up to wear & tear as well as direct sunlight? Our kitchen faces south. The island is right in front of a large window and has faded quite a bit compared to the rest of the kitchen cabinets.
Glad you found my post helpful! I’d love to see pictures, I’ll shoot you an email so you can send them over. As far as using the Java gel stain on cabinets, there are lots of tutorials out there for cabinets. I would defer to those for the best way to handle them, as I have not tried it on cabinetry myself.
This is exactly how ours looks currently. My only question is, is that our carpet runner doesn’t have wood under it. Did yours or did you have to fill it in?
Yes we had full treads under the carpet.
Did you send and gel stain your treads? Or were they professionally done with the floors? My current staircase and floors look like your “before” pic. Unfortunately, we don’t have the extra funds to have the hard woods resurfaced, so I wanted to tackle the stairs in hopes of a fresh “update”. Just wondering if I should leave the carpet runner or attempt the no carpet look! 🤔 Thanks for the feedback!
Treads were professionally done, as stated above! Good luck!
Looks great !!! trying to be brave enough to attempt this!
Thanks! Be brave! Good luck if you decide to take the plunge – you won’t regret it!
I have a question, we followed your steps exactly (THANK YOU!) have the first coat done. Any tips on how to stain between the spindles so that it looks good? We used a sponge brush and did between the spindles then did the length on the outside of the spindles last (if that makes sense) but because the wood grain is the opposite direction. It doesn’t look great after the first coat…do you think it will that look better after the second? Or do you have any tips on how to finish it?
I found your blog on Pinterest and I love it!!
Keep going! I show in my tutorial above how one coat looks terrible, but multiple look better, and once poly is applied it looks great.
Hi Kelly,
can you talk more about your floors? we have wall to wall reddish orange oak flooring and want your color! you didn’t replace the wood? is it solid or veneer? what was done?
thank you!
Sure – Floors were professionally refinished by a flooring company. They’re a mix of red and yellow oak. The stain is a custom blend of Minwax Ebony and Jacobean.
How has this held up? Any chipping??
Fantastically! I had one teenie tiny chip where I rammed a laundry basket into the bottom post. I hit it really hard, ekk. I touched it up easily with gel stain on a q-tip and you can’t even see where was.
Hi!
Thanks for sharing your experience.
I am currently doing this to my handrail (the ones that are attached to the wall) and I used most of your instructions. However, after two coats, my hand rail is still sticky. its been about 48 hours. I am doing this in my garage and I am in Chicago and its about 35F here. What do you recommend I do? Should I strip it and try again?
I don’t want it to be sticky since people will be using it to climb up/down stairs. Your help and advice would be appreciated.
If you applied thin even coats, it sounds like it’s too cold for it to dry, see the instructions on the can. Try aiming a space heater at it for a few hours.
I had the same issue and am from Chicago. My trick was to get fans going. It will take a day or two of repositioning but i think it will work.
I had the same issue… Handrail and posts were tacky for three weeks… Used a blow dryer and seemed to help. Just applied the second coat so hoping it dries much quicker!! Am planning to do 2-3 coats of the oil based GF gel topcoat!!
Hello… Looking forward to starting this at my home. I noticed you used Minwax poly. What are your thought on using the General Finishes poly? Is Minwax better?… Thanks in advance
Leigh
HI Leigh – At the time I did not know how great General Finishes Poly is, so I had gone with Minwax. The Minwax has held up well, but I’m also a big fan of the General Finishes Poly after doing my kitchen and bathroom cabinets with it. Either would work great!
One last question….do you use the oil base urethane or the water base top coat?
Thanks
Leigh
Water, see the link I provided above!
Hi
Your stair case is gorgeous. exactly what my husband and I are going to attempt in the next month.
I just wanted to know, what did you start with, The white risers or the staining of the banisters.
loved your DIY posts
Thank you! Started with the banisters, then painted the risers. Good luck with your project!
Thanks to you I saved $3k due to not hiring a painter to do the same thing! Worked as you stated with all the same product!
Fantastic to hear! Enjoy your new banisters!
Hi! I love this and hope to do this home. I will brave this with children at home also! Can I ask if you think that I will have to do anything different since my spindles go into a baserail and not directly into the step? Below my baserail is a bit of wallspace then the steps. So Im wanting to stain the handrail and the baserail and also the opposite wall handrail. Hope that makes sense! Thanks
Thanks! Nope, shouldn’t change anything, just treat the baserail the same way you treat the banisters. Good luck!
Kelly! I am so inspired by this! I’ve recently had carpet removed and wood treads added to my stairs and I’m left with the dreadful OAK banister as well. I was quoted $850 just in labor to paint. I’m a bit nervous but excited to take this project on myself. I also have BM Revere Pewter on most of my walls. Love It! Thank you so much for the step by step.
Sarena
Glad to be of inspiration and help! Good luck with your project!
Hi Kelly, I love the step-by-step instructions on how to stain the oak banister. I am planning to start this project next weekend. Could you please let me know if it’s possible to use to a different stain color, one with more gray in it? Also, I noticed that the stairs are different and you completely got rid of the carpet. I have carpet on my stairs that I would like to remove as well. Do you have this project listed in your blog?
Thanks, Stella! The stairs were professionally done, they removes the carpet and stained the treads. As I note above, I’ve only worked with the Java gel stain color, so I cannot vouch for another color. The Java is highly pigmented which is key to this project. If you choose another color, I would suggest a patch test before you dive in. Good luck!
Hi Kelly,
My husband and I just bought a “new-to-us” house that is a 90s oak horror in the kitchen and on the stairs rails. I came across your blog last month and can’t wait to try a few of your DIYs! We have purchased all of the supplies (thank you for including links to all of it!) and will attempt to conquer the kitchen soon- wish us luck! For our stairs- they are currently carpeted and we will replace that eventually but the banister and the balusters are both oak and I want to freshen them up a little. There is currently brown pergo on the main floor but we will switch that out eventually too. What are your thoughts on using your cabinet steps (primer, paint, poly) with some of the Sherwin Williams ProClassic paint (non-pigmented) on the oak balusters? I figure I will wait to stain the banister and the bottom (under the balusters) until we figure out the flooring switch-out.
Thanks!
Prime and painting with SW ProClassic is all that’s necessary for painting the balusters. No need to poly! Good luck with all your projects, and congrats on the house!
Hi Kelly. I love what you did with the “ugly” oak. Had the same issue at my house. We’re on step #10, getting ready for the gloss and already love the progress. Anyway, tried a spot with the gloss and it’s kinda taking the stain off. We waited the 24 hours between coats, but do you think we should wait longer or try a different poly?
Thanks for your input!
Andrea
Hi Andrea – If you’re using the products I used and the materials I used, the stain shouldn’t come off when the poly is applied. Two things: 1. Your gel stain may not be fully dry. Drying times vary based on climate. Point some fans at the banisters and give them a little longer. 2. You may be pressing too hard or using too abrasive of an applicator. The gel stain is more like a paint in this application, less like a stain. Therefore with enough pressure it could technically be scratched off (obviously after the poly is applied, it will seal it all in and it won’t budge.) Have a gentle touch during application. Hope this helps!
Thanks Kelly! I’ll give it it some more drying time. I used the exact products you suggested, but it’s been a little cooler than usual here.
Appreciate your input and taking the time to respond!
Andrea
Hi, just applied the stain now and waiting for it to dry before applying the poly… what do you recommend to apply the poly with? Paint brush? Sock again?
Thanks Tira
Staining pad – as linked above. good luck!
Your staircase looks amazing! I’m going to do the same to mine. I was wondering if your baseboards are the same color as the balusters?
Thanks so much! Yes the baseboards are the same white as the balusters.
Hi Kelly! I just happened upon you site, and what a great day that was, and it’s only getting better! We recently had all new hard woods put in and finally got rid of the crappy builders oak, the new color is a dark brown, espresso, black with some slight cherry reddish hues, whew! After blindly ordering the gel stain you recommended on Amazon, we found it matched perfectly. I did a test project on a picture rail, (it came out perfect) and now I’m on my first coat of the
banisters. Thank you so much for the in depth tutorial! I must say it is a time consuming job, but like you say the 24 hours in between coats makes all the difference. Thank you again!
Hi Dodi! You’re very welcome! So glad to hear the project is going well. Good luck with everything and enjoy the results!
Hi Kelly,
I am SO excited! Thanks so much for posting this… I have been looking at my ugly oak banisters for a few years now … I have had success in purging the oak from other areas of my home, and I’ve been wondering if re-doing the banisters in gel stain would be too much of a project to take on myself. I am much encouraged by your success!
I also LOVE the wall cover, so I’m stealing that as well… thanks for including that in your post!
You’re welcome – good luck!
Hi. We used the General Finishes Gel stain on our oak kitchen cupboards…labourious but it worked. We gave them all a good sanding and tsp’ing first and we had used a very expensive poly, (made for floors, for durability) on the cupboards. But now 2+ years later, the finish is scratching off in the well used areas (and from belt buckles, paint zippers and buttons, and getting kicked with slippers on the kick plate). So now I’m quite disappointed with the lack of durability! Although it’s still better than the original honey oak, I suppose, even with the scratches. We had wanted to do the staircase handrail the same way, but are now questioning that. How is the gel stain holding up on your handrail?
Hi Alison – My banisters are holding up very well! No scratches, chipping or damage from everyday use. I had one minor oops where I accidentally rammed my laundry basket really hard into the base pole at the bottom of the stairs and there was a very teeny tiny spot that chipped off. I touched it up with a q-tip and some gel stain, followed by some extra poly and that was that. Hope this helps – good luck if you take the plunge!
This post has inspired me to tackle my oak staircase. Unfortunately mine was previously painted white, the whole thing. So I’m assuming that I will have the extra steps of stripping that white paint off, then sanding, and then starting the gel staining process. Does that sound right to you? Going to leave the spindles white but want to change the banister railing and columns dark. Just want to be sure I’m clear on the order of steps since I’m starting with a white painted oak surface. Thanks.
Hi Tina – If you are stripping down your banister to bare wood then applying the gel stain, it’s going to give you more of a stained looked and less of an opaque look. I’d suggest doing a patch test so you know the color/look/result you’ll get. As far as process when it comes to stripping then staining, I suppose that sounds right, but I’m no expert in stripping, hence my no sand method 🙂 I’m sure there’s other tutorials out there that can help give you a bit more guidance on that though, give it a google. Good luck with your project!
Hello! We’re looking into staining our baseboards, which are currently some sort of varnished wood. I read that you tried both Minwax and General Finishes gel stains, and as I would like to achieve more of a stain look (not as opaque as paint); do you think it is possible with a gel stain? Can it be thinned out or quickly wiped off to achieved that look, or it will probably be blotchy? Thanks in advance, and thank you for the gorgeous pictures!
Hi Amelie – For clarification, Minwax Stain is what the professionals I hired used to refinish my floors, General Finishes Gel Stain is what I used on the banisters (then I used Minwax Wipe on Poly as the clear topcoat). To answer your question, to achieve a stained look with gel stain it would require sanding the surface down to the bare wood beforehand so the gel stain absorbs like stain (then you wipe off the excess.) If you didn’t sand, it would apply like a paint, even if you thinned it out. It’s not about the stain, it’s about the existing finish on the wood how the gel stain will react. Hope this helps!
Hi Kelly are most cleaning products ok to use on the gel stained/poly-ed bannister?
Hi Alicia – I wouldn’t use anything harsh on them, but once the poly is fully cured (60-90 days) things like pledge should be fine. 🙂
HI Kelly-I am getting ready to have darker floors put in to replace builder grade gunstock stained oak floors. My banister and steps are also gunstock oak stain. I was thinking of only having the steps or the risers stained the new color of the floors and keeping the gunstock in place as an accent. I see many 2 tones steps and risers but most are painted. Not sure I can undertake the process you described. Would love your thoughts!
Hi Cindy – Hmm, not sure I’ve seen dark flooring and risers with oak stair casing underneath? Oh wait, I have. It’s in one of the before shots above, LOL! Personally, I’m not a fan of the oak color at all (if you can’t tell from my post above…) I think painting the stair casing/under the treads really gives a stair case a fully updated look. If you don’t think you can take on the painting yourself, maybe check and see what a painter would charge? It would be pretty easy and quick job for a crew of two. Good luck!
I had that same problem years ago and painted mine a brownish black. Love the gel stain. Could that same technique and gel stain be used on an old wood dining table?
Possibly… can’t say for sure as I never tried it, but I’m sure someone else on the internet has. Give it a google or hop on pinterest and search for similar projects!
Yes! I just did my dining table but didn’t want it as dark as Java, so I used mahogany. It turned out beautifully and I receive a lot of compliments. I did find I needed to lightly and evenly sand the top. I tried it without and the color was a little blotchy, so I resanded, removed all the old finish, then did it again. Beautiful!
In a house of no oak I have oak bannisters – ugh. Now that I’m redoing my kitchen in gorgeous espresso alder that oak has to go! I followed your instructions and did my first bannister this weekend and it looks amazing. Think I’m going to stick with just 2 coats of stain as I like a bit of the wood grain peeking through. Warning to others that after the first coat it may look horrible and you might wonder what the heck you got yourself into… for the second coat I ended up ‘dabbing’ the stain on instead of brushing and it gave me the coverage I was looking for.
Hi Tina, Glad you took the plunge! Yes, as I mention above the first coat can be a little scary looking – LOL! Thanks sharing your experience!
Kelly, I am loving all of your tips and tricks! You are so easy to follow! I love your banister and spindles. I am removing all carpet from my stairs and going to attempt staining the wood myself. Did you do this yourself or have someone else do it? The stain on the stairs looks to be the same as your wood flooring. And the white on the stairs looks to be the same as the trim. Any ideas or tips you could give me? Thanks, Tiffany.
Hi Tiffany – Thank you! My stair treads and flooring were done by professionals, as stated in the tutorial. I do list the products/colors that the company used above. I don’t have experience in refinishing floors and do not suggest this gel stain method to do so! There are probably other DIY’s out there that can help. Hop over to Pinterest and give it a search. Good luck!
Hi your work looks beautiful! If I have carpet upstairs and just a little oak trim (nosing?) sticks out beneath the spindles, would you paint it with gel stain or have the floor guys do this with matching floor stain to the treads?
Thank you! Technically, if no one is stepping on the area, I suppose you could gel stain it (followed by a poly top coat). But the right way to do it would be to have the flooring company match them to the re-stained treads. Hope this helps!
Thank you – you are right. Will do. 🙂
I am very excited about starting this project! Thank you!! Would you suggest doing the banister or the spindles first?
Banister first, then spindles! Drips and oopsies are bound to happen, and you wouldn’t want those on a fresh paint job! You can wipe them off the balusters pretty easily with mineral spirits before painting. Good luck!
WE just bought a house and it also has the oak floor everywhere, including upstairs. My question is: did you refinish the upstairs also? Do you have any pictures? We have real wood on the main floor and stairs but laminate oak in upper floor. I don’t have the money to tear all down right now. Any suggestions on how to handle it?
Hello – Our upstairs had carpeting, so we ripped it out and had new pre-finished dark hardwood floors laid. They aren’t a perfect match to the downstairs, but they’re pretty close. Depending on how open your staircase is, it may not look bad to keep the oak upstairs for now. You obviously don’t want it to look like you have multiple different floors running throughout the house, but if you plan on changing it down the road, consider it a step in the process. Maybe you can break up the oak with carpet runners? Hard to say without seeing it, good luck!
Kelly, thanks for the inspiration. I tried to read thru most of your comments, so please excuse my question if it’s already answered. I want to go a little darker, maybe use the black gel stain. I realize that you have not used it on the oak and wondered if you know of anyone who has? Would the grain show (nice) or look solid like paint?
You’re welcome! Not sure I personally know of anyone who used the black gel stain, but since it’s darker than the java I’m sure it will work great. Just like my banisters it will be more of a paint, not a stain. That’s the nature of gel stain when applied in this fashion. Hope this helps!
You did an amazing job! We are literally in the same boat as you were. We sign for our new house very soon and this is the first project I plan on tackling, either that day or the weekend after.
My question for you, instead of using a degreaser or liquid sander/deglosser would it be more effective to physically sand the banister? I know our banister/spindles still have quite a bit of 90’s shine to them and I’m worried I’ll end up using far too much liquid sander or degreaser. I’m all for less effort on DIY projects, but is the liquid sander really all that great? Thanks!
Hi Ari – thanks so much! The purpose of the liquid sander is to knock down the shine just a teenie, tiny bit for good adhesion – Not to remove it. The only time I would recommend lightly sanding is if the finish was new. Think of the gel stain like a paint, not a stain. The wood won’t absorb it, it will sit on top of it. Good luck with your project!
Hi Kelly, our 1997 home has white oak floors, maple cabinets, and hemlock railings. All were originally honey colored. We’ve had the floors stained dark and the cabinets painted white. Now I have about 50′ of hemlock railings on my project list. Do you know if your excellent and confidence building instruction works on hemlock? I’m guessing a lot of people think they have oak railings, but they really have hemlock. What are your thoughts? Thanks so much!!!
Hi Bill – Sounds like you’ve been busy eliminating all that 90’s honey color from your house! As far as the banisters being hemlock vs. oak, I can’t say for sure as I’ve never tried it myself on hemlock, but as long as they’re sealed (have some sort of topcoat left on them) I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. With this process you’re not sanding, so you don’t have to deal with the factor of how different raw woods would respond to the gel stain. If you’re not sure, do a patch test on the underside of the banister before going for all 50′. Hope this helps!
You did a fantastic job, looks great! I had a contractor sand it down and stain… Had I read this first, I would have gone this route. BTW, I can’t believe your walls are Revere Pewter, I would have never guessed. Looks different on other pics.
Thanks so much! I know, Revere Pewter is SUCH a chameleon color! I’ve used it a lot throughout my house and it really picks up on the light and colors around it to be more beige or more gray. It lives up to the griege hype lol!
Can I use this gel stain on an oak dinning room table and chairs? I have a nice, sturdy table and chairs, but the oak color is very 90’s and I would love to update it. Also, the table has a formica top. Any suggestions on how I can stain it?
Hi, You could probably use the gel stain on your oak table and chairs, I just personally never tried it myself. I would suggest googling/pinterest-ing similiar projects for more information. 🙂
So thrill to have found your post!love your work:) I have a back and front stairs so I know it will be a long time to finish 🙁 but like everyone here knows how expensive to hire a painter for the job lol my spindles are white already with oak steps and oak floors through out,can I just stain the banister in Java and leave the rest as is? I have light gray on all walls that I just finish. Thanks you for your advice !
Thank you, Yuen! I have seen a lot of people leave the rest of their oak and just darken the banister. It can look great when styled right! Skim through the comments here and you’ll see I provided some links to images on Pinterest that showcase good examples of what you’re looking to do. Good luck!
great job on the banister- is the java color a deep dark brown, or does it also have some black undertones as well?
Thanks! Java is very, very dark brown, almost black but not quite.
Ok..this is by far the best tutorial post. Great tips. You gave me the confidence to gobforth and conquer..I DID IT!!! And I LOVE IT!!! Thanks
Wow, thank you! YAY – Congrats on conquering your oak banisters!!! 🙂
Hello! Love this tutorial and plan on stealing your brilliant ideas! I know you stated that someone came and stained your flooring, but was it sealed oak first or that laminate oak flooring? We have laminate oak and it’s awful!!!! I am trying to find a way to sand or paint or stain or anything really, to get it darker and looking like a modern home instead of a 1990’s oak paradise. Any thoughts?!
Hi Whitney – Please do steal! LOL! My floors are a mix of white and red oak, solid wood. Unfortunately, you cannot refinish laminate floors. The design on top (aka: the light oak) is just a thin layer, and often times may not even be wood, so sanding and staining wouldn’t work. As far as painting them, not sure, but my gut says that painting a surface that you walk on every single day wouldn’t hold up too well. With that said, if replacing isn’t an option, there are ways to embrace an oak floor by changing everything else around it (making it look leaps and bounds better!) Hop onto Pinterest and take a peek at some designs! Hope this helps a bit!
Hi!! Thank you for writing up the blog post!
I’ll be staining just my oak banisters using your tutorial this weekend.
Before i start my project, i was wondering how you kept the gel stain from leaking onto your white balusters.
Should I double tape the top ends of the balusters and wall? Not sure how I can best protect my white balusters.
I saw another post where the person’s gel stain seeped through her frog painter’s tape and it made me so nervous…
Hello – You’re welcome! I used the painters tape I specified above on the top of the balusters. As long as you’re taping onto a clean surface and pressing it down fairly hard for good adhesion, you shouldn’t have a problem. I had a tiny bit of leak through on a few balusters that the tape wasn’t fully pressed down on, or the baluster was wonky at the top. It wasn’t bad, so I just used the same white paint that I used under my stair treads to touch it up. If you want to double tape the balusters you can, but what matters is adhesion not the amount of layers you use. If you want to get real meticulous you can use a small brush to get under each, though may take a bit longer than just touching up some spots in the end. Good luck, hope this helps!
A trick I learned when painting edges and lines that I’m sure could apply here… is to cover the edge of the tape on the side you are painting with painters caulk. It will Seal the tape edge and give you a crisp line when you peel off the tape.
Thanks for the tip! 🙂
Hi there!!
Quick question-why do you wipe down the wood after using the deglosser? Is that always necessary?
Thanks!!
Hi Diane – I quickly wiped down with a damp (not wet) lint-free cloth to remove anything that my be on the banister after using the deglosser (lint from the applicator, etc.) so that the banister was ready for the gel stain to be applied. I suppose it’s an optional step, it’s just something I did to keep a clean working space. Hope this helps!
Love this! Currently (literally) argueing with the husband that painting our circa 1994 oak casing and risers white is possible (yet showed your photos as proof it is) My designer friend, floor guy, stair guy all have said it’s impossible & will look blotchy……please reaffirm that it is that easy to do. You’ve inspired me to do it myself this weekend!!!
LOL – husbands are tough to convince! Take a look at my pictures they don’t look blotchy at all – and they’ve held up great! Don’t forget to use primer on the risers before you paint them. Good luck and scroll through the comments for additional tips and tricks!
I’m in the processss !!!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!! Sooo excited !
Yay – you’re welcome! Good luck!
I have a question about the poly you used. Why did you use min wax poly on the banister and were so adamant on using general finishes on kitchen cabinets?
I did my banister project well before my cabinets. I didn’t know about General Finishes High Performance Poly at the time. The Minwax Wipe On Poly has held up great on the banisters, but for my cabinets I did some more research. My cabinets definitely take more of a beating then my banisters and I wanted a poly that provided a rock hard finish. That’s when I came across General Finishes High Performance Poly. Could you use it on your banisters? Absolutely!
Hello-
I totally love your end results!
I understand we would need to wait 24hr to apply the next coat. Would that also mean the stairs would be usable? Kind of a bummer if that is our only way to get to the upstairs bedrooms.
Please advise 🙂
Cindy.
Thank you! This tutorial is for the banisters only, not the stair treads. So, you wouldn’t be able to touch the banisters while they were drying – making the stairs usable as long as you don’t touch the banisters. (As stated my the post above, my stair treads were refinished professionally)
Hello Kelly! Just came across your blog about the banisters, it’s great and I can’t wait to tackle it! I’m nervous about painting the spindles white as I have NO other white trim in our house (baseboards, doors, door entry casings are all wood–a few shades darker than your old banister) Just curious of your opinion on maybe staining the spindles the same as the bannister or going with a warm beige on spindles instead of white? Thanks for your opinion!
Hi Patty – thank you! As far as your spindles/balusters you could definitely gel stain them as well. Keep in mind that it may be a bit more time consuming, as there’s lots of of them! Another thought I had was if the trim in the rest of the house is the color of the banister, maybe leave it as is and just paint or gel stain the spindles/balusters dark brown or black. Kind of like this: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/117938083964168198/ You’d be replicating the updated look of iron balusters. Could look nice! If you wanted to try the beige, I’d suggest buying a sample color and painting a scrap piece of wood with it. Hold it up in your space and see if you like the look and feel before you go for it. Good luck with your project!
I used my stairs in between; I was just careful not to touch the banister.
I just want to say that I am totally obsessed with your blog. You are just about to drastically change my life because I literally was about to sand my entire kitchen and then saw your blog on the cabinets!!! So excited. Buying all the supplies and starting today and returning the sander. I also am probably going to do my banister like this as well. My question is if you think that the gel would work on an old piano to make it look refinished? What do you think? Thanks again for saving me from a giant sanding headache!
Aw, thank you! I’m glad you stumbled across Practically Spoiled! Good luck with your projects, and be sure to check out my one year cabinet update as I go into some more detail there!
As far as refinishing a piano it’s funny you ask actually, because I have a petite baby grand that I’m still working out a plan on refinishing. I can’t say if the gel stain would work for sure on a piano because I have never tried it, but here’s my thoughts:
Many pianos have a pretty high gloss finish, if that’s the case you may run into an adhesion issue with the gel stain.
Durability. If your piano is going to be subject to a lot of use, you’re going to want to use a highly durable poly (such as the General Finishes HP that I used on my cabinets) and do quite a few coats.
Imperfections. If there are any gashes, knicks, dinks, etc. in the wood of the piano the gel stain won’t fill those (and actually after poly, it may bring them out) you’ll need to fill them before gel staining for a seamless finish.
I would suggest reading up on a few gel stain cabinet tutorials if you plan on trying it. There may a different gel stain process that would make covering a large surface area a little simpler. My sock method is great for banisters, but could take a while with a piano!
If you decide to do the piano, keep me posted. I’d love to hear/see how it turns out!
Hi-
I look forward to using your method with the sock. Your work came out beautiful, and I appreciate your humor. But, is it me or did you not mention what to use for and how to paint the white banisters? Please advise!
Thank you.
Hi Kimberly – Thanks for the kind words! My balusters were white to begin with, so I just touched them up with some white high gloss trim paint after the staining. I used the same paint that I used to paint under the stair treads, which I mention in the “in case you’re wondering” section at the very end of the post. The paint I used was Benjamin Moore Regal Select in Semi-Gloss, straight white out of the can, no pigment added. Hope this helps!
Kelly,
Thank you for sharing this…I’m a nervous nelly but feeling much better after reading your blog. We have an open floor plan with a 2 story family room open to the entire second floor with an open stair case, catwalk etc…so lots of oak banisters, all visible! We have white oak floors with red sedonia stain on the floors, stairs and banister but getting them sanded down and going with something warmer to bring out the brown and less red. Did I mention the wood on the stairs is red oak and the floor white oak? Builder error… and my dilemma. Like you, we got a quote of $2,100 to sand and refinish just the banister! So, we are going to do it ourselves (just the banister). Wondering if it would it look good if we use your process with Java gel stain on the banister, keeping in mind the stairs and floors are going to be professionally sanded and stained with a hybrid of (probably) Provincial and Dark Walnut or Jacobean. (Kitchen has mahogany cabinets, so can’t go too dark on floors)
Any thoughts/suggestions? Thank you again!
Char
Hi Char – Sorry to hear about the builder mess up, that stinks it’s on you to fix… but hopefully the gel stain method can help! My oak stairs and floors were also professionally done (I know my DIY limits!) and we used a mix of Ebony and Jacobean. With oak floors, you can really see the grain. The deep tones of the Ebony soaked into the grain, while the Jacobean was more of the surface color. I believe it was the Ebony in the stain that created a good match to the Java gel stain, as the Java is a very very dark brown. Since you’re going a bit lighter, I would grab a small piece of oak and try a few patch tests. You may want to go a tad lighter on the gel stain. I cannot vouch for this process using anything but the Java color (as I have not done so myself) but hop on Pinterest and search for examples of other projects done with lighter shades of gel stain. Hope this helps – Good luck!
Thank you Kelly, they came out beautifully!! I’m so excited about the look and wanted to thank you for giving me the courage to gel stain my banisters…you made it sound easy and it was just as “advertised”. The transformation is stunning!
Yay! So glad you took the plunge and went for it! Thanks for the kind words and enjoy your “new” banisters!!!
I’d love to share a few pics. How can I share them with you? Thanks to you, the transformation is…WOW!
Hi Char, I’ll reach out to you via email – thanks!
oh my! JUST what I was looking for!! I have already done the treads and risers but was at a loss for banisters!! Also, I have revere pewter on my walls so this was the perfect post for me to find. You just made my Saturday!! I will have to post pics when done. thanks! you rock!
Hi Brenda – Yay! Glad to be of help! Definitely send over some pics when you’re done, would love to see it! Good luck with your project!
Hi Kelly,
Love the staircase! My husband and I are also redoing ours and want a dark color that pops. However, we are really trying to avoid anything with a red tint (just redid all of our old floors to get rid of a red tint, now need to stain the staircase!) Do you feel that the color stain you used had a red tint at all?
Also, I noticed that you mentioned you did not wipe off the stain – did you feel that it had a sticky/tackiness to it afterwards? How thick did you lay on the gel stain?
Thanks for your help! Love the post.
Hi Kasey – You’re welcome! 🙂 The Java gel stain is a very true deep ebony/brown. During the first coat, there was a slight reddish hue (as the yellow oak was popping through), but once it was fully covered and poly-ed it is not red. And yes, you do NOT wipe the stain off in the no sanding process. That is key! Thin coats of the gel stain, applied as I specified above. Wait until each coat is fully dry before applying the next. If it feels stick or tacky, it is not fully dry. Different climates have longer or shorter drying times, positioning a fan at the railing helps speed things up. Good luck with your project!
Hi Kelly – Thank you SO much for your post; it’s really helpful to have a tutorial as I’m trying to do the same thing with my oak banisters! One question – did you do any kind of sanding/scuffing in between coats, for either the gel stain or the topcoat? Or just put the next coat on as soon as the previous is dry? I intentionally did my first coat when I’m going to be traveling for a few days, so there will be PLENTY of dry time in between layers 🙂
Hi Laura – You’re welcome! I did absolutely no sanding. Once the previous coat is dry, apply the next. Nice thin coats! Good luck with your banisters!
Awesome, thank you so much for the reply! I’ll be sure to stop back and share a pic when I’m done 🙂
I finished last week! I love my banisters SO much now that they’re a darker color 🙂 Here’s my post about the process, what I learned, and of course, some pictures. Thank you so much again for your help! http://www.50by25.com/2016/12/transforming-my-oak-banisters-with-cherry-gel-stain.html
You’re welcome and congrats – they look beautiful! Really love the cherry! Thanks so much for sharing your results!
So I just bought the general finishes java gel stain and the guy there and another lady both told me to use the GF gel topcoat wipe on urethane. – instead of using miniwax wile on poly – any opinion or thought on that?
Hi Tammy. I can’t vouch for it completely (as I didn’t use it) but I would think you could definitely use the GF gel topcoat, as it’s meant to work as a system with the gel stain. I didn’t have access to it at the time of my project, so I opted for the Minwax because I could get it at my local HD. Good luck!
Hi there! Thank you SOOO much for your detailed post. I have been staining my banister for a week now. What a disaster! The minwax stain keeps swallowing the stain. At first i didn’t sand enough but it still won’t take the color. What I’m wondering is, after you applied the Java Gel Stain, did you wipe it off? Or did you put it on uber thin? And was it sticky? When I went too heavy on the traditional stain the banister became tacky/sticky – I wasn’t sure if it was too thick or if I hadn’t sanded enough so wasn’t absorbing it. Now that I have about three coats of stain, can I apply the Gel Stain? Oh my, this has been and absolute mess. 🙁
Hi Dana, you’re welcome! I did not wipe off the gel stain, just did 3 thin, even coats. One coat at a time, let it fully dry before you continue to the next. It won’t be sticky when it’s fully dry. Because you tried traditional stain before hand, do a patch test before you go for the whole thing. You may need to do a light sanding if you’re having issues with it drying. Best of luck!
I am LOVING your instructions for staining my banister!!!! I have 2 staircases, and a long balcony, full of oak banisters. Yesterday, I gathered my supplies. I literally made a shopping list from your blog! I also did all of the prep and used the deglosser. Today it was coat#1 of my stain. I am doing the black General Finishes Gel Stain because I have black photo frames and black light fixtures near by. I already LOVE coat #1!!!
What I have learned so far: 1.) Tape your balusters, (spindles), several inches. I got stain on my spindles because I initially only covered them about an inch. 2.) If you are staining a balcony, stain the outside first. You will be leaning over freshly stained wood, otherwise. 3.) My original banisters had 20 year old poly on them. The Kleanstrip deglosser seemed to “gunk” up the old poly. Once it dried, I went over it with a very fine grit sandpaper and a damp rag. Once dry, I checked for smoothness. Then, I was ready to stain! Still a whole lot easier than stripping and scraping wood Tomorrow, I apply coat #2 of stain, and then see if I need coat #3. . I am SOOOOO grateful for this blog! Your instructions are super easy to follow. I am no stranger to DIY-ing. (just finished a 4 month kitchen reno with my husband). Your blog gave me power to know I can do this banister myself! 1996 called and asked for their honey oak pine back! I was grateful to oblige! LOL!!
I am doing this right now! I had to have new treads made so was forced to paint all my balusters first before new treads were installed. Used the java on thetreads as well. Love them. However, my spindles are still sticky😩 I deglossed, primed and put two coats on. I still have to do the banister.. scared to death the paint will come off with tape… I did not use an oil based white paint. Will they harden over time?
If your paint is still sticky, it’s not dry just yet. I wouldn’t put the tape on them until they are 100% dry. Sometimes climate plays a role in drying time, so try to keep it dry in the house and aim a fan at them for a few days! Good luck!
Thank you for the awesome tutorial! Found it on Pinterest and I’m looking to do the same to my new staircase. My balusters are oak as well, though, and I’m wondering what would be your recommendation for painting/staining them? Seems stains are only in darker colors, and from your description staining wouldn’t necessarily work as well for the light color anyway. Some sort of glossy white paint? What’s the best way to match it with the poly coat in terms of sheen/glossiness? Once the poly is dry, is it ready to tape in order to start painting the balusters? Thanks again for the detailed how to!
You’re welcome! What to do with the balusters is really personal preference. I know some people like staining everything the same color, and other’s (like myself) opt for the dark railing with the white balusters. Depends on the look you’re going for. I used a high quality white paint in a gloss finish for my balusters. If you choose to paint them, you may want to use a primer before you paint them for better coverage/adhesion since you’re going from wood to white. The glossy finish on my railing is more shiny than my white balusters, but I personally think it looks good. If you want them to have them same finish I would suggest using the poly on everything, though I do warn you that poly over white paint has a tendency to yellow over time. If you stain the railing first, let it FULLY dry (I’d give it at least 2 weeks) before putting any tape on the finish. And I’d use super delicate painters tape. Good luck!
I love your work and the detail explanation, you have inspired me to change the stairs in my house. I am second owner and the previous owner painted the entire stairs white. I have asked around and because they are painted white and not the original wood I cannot stain, is this true? If I cannot stain do you know of any type of paint I can use or things I can use to have a glossy finish, I want to paint them black but just the rail and the newel posts.
Thank you so much! If they are already painted I wouldn’t gel stain on top of the paint, not sure how it would react. You should be able to paint over the paint, but you would need to identify what kind of paint is currently there first (oil vs. water based) to ensure you use the right primer for the job. Once you identify that, you can prime them then use a high quality trim and cabinet paint like Sherwin Williams Pro Classic. Definitely finish with a poly. If you’re looking for high shine, go with a gloss finish. That’s what I used on my banisters – Minwax Wipe On Poly. Very easy to apply and is holding up nicely. Good luck with your project!
Thank you Kelly after much research I have decided to sand off all the paint so that I can stain which is what I wanted to do from the very beginning. I can’t wait, I know it is going to be a lot of work but a friend is lending me her electric sander. I am looking to stain it with an espresso brown color.
I did use the gel stain on my steps. We had complete oak staircase (steps, risers, railing, baseboards, and spindles). We started with all the white first. Since we did all the work ourselves, I saved the steps for last because I wanted to find someone to do it for us. Plus, when we sanded, there were areas that sanded differently, and there were some scratches in between the spindles. We got a friend to do it while we were on vacation. It took more coats than expected, but I feel he must have applied thin coats. Our steps were down to the wood…which scared me too. I read on home depot website you can use it on steps but don’t sand down to bare wood, and use a prestain first. The stain won’t set into the wood like regular stain, so it’s the topcoat that makes the difference in protecting the stain. Looking back, I wish a topcoat was used and was applied thicker or left to set longer before wiping, but I just had to be thankful it was stained and polyed when we got home. Still an improvement from all that oak!
I’m one coat in and it’s feeling sticky. It’s been drying just over 15 hours I’m planning to add the second coat but just want to make sure this is normal?
No they should not be sticky. Drying times vary, wait until they are fully dry before continuing. Thin coats are KEY, as are non-humid conditions. Good luck!
Thanks so much for the tutorial! Just finished up the touch ups and I’m now ready to poly and be DONE! My wife and I are expecting a baby boy in November so the projects to get done are getting a little overwhelming! Just wanted to say thanks for the gel stain recommendation! May be my new favorite product! I was actually curious if you had tried any of the other colors besides java? I saw a wide variety of everything from cherry to mahogany. I would post my before and after, but I have no idea how to do that 🙂 Thanks again!
Hey Seth, you’re welcome! Congrats on the incoming little one and trying to get it all in before the arrival 🙂 There are other gel stain colors, but I have not used them. I have read some success stories (via Pinterest) of people using the Mahogany, but not any other colors. The reason the Java works so well its that it’s highly pigmented, more like a paint, less of a stain. I’d suggest ordering a small sample of another color before you tackle a whole project with it – just to make sure it’s the look/result you want!
Hi! This looks beautiful! My husband and I have been in our home for a little over a year and we’re tackling the “sea of oak.” We’ve chalk painted most of the cabinets. I want to stain our stair railing with the gel stain. I realize it takes 24 hours to dry between coats. I plan on using the oil-based top coat recommended be General Finishes. My question is how long does it take for that final coat to dry and really be in use? I’m trying to time my project around a party.
Hi Allison, thank you! I used Mixwax wipe on poly in gloss, which dried to the touch after 12-ish hours, but I didn’t use the banister for a few days after, just to be sure! Drying times on the gel stain vary based on season and climate. I’ve heard for some people it took a few days to dry, so you may want to do a little patch test under the railing before you begin, just in case! Good luck!
Hi Allison! I saw a video on you tube of a girl who redid all her trim and kitchen in her house with GF java gel stain. If I find it, I’ll send you the link.
Good Luck!
:)Maureen
Hi! Thanks SO much for posting this! We just had our floors refinished too and I was preparing myself to have to sand and stain everything else oak! Quick question – would you recommend using this same method for wooden window trim? Thanks!
Hi Allison, you’re welcome! Never tried it so I can’t say for sure, but I don’t see why this process wouldn’t work for oak window trim. It would be quite laborious doing all those windows though! Good luck with your project 🙂
Hi! I just tried this project and love the results so far. Just one quick question: did you poly both the bannister (the gel stained area) and the spindles (I covered mine with latex paint)?
Hi Holly – Great to hear! I only applied poly to the gel stained railing, not the painted balusters. Good luck on the final step (all puns intended LOL!)
Great tutorial! I followed all the steps and everything came out looking great! Very happy with the Java color and the entryway doesn’t even look like the same house as before, thank you for the step by step guide!
Don’t let the tiny size of the stain can fool you, you won’t use it all. I have 15 stairs and another separate railing that lines the back side of the hallway and I still have almost a half a can leftover.
You’re welcome! Isn’t it amazing what a little gel stain can do? Really updates the look! Enjoy the results! 🙂
Beautiful work! Did the 1/2 pint of stain get you through the whole project? Did you have any to spare?
Thank you! Yes, I had lots of gel stain left over! A little bit goes a long way!
I am so sorry but I am not following all your abbreviations! What is IMO and TSP? Everything is just beautiful. I have oak floors but they have lost of dark in them also. Was thinking of leaving the floors and just doing the bannisters. What do you think?
Thanks! A dark banister with oak floors can look really good! Hop on over to Pinterest and see if you can find some images. IMO = In my opinion TSP = Is a type of cleaner, there’s also TSP substitute. Good luck!
Is the Java gel ok to use for kitchen Ana bathroom cabinets? Thank you
I have never used gel stain on cabinets, but I know there are people who have. Hop on Pinterest and search there for some tutorials 🙂
Hello, I love your results! I currently have an all oak staircase (banister, steps, spindles). I purchased Citristrip stripping gel to apply to entire staircase since I plan to paint risers, spindles, and sides white and stain the steps and banister. So…I was wondering if I should skip the Citristrip because it strips it down to the wood and just use deglosser??? I am also wondering if I can use the gel stain on the steps too???
Thanks!
Hi – thank you! I did not strip down the finish, just used the liquid sander/deglosser. The finish on my banister was pretty worn down before I started so this worked well for me. If your finish is newer or still very much intact you may want to use the stripper not to get everything off, but to knock down the shiny finish a bit to allow for good adhesion. As far as gel staining steps, many people have asked that and I personally wouldn’t recommend doing that unless you are sanding the steps down to the bare wood first. Good luck!
My gel stain feels sticky after about 3 hours of drying… will the poly make it less sticky??
No, 3 hours is not nearly long enough. The gel stain must fully dry before going for another coat or applying poly over. Mine took around 24 hours for each coat to dry. Depending on your climate, it can take as long as 5 days to completely dry. Good luck.
Thank you SO much for introducing me to Java Gel Stain! Last summer I painted the risers on our stairs to cover some of the 2002 oak masterpiece staircase. We installed bamboo flooring a couple years ago and it’s Ebony. We priced out the cost to replace the remaining oak floors and that was as expensive as it would be to do the stairs! Crazy! So, we let that go, until I painted the treads white. I didn’t have to strip/sand the poly. I found a paint at Lowe’s that advertised it would cover over well, and it did! It came out very nicely. However, I’m planning to refinish our overly worn, oversized coffee table and end tables this summer. I’ve been playing with Minwax stains, and nothing is hitting the sweet spot. Chalk paint is quite good and covers very well. So, now I have my plan, Chalk paint (not to be confused with chalkboard paint) the legs and under pieces and gel staining the stops! Awesome job, by the way! Thank you!
Thank you! Another gel stain convert! LOL! I use it for so much now! To touch up tiny dinks in my wood floor, to touch up furniture, to paint old frames – gel stain is the greatest!
Thank you so much for this post! I just finished our bannister and it came out great! It’s so much prettier and has such a nice impact when you walk into our home now. Thanks to you, I am in love with gel stain! This was my final de-oaking project – purchased a paint sprayer and refinished all of our cabinets to white over the last couple of years. I wanted to match the bannister to our dark floors. Yay for no more light oak!
You’re so welcome! A huge congrats on taking care of the last of the oak! It’s amazing what a little stain and paint can do! 🙂
I am about ready to tackle my railings and cabinets, doing both at the same time, due to the dry time. I feel like Dory in Saving Nemo – just keep swimming. I have 2 questions:
My first question is about GF stain colors. I did a sample with mahogany brown and it wasn’t red enough for me. I tried Georgian Cherry and it is a bit to red. Can I mix the two, for a more reddish brown? or should I do one coat of the cherry, then further coats with the Brown?
Second: How long do you leave the stain on before you wipe it off? How will you know if you have too little or too much stain on the cabinet? Or wipe off too much or not enough?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Hi Sharyn! As far as the gel stain colors, I’m only familiar with the Java color that I used. Because it’s so dark it provides maximum coverage, unfortunately I can’t vouch for any other color.
Using the method I laid out above you do not sand, so you do not wipe the gel stain off the banister. It’s used as more of a paint despite the name stain.
Read the tutorial above again to make sure you’re absolutely clear on the instructions before you begin. I don’t want you to be stuck with a mess on your hands! Also, I created the tutorial above for banisters, never tried it on cabinets. You may want to research some other sites that have gel stained cabinets if you haven’t already. Good luck and keep swimming!
Well, unlike all the commentators here, I’m the husband who will need to convince my lovely wife that we should AND can do a makeover on our heavily, heavily oak-dominant 22 year old home (that we’ve had for just under 2 years). Oak trim is everywhere — every wall, every door, every window as well as all the bannisters, the kitchen, the family room wall around the fireplace, and even all the built-ins in my home office (I’m a university professor but the old-style oak is even too much for me). All this trim is matched by the hardwood floor finish, which I detest, only because I’ve always preferred a nice walnut-stained floor offset by a nice light neutral paint on the walls. Wish I could show you the whole enchilada of what needs to be done here, and you could recommend which step to take first. We have a 4 year old, so I need to be conscious of time and safety, etc. I’m wondering if the floors should be done first (thankfully, just the first floor as the stairs and 2nd floor are both carpeted)? However, the oak everywhere else would look much more out of place that if we did the reverse (leave the floors for last), which is more likely given that all of these jobs will take probably 2-3 summers. I’m also thinking that tackling my office might be a first step, if only because if I screw it up, it won’t be as noticeable as anywhere else in the house (I can just shut the door!). Any thoughts? In the end, the kitchen will be the big job — and I’ve read your other article on the kitchen job, which is how I’m steeling myself to share the idea(s) with my spouse. Thanks for all the details you’ve provided. If you were close, I’d bribe you with some pinot grigio (also my fave and definitely the best) to get you to give my wife a pep talk! Seriously — great website and great advice, thanks!
Oh my goodness, you’re swimming in quite the sea of oak! LOL! Yes, you are going to be busy for quite some time, but making a game plan is the first step! Based on all the oak you identified, I’d normally agree with you and say start with the floors, but you may want to start with all the trim. Painting trim is relatively simple in the grand scheme of things. Once you complete that, all the rooms will almost instantly look much more up to date and it won’t clash with the floors as-is. (assuming you’re painting the trim a neutral color) Next, I’d tackle your office built-ins. Get familiar with the process before you launch in to the very life disturbing kitchen cabinet painting. I’d probably leave the floors and banister (for matching reasons) until the end, because you may find eliminating all the other oak makes the floors more tolerable. The real issue here is that having your floors refinished is a major project. All furniture needs to be moved and covered, everything gets terribly dusty (I had to swiffer my walls!), you can’t walk on it for quite a few days, and the smell is incredibly powerful. You’ll need to go away for a week while the floors are being done, especially with a little one. We had ours done before we moved in, which was ideal. Good luck with all the projects… and convincing your wife! (Does she take Pinot Grigio bribes? Ha!) I know it seems daunting, but you’ll feel like you’re making strides out of the 90’s with each oak-limination project! 🙂
Great, thanks for those comments, good ideas here. One thought I’m having: why not replace as much of the oak trim as possible with white MDF? Would save a great deal of time (& a little money) instead of doing all that painting. The baseboards make the most sense, although all the oak trim around the doors might not be do-able as the oak is all tightly done together. You’re probably right about the floors, too. In our last house, I had it done over a week or so before anyone moved in, so that was perfect. I was thinking of doing the job myself this time (I did a floor job when I was in university but of course I was 22 and a lot less careful, not to mention energetic, than I am now) just to save money; probably not worth the hassle though! Again, thank you! I’ll be coming to your website a lot more often now (and steer my better half to it, too) 🙂
I have been putting off painting and staining our UGLY oak railing for over 4 years, although have been dreaming of how nice it would look done in white and ebony the whole time. Your Pinterest post has convinced me to just do it! We just took the leap and redid our oak kitchen cabinets painting them antique white and I absolutely love them! The railing I’m going to tackle is at our front entrance (split level) and the stairs are carpet which is new and I don’t want to change it. The only issue I can see myself having is how to protect the carpet at the bottom of the baluster where they meet. Is there something other than just paint tape that I should use or do you think that the tape will work?
Yay! Glad you’re moving forward with your banister! With carpet I would be EXTRA careful! You probably want to use tape, some rose paper, a sheet of plastic, and possibly some more tape on top. Whatever you get the gel stain on, it’s likely not coming off easily or at all. It may be a bit of a hassle to protect, but better safe than sorry. 🙂
Hi Kelly,
Great job! There’s a long thread of info and I’m not sure if you’ve answered this already so my apologies in advance if you have. I know you mentioned using white gloss on the treads. Did you also do the white spindles/balusters yourself or did you hire someone to paint them white? Thanks
Hi Jean, Thanks so much! Yes, I painted the balusters. They were white to begin with, but they needed some refreshing. The same paint that I used under the treads is also what used on the balusters. 🙂
Love the dark floors and stairs!!
Do you think you could gel stain a wood floor?? I have old worn down wood floors, and
i don’t want the hassle of striping – sanding etc….. I am in NY one bedroom apartment.
The thought and cost to move furniture out, and the mess of sanding !!! I know I am trying to shortcut. But I am very handy and crafty .
Thank you! Unfortunately I would not recommend gel staining over a floor without properly stripping it down. Floors are high traffic and take a beating daily. I don’t believe it would hold up very well. Sorry!
I am so happy I found your post on staining ugly oak banisters. You have offered the exact color I am looking for. I am having a professional painter take on the job. My question is what is your thought on staining the spindles the same color instead of painting them. My trim color is SW Pavillion Beige and walls are SW Sanderling. Should the spindles by the Pavillion Beige?
Hmm… Gel staining both the banister and balusters in my space would have been much too dark because my floor is also dark (in my opinion, of course!) If you have a lighter floor color, it may work better so you still get a nice contrast. Kind of like this or this. I would recommend doing a deep Pinterest search on banister combinations to try and visualize it both ways before you make a move! Good luck!
Looks great. I am planning to do this. Do you recommend having the floors done first and then doing the railing. (Keep in mind I will also have to paint my balusters white.) Or do all my white painting, then stain and then floors? Not sure which order would be best.
Thanks! My floors and stair risers were done first, then I tackled this project. When doing the floors they popped out about 20 of the balusters, then put them back in place after. The ones that stayed in got some stain on the bottoms. When I gel stained the railing, I taped off the top of the balusters and was very careful not to get stain on them, but still got it in a few small places. You would definitely want to do the floor first, then the railing, then paint the balusters last! (I recommend using a good quality white paint, otherwise you’ll be doing many, many coats of white for coverage!) Good luck with your project!
I found your tutorial after I tried staining my oak bannister today. Couldn’t get the color right. Right now it reminds me of 1970’s wood paneling! We decided to order the stain you used in your tutorial. Would you recommend sanding down the stain I just applied today? We also ordered a palm sander which should help! Thanks!
Oh no from 90’s oak to 70’s paneling! Don’t worry, you’ll get it right! If you sanded, used traditional stain, and did not poly, there’s no need to sand it down before using the General Finishes Java Gel Stain. It goes on more like a paint and will easily cover your previous attempt with a few coats. If you applied poly over your previous attempt, you may want to try a liquid sander to knock down the poly before you dive into actually sanding it off. It’s probably not cured, since you just did it, the liquid sander may knock down the poly finish enough to gel stain over. Hope this helps – Good luck!!!
Love the banister! I’m in the midst of doing the same! Did you sand between each stain coat/poly coat? Just watching a few general finishing videos to see if it’s needed.
Thanks! Nope! I followed the steps I listed above exactly!
So beautiful!! I’ve been trying to find the right dark stain to get my oak to actually get dark and this is exactly the look I’m going for!! Question – can you use that gel stain on oak doors? Also, how messy is it to use a deglosser? It must be different than stripping it? Thanks!!
Thank you! I know that others have done oak cabinet doors with gel stain, not sure about other oak doors. The liquid sander/deglosser isn’t as messy as sanding. You simply saturate a lint free rag then rub it on in circular motions, constantly folding over the rag as to not reapply what you just deglossed. It’s not stripping, it’s just taking down a previously existing finish to get proper adhesion. The finish on my banister was quite worn down already, but if you have a thicker, glossier, newer finish deglossing will take a round or two, or you may have to use a primer before gel staining. Hope this helps!
Love your tutorial. But My general finishes, after one coat did not really dry. When I went to put on the second coat it literally took off the first. I don’t know what I did wrong. I used a Deglosser desander liquid and also sanded some areas prior to application. I actually followed your steps precisely. Suggestions? I’m so aggravated and frustrated. Thanksgiving is coming up ! Help me
It could be a few things: 1) If it’s applied too thick, it can effect drying time, or just won’t dry. Thin even coats are key. 2) Are you pressing to hard? Remember this isn’t a stain, this is like a paint. It sits on top of the wood. If you’re pressing too hard you will wipe off the coat before. 3) If you live in a humid climate that can also effect the drying process. I live in the Northeast, this was not an issue for me. 4) Drying time. Are you allowing it to dry long enough? 5) If your banister had a shiny poly in good condition on it before and you didn’t knock it down enough with the liquid sander/deglosser it may not be adhering. Mine was worn down so I did a round to knock down the shine that was left. It definitely doesn’t need to be completely off, as mine was not, but I can see that possibly being an issue. If all else fails, here’s what I would try (no guarantees as I have never done this, but this seems logical): Wipe the banisters down then prime them. Then try the gel staining process again. Hope this helps!
Thanks doll! It took 5 days to dry!!! I’m in Poly phase I. I’m using min-wax poly wipe on.
Yay! Glad it dried – crazy it took so long! Must be the climate and/or weather. The poly is the best part because you see it come to life! Final stretch!!! 🙂
I had the same drying issue for the banister. It has actually been almost 2 weeks!! 🙁
Not sure how to approach it. What kind of primer would I use? Do you think is should strip them instead??
Hi Victoria. Sorry to hear about your issue. There have been a lot of people who have successfully completed this project, and many have reported back that the drying times vary quite greatly. If you’re in a humid environment it could take over 2 weeks to dry. Also using too much gel stain in each coat could extend the drying time too. Before you abandon ship, I would try keeping your house very dry and blowing fans directly on the banisters for a few days and see if they dry up.
I saw your oak banister transformation on Pinterest and I jumped in and now our ugly oak is gone. Unfortunately I used the same process on our oak stairs (6 coats of poly so it would be extra durable). The first day the stairs were used, there are scuff marks on the risers that took off the poly and the stain. I didn’t read far enough into your comments that you wouldn’t recommend these products for the stairs. After literally weeks of painting, staining, touch ups and poly sadly I am going to have to strip the stairs or have a runner installed. I hope no one makes the same mistake I did. The banister is beautiful though and I am so happy with how it has turned out. I also gel stained my ugly oak bathroom cabinets and they are beautiful although I’m doubting the durability. I used 4 coats of poly and have 3 scratches from my fingernails.
Sorry to hear about your other gel stain troubles, but glad your banister came out beautiful! Though I never gel stained cabinets, I know many others have successfully. You may want to look into a different poly. Head over to my cabinet painting tutorial and check out what I used. That poly is used by the pros and dries to a durable finish after the full curing time.
I absolutely love your transformation! Nicely done! My husband and I recently bought a house that is going to get the Gel Stain Treatment 🙂 Your tips and tricks should come in handy!! Thank you for the wonderful tutorial! What color are your walls?
Hooray, another gel-stainer! Thanks for the kind words. The wall color is Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter. Congrats on the house and good luck with your project!
Awesome job! What color white did you use for the spindles and on the treads?
Thx!
Thanks! Under the treads and spindles are Benjamin Moore Regal Select in Semi-Gloss. Didn’t add any color, just when for the straight bright white out of the can!
Did you gel stain or paint the spindles first? Just wonder which should be done first? You Rock!!
Thanks! 🙂 Gel stain first, spindles second as they probably will get some gel stain on them.
Was your banister covered in polyurethane prior? Our banister is polyurethaned. We want to paint the banister, but feeling reluctant to remove the poly :/ TIA
Yes it did have an existing poly coating, but it was 14 years old and quite worn down. This is where the liquid sander came into play. As long as your poly isn’t brand new, a couple applications of the liquid sander should knock it down enough to the point you won’t need to sand. My gel stain method doesn’t require getting down to the raw wood, but does require proper prep to make sure the stain sticks. If you’re painting and not gel staining you may want to consider a coat of primer in between the liquid sander and painting steps. This should help with adhesion. Check out my cabinet painting tutorial for more information on a good primer. Good luck with your banister!
I love your banister and am getting ready to do mine the exact same way. How has yours held up? Chips? Scratches?
Thank you! They’ve held up quite well. Only one teeny tiny chip (which I touched up with gel stain + a q-tip) where I accidentally rammed my laundry basket into the post at the bottom of the steps. I also only did one coat of poly. The more coats of poly, the stronger your finish! Good luck!!!
I have several bits that have chipped off. I’m not sure if that is because I didn’t use enough liquid sander in that area. When you touched up your area that was chipped did you have to do the liquid sander to that area and then do all the steps again?
Hmm, my area was teenie tiny (and caused my cluziness!) so I simply took a q-tip with gel stain on it to the spot and it disappeared. Not sure I would mess with the liquid sander in those spots, as it may effect the gel stain in the surrounding area. After you touch up the areas you may want to consider another coat or 2 of poly if you’re having chipping. It definitely shouldn’t chip off if the banister was properly prepped and polied. Hope this helps!
Great job on this project! we are in this house 1 year and replaced everything but the banister/staircase. and NOW I know how to do this. Thank you!
You’re welcome! Good luck!
First let me say this staircase doesn’t even look like the same one the change is beyond amazing!!! LOVE it! Do you think the same process could be done on the treads of the stairs? Ours are not oak, I think they are birch. I need to do something with mine and was wondering, don’t really want to hire someone to come in right now, just got done putting a new roof on the house…..so ya, you know. Thanks!
Thanks so much! As far as doing the treads, I’m honestly not sure it will hold up. Ours were sanded down by hand then stained with Minwax + Poly, like our floors. My concern with gel staining over your existing treads would be durability. Think of gel stain as more of a paint. The color doesn’t get absorbed it lays on top, then is locked in by the poly. (Unless you sand the treads down, and in that case gel stain isn’t the best option anyway.) A railing doesn’t need the very high durability of stair treads, so this works well for it and even cabinets, but with the amount of traffic treads will get, my gut says this may not hold up too well… I sympathize with the pain of roofing costs (we did a tear-off last year) but I would get a professional in on this project! Good luck!
Thanks for the reply. I’m thinking this is a project that will wait until another time. We did a total tear off too, so have to save more money for future improvements! I have a LONG list of things I want to do!!! 🙂
Hi Kelly,
Are the steps themselves made of oak? We pulled up carpet on our stairs and they are not oak they are a different wood. I was just wondering because I’m hoping to not have to put oak treads in but stain them with the gel stain.
Thanks!
Yes, our treads are solid oak. We didn’t gel stain them, we had the company who refinished our floors sand and stain them with the Minwax, then we painted the unders and sides. Good luck with your project!
Beautiful!! Thank you so much for sharing the pics and details of how to do this. I too have an “all oak–golden/orangy” house and want to update it without going all white. Your stairs turned out beautiful and you have given me the courage I need to begin–as soon as I get the hubby on board! I’m hesitant on using the sock method though–I’m imagining a mess knowing me–did you go back over it with a brush to smooth it out? Also, it appears you added the wainscoting in the living room? It too is beautiful and makes a huge difference! Thank you again for sharing your knowledge and experience!
Yay, another convert! LOL! Thanks so much for all your kind words! (and for noticing my DIY wainscoting!) The sock method allowed me to get better coverage than a brush. I really just used the brush on the edges that touched the wall and for touch ups. The gel stain is gel-like, not liquidy like paint or stain, so it’s a bit harder to make a mess. Using a sock also allowed me to get into the nooks and crannies much easier than a brush did. Didn’t need to go back over it with a brush, came out nice and smooth. Give it a shot and if its not your cup of tea, switch to the brush or you could even try using a staining pad. Good luck, and please let me know how it turns out!
Love the new look! Recently bought a home (built 1996) and that golden oak is everywhere! Kitchen cabinets, island, bannister, floor, fireplace mantle, room columns…. I’m overwhelmed! Not to mention brass everywhere too! If I start staining the floors or bannister, do I have to stain everything too? Seems like a big and $$$ project!
Wish I had you to come over and walk me through this 🙂
Ali
Thank you so much! Oh boy oh boy do I know the feeling of all-oak-everything! We started on a path to complete oak-elimination and haven’t looked back, BUT I’ve seen some great examples of minimizing oak. Like here: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/238127899019970048/ The floors are a major, expensive project, but gel staining a banister, painting under oak stairs/risers white, even painting/staining cabinets (lots of labor here, but little cost) are ways to start minimizing the everywhere oak. After a few projects and a couple of area rugs, you may actually find you like it on the floor! Good luck!!!
We plan on doing the same to our oak banister, thank you for the info!! But did you have solid treads under your carpet or did you have to rebuild a whole new tread, or somehow patch the area where the carpet had been? That’s what I’m stuck on — we don’t have a solid tread, under the carpet is just subfloor. 🙁
You’re welcome – glad you found the tutorial helpful! We did have solid treads under the carpet, so it was simply a matter of refinishing for us. Good luck with your project, would love to see the final results!
Thanks! 🙂
Hi, Love you tips and advise. I have used General Finishes Java Gel Stain on my kitchen cabinets and LOVE them. I did not know I could use it on railing and stairs? Did you use the floor stain on the stairs or the Java Gel stain on the stairs? I want to stain the stairs with Gel and just want to know if someone already did that.
Thank you! I only used the gel stain on my banisters, not on my stairs. I had professionals strip and stain the stairs. They used Minwax stain.
Did anyone ever do the java gel on stairs or floors? I love this stuff… i think I am going to risk it tomorrow… so share… soon if want to stop me…! I did all my windows and LOVE it… my doors, my baseboards… why should floor be so different ( other projects I did not remove finish… but I am going to sand floors and… wish me luck!
Hi Ann. I personally have not used it on floors, so unfortunately I can’t speak to the durability of Gel Stain on floors – only banisters! I suggest visiting General Finishes’ website for more information and doing some sound research before you jump in. We had our floors refinished professionally and it’s quite a job! They used Minwax (details above) and a squeegee like device to spread it around the floor. They did a second coat once the first was dry, then once completely dry they sealed it with a Minwax topcoat. Good luck with your project!
Thanks for the inspiration and instructions! Nervous but going to try! Also a type-A Virgo named Kelli!! haha!!
You’re welcome! Don’t be nervous, it’s really quite simple… especially for “our type” LOL! 🙂 Good luck!
Love your stairs. We have a contempory rail and posts and i am considering the same. ours are not oak but some softer wood that appears to be some kind of pine i guess. I am not sure if we will just paint the whole thing white or use something different on the hand rail.
Thank you! Whatever you choose to do just make sure you use a good poly over it! Good luck!
HI Kelly-It’s been two years and we are just now tackling the paint in our front room and foyer. We are going from a golden yellowish) to a grey. Our balusters, hand rail, and fascia boards are all a honey color. The entire railing system is a contemporary design.
I would attach a couple of pictures if I could.
So, I would like your opinion. I would like to paint the whole mess white except the hand rail which I would do in a dark brown or several shades darker than the wall paint. My wife thinks we should leave the color as is. Either way, it needs to be painted and freshened as 25 years worth of wear is showing.
What would your opinion be as far as color. Your opinion is non-binding of course!
Hi Bill – Welcome back! Kind of hard to imagine, but I think I get the gist. Leaving honey oak is never an option (in my humble opinion) so I would definitely go for an updated look. The white/deep brown sounds nice against the gray. If the look is contemporary, definitely stay with contemporary colors. It may help to visualize it over at Pinterest. Give it a search and see if you can find some examples that are close to what you have. That also may help convince your wife. Good luck!
I found your post on Pinterest and I am SO glad I did! I just completed our banisters and they look AMAZING!! It barely took any of the gel stain to complete the project so there is plenty more staining left to do. My next project will be our master bathroom cabinets. Thanks for sharing such a great, inspirational tutorial!
Yay! So happy to hear that! One more oak banister eliminated! LOL! I’d love to see pictures!
is the gel finish durable enough for furniture? I have oak bunk beds in my son’s room that we would both love more if they were darker but can’t fathom all the sanding and staining of the nooks and crannies.
It’s all about the top coat when it comes to durability, not so much the gel stain itself. I recently painted cabinets and used General Finishes High Performance Poly and so far it’s held up great. You have to do quite a few coats and it does have a long cure time (to be fully cured), so the bunk beds would be out of commission for a little bit. If you used a high quality poly like that, I think the gel staining would work. Good luck!
Love your tutorial !!! Did you do your stair risers yourself too!
No, not that skilled! 🙂 The company who refinished our floors also did the risers.
So funny…our house layout and staircase is almost exactly like this and currently all honey oak. Even our walls are revere pewter… So funny. Anyway, we are getting our floors refinished next week, and I was wondering if you could tell me if the ebony/jacobean mix was 50/50 or something different?! Thanks so much. Everything looks beautiful by the way!!
Thank you!!! Sorry I’m a touch late on the reply. Our foyers are twinning! I honestly don’t know the exact mix, but it is over 50% ebony because the 50/50 mix was our starting point and we added more ebony gradually to darken.
I love your bannisters! We had to take ours out (not fun) for floor guys to sand stairs. We were also told to just replace them. We were going to paint the large posts black and just stain the rails, but I like your idea and we may opt for that. Pics when done!
They took out many of our balusters, but them popped them back in after so we didn’t have to replace them. Would love to see your finished project – good luck!
Fantastic job! We are only trying to stain an oak table – 4 coats of jacobean and one coat of ebony and my husband is about to sand it all down again (for the third time) with 150 grit instead of 220 and then try it again. The grain is just not soaking into the grain and giving us that dark color that we desire :(. Thanks for the tutorial. We also have a small oak banister that I detest! If this table project ever ends I will work on the banister.
Thank you! Yeah, we discovered oak is a difficult wood to get dark. You just want that rich chocolatey espresso and oak doesn’t want to cooperate, right? Ha! I was expecting our floors to be more even with a darker stain, but the grain seemed to soak up most of the stain while the rest of the wood was quite resistant! Good luck with that table – and definitely go for the gel stain on the banisters – so much easier then sanding and staining!
I was curious about 2 things(Love, love what you have done). Have you like having no carpet on the stairs? What was the cost of refinishing the wood floors? Thanks. i hope our project can turn out as awesome as yours 🙂
Thank you! I love how the carpetless stairs look and how easy they are to keep clean, but I do have admit they can be a little slippery. Eventually, I’ll probably have to get a runner. As far as cost, we paid a little over $3 per square foot for the refinishing. Hope this helps & good luck!
Your home is beautiful!! I had a very successful result staining our master bath vanity and am going to tackle the banister next! What brand of liquid sander did you use, and what type of cloth did you use to apply it? I sanded my vanity and it was messy, so this sounds perfect! Thank you in advance!!
Thanks very much! You’re becoming a staining pro! Up above in my post I link to all the products that I used. Keep in mind with the liquid sander you’re trying to knock down the shiny finish, not get down to raw wood (you wouldn’t be able to with this product!) Gel stain is more dense than traditional stain, applies more like a paint rather than seeping into the wood. Hope this helps and good luck!