Hello all, I've spent hours and hours stripping thick old paint off the stair treds and finally begun sanding a few steps but the treds have the worn darker area in the middle, perhaps where a runner used to be. Do I just continue sanding or will the wood never be an even Colour? I'm wanting to put a light stain on when finished for a natural look. I'm using a MAC Allister sander (recommended by a B&Q worker, and am aware it's a B&Q brand). It's just taking too may hours to not get a good result! I've used various paint strippers, plastic scrapers, metal scrapers, blades, wire wool etc.. in that order as I started off wanting to be gentle but now I could just carpet the bloody lot it's taking so long. Thanks very much!
Sadly, preparation is never quick,takes time to get good results. Bleaching the middle of the tread might lighten it enough to match surrounding tread, where is Astramax our painter.
I see a child safety gate so rather limits what I would recommend, try soaking the stained area with sugar soap this may help to lighten the colour I would use caustic soda myself as a whole lot stronger but not with children about. KIAB mentioned using wood bleach...worth a go but be sure to follow the instructions and keep little finger well out of the way!
Vertical stairs can be dangerous..(as per pic).reset them to horizontal. I advise not stripping stuff back.(lead paint etc) you will never get good results. Most older properties used Pitch pine for most stuff and it was never meant to be bare...it was scumbled from new for a reason. Put carpet down. RS
I think that you need to adjust your expectations. Once it's all back to clean bare wood you should do whatever finish you have decided on and think of the colour variations as 'character' rather than 'problem'. That's one of the things I like about wood. It gets more interesting with a bit of wear and tear.
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