My Stairs: Painting a Runner Details

I've gotten lots of comments about how ridiculous taping my steps must have been. While I will say that it wasn't the quickest job in the world, in the interest of full disclosure I also have to admit that I can be a bit melodramatic sometimes. My third grade teacher even nicknamed me "Sarah Bernhardt" because of my skills in that department.

So I thought I'd clear things up with a step-by-step explanation in case you want awesomely fabulous steps with a painted runner, too!

1. Prime with an oil-based primer.

Like I mentioned in a previous post, I painted all the risers and every other tread to allow me to escape up the steps, then went back a couple hours later and finished priming the other steps.

2. Paint the outside edges of all the stairs.

 I used the same semi-gloss white paint I use for all my home's trim. (And since you're only painting the edges, you leave an escape route! Brilliant!)

3. Tape for the runner.

This is where it starts getting a bit more tedious. My stairs were 36 inches wide, but of course my walls weren't perfect and so there were variations in the exact measurements of individual stairs as well.

I decided I wanted a 24" runner with 6" white on either side. I also decided that it was more important for the runner to stay the same width (like a real runner) and have the white outer edges absorb any of the slight width variations.

You could use a chalk line to mark the distance on each tread, but it will only mark the edge of each bullnose. I borrowed my contractor brother-in-law's laser pointer, which will go around corners so you'll have a solid line on your treads and risers which will result in a much quicker tape job.

This same laser kit is available at Amazon.com -- it's inexpensive and even includes a base so you can mount the laser onto any standard camera tripod for jobs like this.

4. Paint the runner!

I sealed the edge of the tape to prevent bleeding with a quick coat of the white paint that was already on the steps. After you paint your runner, do yourself a favor: good gravy, please do not remove the tape!

Just so we're clear, I did remove the tape. Do not make the same mistake I made, pretty pretty please.

Note: The color yellow I used is called Carolina Inn Crossroads Gold, by Valspar.

5. Tape for the thin accent stripe.

Decide how thick you want the accent stripe to be, and simply add a line of tape parallel to the existing one. If I had left the original tape on this would have been a much easier task -- I would have already half a straight template to go from, and half the work would have been done!

After it dries this time, you're welcome to pull the tape off. Have a tape removal party, even. Celebrate!

6. Seal it.

Use poly. Your stairs will thank you for it!

Go see more pictures of the finished stairwell here!