Wooden stairs are very popular indoors. As wood is a living material, stairs need to be protected in order to keep them in good condition for as long as possible. There are various protection products on the market (e.g. sealers, waxes, wood paints). These products are intended to prevent damage to wooden stairs (cracks, scratches, deformation, etc.). But then among all these references, which product to choose to protect a wooden staircase ?
SHOULD A WOODEN STAIRCASE BE PROTECTED ?
A staircase is subject to repeated passages. It is important to maintain and protect your wooden staircase. Without treatment, the wood will not be protected against deformation, stains, water or dirt. In addition, an unprotected staircase will lose its lustre over time.
After it has been installed, even a new staircase needs to be protected in order to be kept in good condition for as long as possible. Wooden staircase protection products will not only protect your wood, they will also embellish it. Depending on your wishes, you can choose from matt, gloss or satin finish wooden staircase products.
THE STAIRCASE SEALER FOR ENHANCED PROTECTION
Staircase sealer is a protection for wooden stairs. This product will create a light film on the surface of the wood to make it scratch, water and stain resistant. Within the Anova Wood range, we recommend the Staircase Glazer VE500. It is the product that provides the strongest protection for wooden stairs. This colourless stair sealer is often used to protect stairs with heavy traffic. If you wish to keep as natural an appearance as possible, we recommend the matt Staircase glazer.
To seal a wooden staircase, in some cases (tannic woods such as oak or exotic woods), it is advisable to apply a hard staircase primer. For this type of wood, we recommend Anti-Tanins Primer PAT400 to prevent tannins from rising (yellow or even black stains) on the wood before applying the wooden staircase sealer.
If you wish to glaze a new staircase, ask your vendor or carpenter whether the staircase has been treated beforehand. If it has, you will need to sand it down. This is because the sealing of a wooden staircase is carried out on wood without an old finish. For a new staircase, it is advisable to sand lightly to "open the wood" and facilitate the application of the product.
Once installed, the glazing of a staircase lasts for a number of years. The maintenance of a glazed wooden staircase is very simple. Simply apply a new coat of sealer every year or so with light surface sanding. The renovation of a glazed staircase is only carried out many years later.
PAINT FOR WOODEN STAIRS: DECORATING AND PROTECTING YOUR STAIRCASE
To protect a wooden staircase, you can also use wood paint. By choosing a coloured paint for your wooden staircase, you can bring colour to your interior. Within our range, we recommend the Interior Wood Paint PBI900.
In order to maximise the adhesion of the wood paint, we advise you to apply an undercoat. For tannic or exotic woods, we recommend Anti-Tanins Primer PAT400. For new or porous wood, it is advisable to dilute the paint with 20% water. To guarantee a high protection of the wooden staircase, regular maintenance by applying a new coat of paint must be done frequently. You can read more about the instructions for using interior wood paint here.
WOODEN STAIR WAX: PROVIDING AUTHENTIC PROTECTION FOR YOUR STAIRCASE
Wood waxes also offer protection for wooden stair treads. In our range, we recommend Parquet & Furniture Wax CPM800 if you want a ready-to-use wax or Liquid Carnauba Wax CAL800 if you prefer a raw wax. The latter is very interesting if you are looking for antistatic properties for your wooden staircase.
The waxes will retain the natural feel of the wood, unlike the staircase sealer we mentioned earlier, which will form a light film on the surface of the wood. Waxes for wooden stairs are very suitable for stairs with moderate traffic. Frequent maintenance should be carried out by applying a new coat of wax every year on average.
