Whether you’re a DIY aficionado or do it out of pure necessity, there are parts of the home that are just a little trickier to get right, especially when it comes to painting.
The priming, the layers, the getting it perfectly even... and that’s before children and pets are considered.
However, some TikTok creators have found the ideal solution to painting staircase rails and you can actually pick up the ideal tool for it from your local Boots or Superdrug.
No, it’s not a paintbrush.
The cheap solution to painting staircase rails
So, I won’t keep you waiting any longer. The secret is... tanning mitts!
Yep, apparently painting with tanning mitts gives a perfect finish and is actually incredibly easy to do.
TikTok user housing.info shared that when they painted with a paintbrush, it was streaky and uneven but when they put on a tanning mitt (over a glove-protected hand), they were able to smoothly apply paint in “half the time.”
Boots currently have tanning mitts available for just £1.50.
Another creator that tried it was home renovation account House Reno at 72 who said in comments that it’s as simple as adding a blob of paint to the mitt and just moving your hand down the rail to paint it.
How to paint a handrail effectively
Of course, when you’re painting anything, you need to first prep the surfaces and prime them ahead of paint being applied. Dulux recommends the following steps:
- Give yourself plenty of space to work by clearing the area around the stairs and removing carpet or runners. Cover any surfaces that you don’t want painted in newspaper or dust sheets and secure with masking tape if needed
- Can you see any protruding nails or carpet tacks? If so, use a hammer to knock them about 2-3mm into the wood surface and cover them with a wood filler so you have a nice smooth surface to work on
- If you’re painting over varnish, lightly sand all of the woodwork with a fine sandpaper to create a rough surface. This will help the new coat to stick. (If the existing paintwork is in poor condition, use paint stripper instead of paper to remove old paint)
- Go over your stairs and banisters with a vacuum and a damp cloth to remove any dust and dirt, then wipe dry
- Time for priming! A good primer will ensure better adhesion of paint to the surface and increases paint durability. Use a specialist wood primer and undercoat on all the bare wood surfaces and exposed filler
- When your primer is completely dry, you’re ready to paint. Start at the top of the staircase and work your way down, making sure to work your paint into the grain of the wood. Wait 6-8 hours before applying a second coat
- If you are using a different colour for the stairs and the banisters, paint each section separately and leave plenty of time for them to dry before moving on. Use masking tape to get a neat finish where the two colours meet
- Once all the paintwork is dry you can reattach the runner – or leave your stairs bare for a clean, classic look that will really show off your paint job
Good luck!