Stairing Problem Solved!

Just to keep things clear...yes, I intentionally used the wrong word in the title of this post.  Since the subject of this post is about stairs, I gave myself creative license to abuse the word.  I know, I know, a post about stairs...sounds thrilling doesn't it?  Not really, I agree, but this is what you get.  Like it or lump it.

When our toilet did it's fountain impression, it overflowed into the upstairs hallway.  Since the hallway is connected to the stairway, we tore up the carpet on the stairs.  We had always known that underneath that gorgeous (insert sarcasm here) shade of dusty rose carpet was hardwood stairs.

  And so...  In my effort to rid the world of Dusty Rose carpet one room at a time, we opted to refinish the stairs instead of replacing the carpet.  Bye, bye dusty rose!

When Brian took the carpet off he found the reason that our stairs always creaked a bit on the landing.  Turns out that the bright individuals who built our home neglected to attach the stair framing to the wall.  So, it was just sitting there bouncing up and down at each step on or off the landing.  I'm no building genius, but I  still feel pretty qualified to say "DUH!" about this.  Something else you may notice in this picture is that you can see a whole at the back.  A whole that is supposed to be connected to the duct work that goes upstairs.   It turns out that not only should our boys have been receiving a bit more heat or cool air, but that we have been heating and cooling our staircase for-six-years!!  Marvelous. I love wasting money.

Finally, after fixing our custom heated staircase and wobbly landing, Brian began sanding down the wood to prep them for staining.  We used plastic sheeting to try to enclose the staircase.  An attempt to keep the dust down in the rest of the house.  An effort in futility really.  No matter what nook or cranny something was located in at the time of sanding.  No matter whether the door was open, closed or slightly ajar...there is dust on ev-er-y-thing! Oh, come on, I must be exaggerating. right?!  I wish I were exaggerating. Really.  Dust in the closed linen closet that has no ventilation and wasn't opened at all during the sanding?  yes.  Dust in the cabinets in the downstairs bathroom? affirmative.  Dust in my neighbors closet? probably.

Dust Headquarters Inc.

Since we're such gracious and loving parents we even allowed the older three children to participate in the sanding process.  (We're so nice, aren't we?  I know.  Please remind them of that when I'm old and delusional.)  

After sanding each stair with  60 grit, again  with 100 grit and then finally with 220 grit sandpaper they were finally ready for the staining process. The stair "facings" were made from pine and not oak like the treads (top thingy), so Brian fitted oat pieces and applied them to the facings right over the pine.  The reason for this is that Pine and Oak will absorb stain differently and so it would be hard to make it look uniform. 

After staining each step, they had to be coated with a polyurethane coating to preserve and protect the stain.  

To add a nice twist to this process, we had friends staying with us in our UP stairs guest room.  Once the poly was applied it was supposed to dry for 24 hours to touch or 72 hours for traffic.  How? were our guests supposed to get to their room?  OR how were they supposed to get down from their room once they got up there?  Ha!  Funny as it is, Brian decided to start out by applying the Polyurethane to every other  step so at least they could get up or down when needed.  Our own kids we just banished to sleep in the downstairs family room with someone daily dumping clean clothes over the upstairs railing.  It worked out pretty well, considering.   Well, there was that one time when someone had to climb the ladder and scale the banister to get upstairs, but that was just one time.  

Finally, after much hard work on Brian's part and cheer leading (ya, that looks grreaaat!  Good job, honey!  I knew you could do it!)  on my part, the stairs are finished ! 

Doesn't it look sooo much better??  

Did you forget what it used to look like?  Well then, take a look at this!

If, for some reason after reading about this, you still prefer the stairs with the dusty rose carpeting.  Please seek immediate professional medical assistance.  However, please don't call 911, we have a friend who is a dispatcher there and we'd like to keep him happy.