Your stairs take more punishment than any other wood surface in your home. Every single day, they handle constant foot traffic, dropped items, pet claws, and everything else life throws at them. We’ve been staining stairs and refinishing worn staircases throughout Toronto, Richmond Hill, and Vaughan for over a decade. From brand new oak stairs in North York custom builds to pine steps in downtown Toronto, each project brings its own challenges. Whether you need new stairs staining in your Aurora dream home or complete stairs refinishing in your Markham property, proper technique and quality products make all the difference. Our team knows exactly how York Region’s climate affects wood stairs and how to protect them for years to come.

new stairs staining with white stringers and risers

Why Choose Paint Lions For Stairs Staining

In 15 years of painting business we’ve seen it all, from colors not matching at all even though they tried to match it to the floor, to all walls messed up with stain drips and fingerprints.

Why choose Paint Lions for stairs staining? We’re not gonna leave mess behind. Staining stairs not ending with clear coat application it ends with painting, and we finish it the right way. Decided to go with stringers and risers white? Flooring guy who will stain stairs, can definitely do it, will it look professional? Never seen before! Edges looks too thick from too much caulking, paint all over top of tread and total look of stairs is ruined.

I will hire flooring guy to stain my stairs, and painting company to finish with painting part, you might say. True! If you want to spend more, not save.

  • Experience matters – We have 15 years of experience and have witnessed many poorly executed staining jobs, including colour mismatches, drips, and fingerprints.
  • Staining requires painting expertise – Properly finishing stairs involves both staining and painting (especially for white stringers and risers), not just applying clear coat.
  • Flooring professionals may not deliver quality painting – While flooring contractors can stain stairs, their painting work often looks unprofessional with issues like excessive caulking and paint on treads.
  • Using one company saves money – Hiring separate contractors for staining and painting costs more than using a single painting company that can handle both tasks properly.

New Stairs Staining

Staining stairs enhances the natural beauty of wood and gives it an irresistible appeal. Paint Lions offers professional stair staining services for new staircases. Our team has an eye for detail and never loses sight of your vision. Crown your new staircase in your custom home or addition with beautiful staining that seals the deal.

new stairs stained

Stairs Refinishing

Scratches and dents are signs of a well-worn staircase. As time goes on, staining colour fades and imperfections begin to stand out more. Paint Lions will give your staircase the attention it needs with outstanding staircase refinishing that renews its appeal and protects the wood from further damage.

stairs refinishing

Stair Staining Procedures

First, whether dealing with new or old stairs, we need to take a floor sample to the stain manufacturer to match the stain color. This process takes up to 10 business days.

We start by carefully removing any protective coverings and staples your stairs. Next, we sweep and clean the stairs, making sure it’s free of any dirt and debris. Then we fill all dents and damages on your staircase with wood filler to ensure a smooth surface.

We use a dustless system for sanding along with a palm sander connected to our vacuum to sand the stairs and nosings. This step is crucial to smooth out any rough areas and remove any water or stains.

This part starts with staining the stairs and to achieve the best results, we make sure to follow the wood grain. After the stain is dry, we apply the first coat of varnish evenly across the stairs. Once the first coat is dry, we sand the surface to ensure a smooth finish, then clean off any dust.
Lastly, we apply a second even coat of varnish to protect and finish the stairs.

For existing old stairs, the refinishing procedures follow a similar process. We start by removing the railings and pickets. Next, the old finish is sanded down to bare wood then we follow the same staining and varnishing process.

Our Latest Projects

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  • stairs staining and finishing in Annex 1
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    FAQs

    We use water-based varnish for staircase staining because it dries faster and is odourless unlike oil-based varnish. At the end, both types of varnish do produce the same quality results.

    With Paint Lions, you can actually walk on the stairs the same day. We always apply the stain a couple of hours before homeowners need to use the stairs.

    It takes 1 hour for the stair varnish to dry and takes 5 days for the varnish to be 100% cured.

    For existing old stairs, it costs approx. $250 per step. For newly installed staircases, it costs approx. $150 per step.

    Contact Paint Lions for a custom quote.

    It takes approx. 4 to 5 days to stain regular home stairs.

    Yes, we take samples to our supplier for professional color matching. This process takes about 10 business days but ensures your stairs blend perfectly with existing floors.

    Yes, removing old carpet glue is part of our stairs refinishing process. We use special sanding techniques and sometimes solvents to remove all adhesive before starting the refinishing.

    We mostly use water-based low VOC and odour products, yes, it’s safe.