A banister that has been painted and repainted five or six times over decades accumulates enough film thickness that the original profile of turned spindles starts to lose definition. The coves and beads that give a turned post its visual character fill with successive layers of paint until the spindle looks like a rounded shape with vague hints of the original profile underneath. Stripping down to bare wood and starting fresh addresses this, but it also means committing to a multi-day project during which part of the staircase will be inaccessible. The techniques for getting paint off carved and turned wood, for managing the staircase during the work, and for applying a durable finish to a surface that gets heavy daily hand contact are specific enough that general painting advice does not fully address them.
Chemical Stripping vs Sanding for Interior Banisters
The primary division in stripping approach is between chemical stripping, which dissolves the existing finish, and mechanical stripping via sanding, which abrades it away. Each has advantages and appropriate applications, and most banister projects use both.
Chemical stripping is the preferred method for turned spindles and any curved or profiled surfaces where sanding would round over the edges and remove material unevenly. Citristrip is the most commonly recommended chemical stripper for interior applications because it is non-caustic compared to methylene chloride-based strippers, produces significantly lower fume levels, and allows a longer dwell time before removal. Apply Citristrip generously with a brush to all surfaces, including the profiled spindles, wrap the section loosely with plastic sheeting to prevent the stripper from drying out, and allow it to work for 1 to 24 hours depending on the thickness of the paint layers.
Remove softened paint with a plastic scraper on flat surfaces and with a stiff natural-bristle brush or wood picks in the profile crevices. Do not use metal picks or tools in tight profile crevices because they can gouge the soft, stripped wood. Work systematically from top to bottom on each spindle, removing as much softened material as possible while it is still wet with stripper.
After stripping, wipe all surfaces with Citristrip residue remover or mineral spirits to remove any remaining finish from the wood pores. Residual stripper left in the pores prevents primer and topcoat adhesion and can cause adhesion failure within months of repainting.
Sanding is the appropriate mechanical method for the flat handrail surface and for any sections where chemical stripping cannot reach fully. The grit sequence for paint removal on a banister is 80-grit to remove the bulk of the paint, 120-grit to remove the scratch pattern left by the 80, and 150 or 220-grit for the final smoothing pass before primer. Always sand with the grain on wood surfaces. Cross-grain sanding creates visible scratches through any finish.
Combined approach: strip chemically first to remove most of the paint from all surfaces, then sand the flat handrail to remove any remaining residue and smooth the wood for an even topcoat.
How to Prep Spindles and Turned Posts for a Smooth Finish
Turned spindles have profiles that include convex curves, concave coves, flat shoulders, and beaded details, all in a single 3-inch-long section. Getting paint into and off of these profiles requires tools that conform to the surface rather than tools designed for flat work.
Abrasive cord is the most effective tool for cleaning paint out of tight spindle coves after chemical stripping. Pull the cord from both ends so it wraps around the circumference of the spindle at the cove’s depth, then work it back and forth with gentle pressure. The cord conforms exactly to the profile and removes residue from the very bottom of the cove without rounding over the adjacent shoulders.
Abrasive flap wheels on a drill are the power tool option for round spindle sections. Choose a grit appropriate to the task, typically 100 to 120 grit for paint removal and 180 to 220 for final smoothing. Run the spindle slowly relative to the spinning flap wheel, keeping movement consistent to avoid creating flat spots on the curved surface.
Detail sanders with small triangular or finger pad attachments reach into the flat shoulders and transitional sections that the cord and flap wheel cannot address. Work through a complete grit sequence on these sections to achieve the same surface quality as the rest of the spindle.
After all mechanical work is complete, raise the grain by wiping the entire stripped section with a damp rag and allowing it to dry completely. The raised fibers are then sanded smooth with 220-grit. This step produces a noticeably smoother surface under the final finish and is particularly important on hardwoods like oak, which raise grain aggressively.
Prime all stripped wood before topcoat application. Wood that has been stripped and lightly sanded has varying porosity across its surface depending on which layers of wood fiber are exposed. A primer coat unifies that porosity and provides a consistent base for the topcoat.
Deglossing is mandatory even after stripping. Residual finish in the wood pores at any level of sheen will reduce adhesion of the new primer coat. Sand with 150-grit across all surfaces after stripping and before priming to ensure mechanical adhesion.
Best Paint or Stain for High-Touch Interior Handrails
The handrail receives more sustained, direct contact than any other painted surface in a home. Hand oils, cleaning chemicals, and the friction of repeated gripping contact make finish durability the primary selection criterion. Products that perform beautifully on walls or ceilings fail on handrails within months.
Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel is the hardest waterborne finish available in a standard consumer product. Its urethane modification produces a film that resists abrasion, chemical contact from cleaning products, and the plasticizer transfer that occurs when vinyl gloves, rubber, or synthetic materials contact painted surfaces for extended periods. The cure timeline is critical: Emerald Urethane requires 14 days of cure time before the surface can withstand the kind of sustained hand contact that a handrail receives daily. Using the handrail normally within the first week risks permanent marks and impression left in the soft, partially cured film.
Benjamin Moore Advance is a waterborne alkyd with excellent leveling that produces fewer brush marks than standard latex and cures to a hard film comparable to traditional alkyd enamels. Advance takes longer to dry than Emerald Urethane (recoat at 16 hours vs. 4 hours for Emerald Urethane) but is available in a wider range of sheens and produces a slightly warmer appearance on wood surfaces.
For handrails that will remain natural wood rather than painted, General Finishes Enduro-Var Satin is a high-quality water-based varnish that provides durable protection with a satin sheen that is not as visually demanding as a high-gloss polyurethane. It wears gracefully, allows touch-up without visible lap marks, and maintains its appearance longer than oil-modified polyurethane in high-contact applications.
For painted banisters, the sheen floor is satin. Flat and eggshell paints do not resist the mechanical contact of a banister and show wear within weeks. Semi-gloss is acceptable and provides better abrasion resistance, but satin is the most commonly specified professional recommendation as the balance point between durability and visual appropriateness.
Protecting Stairs and Floors While Stripping and Repainting Banisters
Citristrip is a concentrated chemical that stains wood and carpet when it drips. A drop of stripper on a hardwood tread that sits for an hour raises the grain, softens the stain, and leaves a permanent mark that requires sanding and refinishing to correct. Protection must be in place before stripping begins, not applied after the first drip.
Ram Board or brown construction paper taped to each tread provides the most durable protection for hardwood stairs during stripping. Ram Board is designed for construction site floor protection and resists penetration from cleaning chemicals and strippers better than standard canvas drop cloth. Tape each piece to the front nosing of the tread to prevent it from shifting during work.
On carpeted stairs, lay plastic sheeting over each tread and secure at the nosing with painter’s tape. Citristrip drips on plastic can be wiped off before they reach the carpet, but only if they are caught quickly. Keep a damp rag accessible throughout the stripping process to clean up any splatter immediately.
Position drop cloths on the floor at the base of the staircase and on the landing to catch drips from the balusters and handrail above. Stripped paint removal creates a messy material with runny chemical mixed into it. The plastic scraper removing softened paint flicks the material unpredictably. Over-draping the landing with plastic is faster than cleaning paint drips from finished flooring after the fact.
How to Maintain a Usable Staircase During a Multi-Day Banister Project
Stripping an entire staircase banister at once removes safe handrail access for the staircase during the work period. In a home with only one staircase and occupants who need regular access, a complete strip-and-repaint project requires a phased approach.
The most practical division for most residential staircases is to work one side of the staircase at a time. Strip and refinish all spindles on the left side, including the left half of the handrail if it is accessible from the right side without gripping, before touching the right side. This leaves the right-side spindles in place and accessible for steadying during staircase use. The risk is getting stripper or paint on the protected side during the work, which requires careful plastic sheeting of the intact side.
A second approach is to work from the top of the staircase down, completing the upper landing section first and moving to successively lower sections. The handrail on completed upper sections is available for use while lower sections are being worked. This approach works well when the stripping, drying, and painting cycles take less than one day per section.
Post curing before heavy-use exposure is the most important timing consideration regardless of the phasing approach. Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane requires 14 days before sustained hand contact. Benjamin Moore Advance full cure runs up to 30 days. During the cure period, restrict handrail gripping as much as possible and avoid cleaning the banister with any cleaning product. The soft, partially cured film is susceptible to surface damage from cleaning chemicals even before it fully hardens.