Painting a two-story interior foyer staircase and walls presents unique challenges. Due to the height, specialized equipment like tall ladders or scaffolding might be necessary, and safety should be a top priority. Color selection plays a crucial role in such a large space; lighter colors can enhance the sense of openness, while deeper tones can create a more dramatic effect. Consider how the chosen color will interact with natural light and existing architectural features.
How to Prep and Paint a Staircase: Railings, Spindles, Skirtboards, Risers, and Walls
Painting a staircase is one of the most rewarding transformations in a home. But it's also one of the trickiest — with so many surfaces, angles, and materials, it's important to approach it with the right plan and attention to detail. Whether freshening up an old staircase or giving it a complete color overhaul, proper prep is key to a professional-looking finish.
Here’s how JCB Painting tackles staircases — and how you can too.
Jcb Painting paints a LOT of staircases.
🧼 Step 1: Clean and Degloss Everything
Before you even think about primer or paint, clean every surface. Staircases collect dust, grime, oils from hands, and even old wax or polish, all of which can interfere with paint adhesion.
Use a degreasing cleaner (like TSP substitute) on handrails, spindles, skirtboards, and risers.
Follow with a light scuff-sanding using a sanding sponge or 220-grit paper.
Vacuum or tack-cloth off any dust.
This helps your primer bond properly and gives the paint something to grip ont
🛠 Step 2: Repairs and Caulking
Once everything is clean and sanded, inspect the surfaces for damage:
Fill nail holes, gouges, and dings with wood filler or spackling compound.
Sand flush once dry.
Caulk all gaps and seams where skirtboards meet walls risers. A paintable acrylic caulk works best here.
This step makes a huge difference in the finished look — it’s what separates DIY from professional.
🧱 Step 3: Masking and Protecting
This part is time-consuming, but don’t skip it:
Use painter’s tape and plastic or drop cloths to protect the treads, and floors.
If you’re not painting the treads, tape them off completely.
Mask off spindles from the railing if you plan to paint them separate colors.
🎨 Step 4: Priming
For staircases, a bonding primer is your best friend, especially on glossy handrails and spindles. It ensures the paint won’t peel or scratch off later.
Use oil-based bonding primer or a high-adhesion acrylic primer, depending on the surface. JCB Painting uses Stix Waterborne Bonding Primer: no oder, water clean-up and it sticks to any surface. Great stuff!
Apply with a brush and mini roller for even coverage.
Let it cure fully — don’t rush this part.
🖌 Step 5: Painting – Order Matters
Here’s the best order of operations:
Start with the railings – these are the most awkward, and it’s easier to work from the top down.
Paint the spindles next. A quality 1" or 1.5" angled sash brush helps with tight angles. Some painters prefer spraying for spindles, but careful brushing can give great results with less mess.
Then move to skirtboards (the boards that run alongside the stairs).
Paint the risers – use a mini roller for speed and finish with a brush along edges.
Finish by painting the walls if they’re part of the scope.
For walls, standard eggshell or matte wall paint is perfect.
⏳ Dry Time and Reassembly
Allow each coat to dry thoroughly (check your paint can for dry and recoat times).
Avoid heavy traffic until paint is fully cured — especially on risers or skirtboards that are close to feet.
Gently peel off all tape and touch up any bleeds or missed spots.
🧰 Pro Tips from JCB Painting
Use a high-quality synthetic sash brush for trim and railings to reduce brush marks.
Consider contrasting colors — for example, white spindles with a black handrail or white risers with stained treads. The choice is yours.
For extra durability, especially on railings, add a clear coat after the paint cures.
A staircase makeover can dramatically lift the feel of your entire home — it’s one of the most visible architectural features. With careful prep and the right products, you can achieve a finish that looks crisp, clean, and built to last.
Need help with your staircase? JCB Painting is just a call away. (508) 463-5190.
"Painting trim white can definitely increase the value of a home. White trim brings a bright, clean, classic look to a home, instantly increasing its aesthetic appeal. Aside from the cosmetic benefits of painting white trim, white also helps reflect natural and artificial light, which can make rooms appear larger, warmer, and more inviting."👇
"White trim can also be used to highlight architectural features in a room, whereas darker trim can often look flat and boring. Finally, white trim offers flexibility when it comes to styling and accessorizing, as it can easily be matched with virtually any color scheme or design style."
"White trim is not going out of style any time soon. White trim is a classic look that has been popular for many years and continues to be sought after. Many people prefer white trim for its clean, classic look, which can make any interior design look crisp and modern."
"People often paint trim white because it provides a crisp, finished look that can brighten up a room and make its architecture stand out. White trim can help draw attention to the various details in a home and create an illusion of more space."
"Finally, white is a timeless, classic color that can pair both warm and cool colors, so it can easily be used in traditional, contemporary, or modern home designs."
Last week, JCB Painting completed a full refresh on a high-traffic staircase that had seen better days. We started by thoroughly caulking all gaps and seams, then applied high-quality wood filler to address dents, nail holes, and surface imperfections. Once everything was smooth and ready, we primed the surface to ensure a solid base and excellent adhesion.
To finish the job, we applied two coats of premium semi-gloss paint by Benjamin Moore. The result? A clean, durable finish that not only looks great but will also stand up to daily wear and tear.
We paint a lot of staircases for this exact reason—they’re one of the most used (and abused) areas of the home. Over time, they take a beating from foot traffic, kids, pets, and everyday life. A fresh coat of paint can make a huge difference.
If your staircase or interior trim could use some attention, give us a call. We’d be happy to take a look and provide a free quote.
A lot of homeowners are taking on home improvement projects to save money these days but when it comes to a staircase they usually call in a professional for this task.
Staircase painting jobs are sometimes a bit of a challenge. This one has an accent color.
Call Jcb Painting today for a custom interior house painting job. (508) 463-5190.
Just finished this staircase in Mansfield, MA. The homeowner wanted to brighten up the area from a dark stain job to a white semi-gloss. Not an unusual request these days.
This the before image of a ceiling failure in Plainville, MA. The original plaster job
was poorly done.
This is how it looks after Jcb Painting came to the job and
repaired the area.
This is the master bedroom. Both sides of this room had the same
failure.
Jcb Painting finished this 2 story foyer yesterday changing the wall
color from a dark tan to a very popular grey color in Norton, MA.
Walls were in great shape which made for an easy paint job.
Staircase job Jcb Painting did in Mansfield. Had to match the maple banisters and stair treads to the existing hardwood floor.A lot of mixing and matching of stain colors went into this job.
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