Get matched with top wood stairs and railings repairers in your area

Hiring a pro to refinish wooden stairs means labor makes up 20% to 30% of your total budget. That price covers sanding, staining, and sealing each step. In most cases, a certified refinisher can tackle a 10-step staircase in about two hours, then apply stain and sealant for a durable, eye-catching finish that stands up to daily traffic.

A pro can sand a standard 10-step staircase in roughly two hours, then needs another four to six hours for each coat of stain and sealant to dry. DIYers should budget up to a week for sanding, staining, and sealing in stages. With a crew on site, the bulk of the work is completed in a single day, minimizing disruptions while still achieving a high-quality finish.

It’s possible to refinish stairs without full-scale sanding by using chemical strippers, power buffers, or simply layering a fresh finish over the existing coat. Chemical strippers break down old stains and sealants, while buffers quickly shave off surface material. Even so, a quick hand-sand with fine-grit paper helps the new finish bond properly and look smooth. As always, suit up in protective gear and follow product directions to keep your wood—and yourself—safe.

For most stair projects, you’ll want two sandpaper grits. Begin with 80- to 120-grit to strip the old finish and even out rough spots, then move to 150- to 220-grit for a smooth, ready-for-stain surface. A power sander speeds up the coarse pass, but switches to hand sanding with the fine grit in corners and along edges to keep abrasion even and give stain or sealer something to grab onto.