Best way to stain my wooden stairs and handrail?

[larry8]

I recently moved into a new house - it was built about 4 years ago. The wooden stairscase feels like it was never stained/varnished as it looks quite different to the floorboard which are darker and glossy. I was hoping someone could give me some tips about staining these stairs and handrail. I've watched some videos online and understand that I'll need to sand them down, prime and then apply a few coats of stain. Do you have any recommendations for this job and what product would be best to use? How can I make them nice and shiny/smooth at the end? Thanks very much for your help. 

  

[JacobZ]

Hi @larry8,

Thank you for your question and welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you with us.

It certainly doesn't look like it was stained or varnished, but it may have had a clear penetrating oil applied to it

What you've said is correct that you'll need to send them back to prepare them. After sanding them, brush them with a soft-bristled brush or thoroughly vacuum them to remove any sawdust, and finally clean them with mineral turpentine to help remove any remaining oil.

A clear polyurethane varnish can come in a variety of finishes such as gloss or satin. There are also stain and varnish products that can be used to change the colour of the timber and protect it in the same way the clear varnish will.

Do you have any photos of the floorboards you could upload and are you trying to match them as closely as possible?

This would certainly help me offer advice on a specific product you could use.
 

Once you've uploaded images of the floorboards, I'll be happy to give further advice.

Let me know how you go and if you have any further questions.

Jacob