Let me show you how to do a banister makeover without sanding! That’s right! NO SANDING REQUIRED! Brighten up your space with these banister tips and tricks!
What a difference a coat (or 4) of paint can do!?! I love the way our banister makeover turned out! As I explained in a previous blog, we bought our minor fixerupper this spring and decided to do a few updates before moving in. The banister makeover was added to the list once we ripped up flooring. Painting is a lot easier when you don’t have to cover floors! Lucky enough for us, we liked the color of the spindles (balusters if you’re fancy) on the banister and only needed to brighten up the railings and base.
Banister Before and After
Pin Banister Makeover for Later
Materials for Banister Makeover
- Rust-Oleum Transformations Kit: White, Gray, Espresso
- Allen Wrench
- Tinfoil
- Lint-Free Rags
- Painter’s Tape
- Drop Cloth
- Disposable Gloves
- 2″ Synthetic Brushes
- Paint Cup
- Ziplock Bags
Instructions for Banister Makeover
Buy this Kit!
This Rust-Oleum Cabinet Transformations kit removes the stress out of my projects. No, this is not sponsored (even though I tried). I genuinely love it! NO SANDING! My friend suggested we use this kit when updating our kitchen at our first house and I have used it several times since. I’ve used this kit on cabinets, vanities, this banister, a dresser, and I plan to use it on a few upcoming projects. The hardest part is having to wait through the dry times between each step. Seriously, I love this product so please let me know if you have any questions!
Prep
Loosen Shoes
If your banister is like ours, you will want to loosen the “shoe” on the bottom of each spindle with an allen wrench/hex key (see above picture). Make sure the shoe is loose enough to move up the spindle and out of the way.
Tinfoil Time
Since we decided to leave the spindles the original color, I used this Pinterest hack to cover them with tinfoil instead of taping the entire spindle. It went a lot faster than taping. Be sure to wear some gloves to avoid foil cuts (seriously put them on). I taped the tops of the spindle for a cleaner line between the banister and spindle.
Remove Handrail
Learn from my mistakes. I painted my first coat with the handrail connected and it was 100x easier to paint after it was unscrewed from the wall. Alex wasn’t home, but luckily my brother stopped by before the 2nd coat. I would have scratched the freshly painted walls if I had to move it myself.
Dust
Wipe everything down with a lint-free rag and be sure to remove all dust, pet hair, and crumbs (no judgement here 😉).
Tape
Now it’s time to tape. Be sure to cover any and all areas you do not want to paint. Do yourself a favor and assume you are the sloppiest painter in the world and go overboard with this step. I think taping is easier to do at the beginning then having to do touch ups at the end of the project. TAPE!!
Degloss
The deglosser is what eliminates sanding by preparing the surface and allowing proper adhesion. I’ll be honest, it’s my least favorite step but I prefer it over a sanding mess any day. Wearing gloves, pour a liberal amount of deglosser onto the provided scrub pad. Begin scrubbing your surfaces. Once all surfaces have been scrubbed, wipe them down with a damp cloth until there is no trace of deglosser. Be sure to wait 1 hour before moving to the next step.
Paint
This is when the transformation begins. Wipe all surfaces down with a lint-free cloth before each coat. Using the provided stir stick, stir your paint thoroughly. Now it’s time to begin! Be sure to paint along the grain and with even coats to avoid drips. Depending on the contrast of your colors, the surfaces will seem very streaky on the first two coats. I did a total of 4 coats on this project. Allow 2-3 hours of dry time between each coat. Repeat this step 3-4 times. **Painting tip: Store brushes in Ziplock bags to avoid rinsing them out each time.
Glaze
This kit includes a decorative glaze to give your project a more custom antique look. I opted out of the glaze for the banister, but used it when I redid a dresser last fall. You can find the before and after on my Instagram. If you choose to go with this step, liberally brush it onto your surface one small section at a time. Be sure to get the glaze in all crevices and corners. The glaze remains workable up to 5 minutes. Using provided cloths, wipe off the majority of the glaze. This will require some experimenting. The more pressure you use, the more glaze will be removed. Be sure to use the same amount of pressure for each section. Allow the glaze to dry for 8 hours.
Topcoat
ALMOST THERE! Use provided stir stick to stir the topcoat thoroughly. Apply it the same way you did as the other coats by painting along the grain and evenly. This coat dries fast, so avoid smudging by not repainting areas starting to dry. Only 1 coat is need. Allow the topcoat to dry for 12 hours before reinstalling the handrail, and 24 hours to resume full use. The Rustoleum kit includes an instructional pamphlet and DVD including more detail.
Remove Tinfoil & Tape
Wait at least 12 hours for the top coat to dry before removing tape and foil. Be patient – I know you are excited. Be sure to pull the tape slowly. Use an x-acto knife if the paint starts to peel. Be patient when removing the tape.
Touchup
Using a small brush touch up where it’s needed to complete your banister makeover!
Tag Me!
As always, thank you for following along with me in my creative journey. Be sure to tag me and use #meagannicholedotcom when sharing your own banister makeover! Thanks for stopping by MeaganNichole.com
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I can’t wait to put this to work on my night stand project… and to think I was trying to sand the crap out of it.. no wonder I gave up! Thank you once again Meagan for making my life easier one blog post at a time!
Yes! I only sand when I want the rustic worn look. Can’t wait to hear how they turn out! Thanks for following along 🙂