5 Ways to Update Your Staircase

Make your staircase an eye-catching feature, paint the wood treads (the part of the stair you step on) a bold color like Sherwin-Williams Darkroom. Add in other black accents around the room to tie it together and make the stairs an integral part of your design. 

This is a project you can DIY in a weekend, but the prep work here is crucial. Make sure you lightly sand the treads, especially if your wood floors have a sealer on them. You need to create some grit for the new paint to stick to, otherwise all your hard work is going to peel. 

Tape off the sides and bottom edge of each stair with painters tape to keep your work tidy. Since your stairs will likely receive a lot of wear and tear, it’s a good idea to start with a high quality primer. These extra steps may seem like a headache, but they’re the difference in professional and durable finish. 

Once you’ve painted the stair treads, try to wait a full 24 hours to walk on them. This is a great opportunity to have a movie night and slumber party in the living room while your newly painted stairs cure to perfection. 

Install sheets of vinyl peel-and-stick tile on the risers (the vertical section between each tread) to get a custom look without breaking the bank. Start by cleaning your stairs very thoroughly. Any debris or oil on the stairs can prevent the tile from sticking.

Use a scrap piece of cardboard to make a template that matches your stair riser. It makes it quick and easy to cut the tiles to size. Check the template against each stair before making cuts with a sharp utility knife and a ruler in case there’s a slight size variation from one riser to the next. Choose tile with a small repetitive pattern to make it easier to line up the pattern for a seamless look.

Peel-and-stick wallpaper is another easy way to give your staircase a facelift in a single afternoon. Go with a fun pop of color or try something completely out of your comfort zone. This option is easy, so you can switch things up in a few months without much effort.  

Just like with the peel-and-stick tile, make a template for the stair riser out of cardboard so you can cut the wallpaper in one strip. Cut the wallpaper strip slightly larger than your template, then use your utility knife to trim the excess once you install it to get the best fit. 

When you start sticking down the wallpaper, peel off just a few inches of the backing along the wide edge and use a thick card or a clean putty knife to smooth out any air bubbles as you slowly peel away the rest of the backing. Go over the newly installed strip of wallpaper with the card, directing any air bubbles towards the outside edges.

A stair runner can make your home feel cozy and will help cut down on the sound from walking on the stairs. It also helps add traction, so children and pets won’t slip on the stairs as easily. This is simpler to do on a single staircase since you don’t have to figure out what to do with the landing. 

The best way to get a custom look is to order a carpet runner that is cut by the foot. One easy way to measure for the runner is to take a piece of string and tape it along the stairs, making sure to tuck it in tight along the steps. Once you get to the bottom of the stairs, cut and measure the string to figure out exactly how long of a runner you’ll need to order. Order at least 12 inches extra to account for any mistakes. You can always trim the runner shorter, but you won’t be able to add more length. 

Mark the middle of each step with small pieces of painters tape. Position the runner directly under the top tread and work your way down. Use double-sided tape to help hold the runner in place before securing it with a staple gun. Once you get to the bottom of the stairs, fold the end of the runner underneath itself to get a nice clean edge.

Swap your outdated stair railing for something fresh and modern to completely transform the look of not just your staircase, but your entire living space. Heavy wooden spindles and a solid wood banister can make your house feel closed in. Updating the railing to slim black metal bars will open up your home and make it feel larger. 

This option is a bit more labor intensive, but the result is totally worth it. This is a project best suited for the intermediate to advanced DIYers.