Hi, I want to paint a new stairs white. Should I use varnish first?

The steps are teak, the riser and spindles are red deal. I want to paint the red deal. If I varnish the stairs first will it give the same effect as painting directly onto the wood?Hi, I want to paint a new stairs white. Should I use varnish first?
I think I understand your reasoning here whitestairs. Give the red deal (risers and spindles?) a coat or two of varnish, to seal the wood, and then maybe paint with primer/undercoat and gloss on top of that, so that if you later choose to remove the paint it won't be ingrained into the wood, right? I'd have to say it is a reasonable idea. I think you should expect to lightly sand the varnished surface with fine sandpaper before applying paint, or maybe rubbing all over with wirewool beforehand, to remove the gloss and give the paint a better chance of adhesion. I don't see why it shouldn't be ok, and I think you would be in at least a better position if you later chose to remove the paint, but you wouldn't know exactly how better off, until you did it.


I might add here, I have rebuilt/renovated the cottage I live in, and I've made a point of having NO oil based paints at all, only using danish oil and wax finishes on all wood. I've spent enough time in my life decorating/painting,.... no more! Natural wood, and emulsioned walls, make for an easier life, thankyou :-)Hi, I want to paint a new stairs white. Should I use varnish first?
I would go with '; DICK S '; he seems to have sussed you out


Give him the money Barney,
paint u'r spindles %26amp; riser lst either w/ enammel or u'll have to put a varnish finish over it to protect from wear n tear. As far as the stairs... jst lightly sand the stairs... get all the sand dust off %26amp; vanish w/ a really good brush. They have acrylic varnish that will dry faster but u'll have to use several coats.





If u want to stand up to wear %26amp; tear then u'r gonna have to use polyertherine which is stronger. But it has a very long drying time. so if these steps r used.... u may only want to do a few at time.





In bet varnishes... lightly wet sand %26amp; wipe %26amp; varnish.. it will give u a really smooth finish.





As the ppl. at the hardware store for the rt varnish %26amp; wet sand paper %26amp; lt sand paper.





it will b time consuming but will b beautiful in the end.





have fun!
Varnish and paint are so completely different I don't understand your question. If you are talking about a solid color stain, it will look like paint. The only varnish one would use outside is spar varnish, which is make for boats but it is soft and flexible as it must be to adhere to wood that is expanding and contracting with temperature and humidity. Spar varnish is too soft to last long on stairs. White is a bad color for stairs as it will quickly look dirty and stay that way. But now that I read your question you don't say interior or exterior. But teak is not an inside wood so I am confused.
You absolutely need to use an oil-based primer first... No if, and or buts... Email me and I'll give you the complete steps to do this job hassle-free!
No I wouldn't - nothing wrong with o natural wood.
no you should sand away all old paint, varnish, stain, dirt ...whatever is there. shame to paint it but if you have too once its sanded paint away. should you varnish over the paint? you could i wouldn't