Sanding a staircase railing

[Charles Wilson]

Can anyone recommend on how to approach sanding/stripping a staircase railing that has some detail?

It has a stain and polyurethane finish.  Rotex will blow right through it but seems too aggressive.  Would a soft pad help?  Use a linear sander?  Use a stripper and scrape and sand by hand?

I've included a some pics.

Thanks,
Chuck

 

[peter halle]

Chuck,

It it were my project, I would start out with stripper and see what happened.  The soft pad or even the interface pad for the rotex would help for the top with sanding, but not the sides I believe.  The LS130 and the make your pad accessory could mold a profile for the sides, but you would be talking about approx 400 dollars for the tool, the kit, and also an interface pad.  Sandpaper extra.  I don't know how fine a detail can be achieved with the make it yourself pad kit.

Peter

 

[Charles Wilson]

I was thinking about just using sanding blocks from the BORG for the sides.

 

[Wood_Junkie]

Looks like you need the LS130 with two Do-it-yourself kits. 
If you're really careful making the second profile it should be reversible for either side of the handrail.

Mayyyybe the big radius pad will fit that handrail top, but I doubt it.
http://www.bobmarinosbesttools.com/product_detail.html?sid=8808a479bb572d40724b5b3757f9efc6&pid=490165

Buuuut...  I'd first sand an unobtrustive area and see if the finish gums up really fast.  I had a ton of molding that looks similar (cracking/gator skinning) and sanding it was a study in futility and cost (I was using a small belt sander).  Hand scraping worked, but I eventually would up just replacing it all by making it from scratch.

Obviously the last two options probably aren't feasible for an in-place stair railing.  My point is:  If sanding the current surface isn't feasible, you might be stuck using a chemical stripper first, *then* sanding.

 

[Wood_Junkie]

I was thinking about just using sanding blocks from the BORG for the sides.

You could use the LS130 DIY kit to make your own profile, and use it by hand.  It would follow the details and not flatten them like a standard sanding block.

 

[Charles Wilson]

Got two strippers different kinds of strippers on the railing now.  Letting it cook.

Used the Rotex on the top already and it blew right through the finish.  It worked a little too well.    [scared]

 

[Brice Burrell]

Chuck, my brother has a fair amount of experience with this sort of thing. He's brought back a number of staircases to their former glory. In your case where everything is still stained he work to repair the finish instead of strip and refinish if at all possible. That way you preserve the patina and the original color. At this point you're committed to refinishing the areas that have stripper at a minimum. If it's not too late you might want to think a bit more about recoloring the scratches and scuffing and recoating the finish instead of striping the whole shebang.     

 

[Charles Wilson]

Long story Brice.

My wife decided about 10 years ago to "refinish" the staircase herself.  There were a couple of problems with the job she did.  She applied a finish over the existing poly that was there.  She then didn't sand between coats of poly. (She gets a "A" for effort)  After her handy work was complete, out former dog (a 100 lb Rottweiler) did a number on the stairs just from going up and down them.  Needless to say, they were a mess.

At this point, half of the treads have been stripped, sanded, and refinish.  All spindles have been removed, stripped (had milk paint on them, what a job), and are waiting to be painted (I am debating spraying them instead of brushing).  I figured that I would strip the railing as my wife wanted the stairs stained a more red color (red mahogany) so the railings would match the treads.

Interesting work and I've learned a little too.

 

[John Langevin]

I would suggest using a profile gage on the top and sides.

Transfer the profile to a cabinet scraper using Dykem Blue and a Carbide scribe, file or grind to the lines then burnish the edge as usual.

Use organic stripper with the peel paper first followed by the scrapers. This should get you pretty close.

For the less intense profiles on the railing you can also use a Scotchbrite-like abrasive ball in an electric drill (available at Harbor Freight).

Then hand sand or use the custom LS130 kit for the final sanding. If you have all the stiles out I would definitely recommend spraying them. Either drill a small hole in one end for an eye hook or drill a small crossways hole for a hanger wire.

I made a drying rack out of PVC that slips over the bars of Festool Clamps clamped into the top rails of my MFT. I hold the hanger wire in one hand and spray it as I rotate it then hang on the drying rack. I'll try and add a pic tomorrow.

 

[Chris Hughes]

I'm with John on the scraper part.  When restoring old window parts and stair parts we often cut profile scrapers.  They work very fast and they transfer the profile instead of removing it.  After scraping, some sanding will be required for clean up.  I think LJ Smith still sells a profile kit.