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Click Photos to Enlarge


Step one, prime and paint base color then
add streaks of yellow and blend.

Step two, create graining

Step three, blend

Step four, create knot holes

Finished

Ah....now I feel better!
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I BEG you to tell me you DON'T have stairs as ugly as these!
During my last trip to our Idaho home, I ripped the carpet runner off the
stairs leading to the lower level. What did I find? The stairs were formally
painted PURPLE AND BLUE! Really? Purple and blue? (I scratched my head in
confusion).
They must have been in a hurry to sell the house because they painted the
stairs white "around" the carpet, leaving the former mess beneath for
me to find...oh yippee!
Faux finish to the rescue!
Step one: I primed then base coated them with a warm brown, then added
streaks of yellow, blending to soft differences in color.
Step two: With a "fan" brush (find them at the craft store), using dark
brown paint, I added lines to mimic the grain of wood. Create series of
lines with slight waving patterns, with groups close together then some far
apart. Do each stair differently to give the look of real wood.
Step three: Blend the graining with a DRY paint brush by lightly brushing
over the top of the graining and pulling the paint slightly. Go in one
direction only.
Step four: Create a knot hole just here and there by painting a 1/2
circle, then outline it many times with your brush as shown in the photo.
Step five: seal with three coats of polyurethane for durability with foot
traffic.
Designer's tip:
There are many types of wood that you can
style your project after. You will see that you can vary the background
colors significantly. Graining also varies in style. Choose your favorite
and give it a try! Here are some examples:

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