This project took a bit longer to complete but I used some time during the stay at home order due to the Covid-19 Pandemic to finish them. The before and after are pretty dramatic in my opinion. I absolutely love how they turned out. There was some trial and error in the process but lucky for you that you don’t have to go through that because I’m sharing my “how to” here.
While the project was a bit time consuming for me, you could knock it out in a weekend if you are focused. I spent little bits of time between working and traveling and experimented a little to get the results that I was looking for.
I re-purposed the stairs that were already there under the carpet. I did not buy any new risers or treads, so I was able to complete this project for around $150! Crazy I know.
The true star of this makeover is the paintable wallpaper that I used on the risers! I love this wallpaper because it has a clean hexagon pattern and looks super sleek and modern. It cost under $50 on Amazon. https://amzn.to/3bsxuAl.
I’ve used wallpaper with a different pattern before to makeover a door. You can check that project out here: https://divorceddesigndiva.com/home-improvement-and-design-ideas/door-makeover/
Using wallpaper on the risers may not be the best idea if you have cats as they like to scratch anything with texture.
Let me start with a list of all the supplies that I used. I know that it’s a pretty long list, but I had a lot of these items already.
Supply List From Amazon
Wallpaper for Risers: So unique and easily ordered on Amazon!
Wallpaper glue:
Expresso Paint for Treads: Such a great color! No need for fancy expensive custom mixed paint. This is also so durabe that I haven’t needed a protective coat on top of it.
Drill attachment to Strip Wood: Great gadget to sand and remove some of the builder paint on the unfinished wood.
Satin Poly: I used this as a top coat on the risers after they were installed to harden the wallpaper and give it a protective coat.
Wood Putty: I used this to fill in cracks in the wood as well as staple holes. Under $5!
Spray Paint: This was a great fast way to put a first coat of white paint on the wallpaper for the risers.
Instant trim peel and stick caulk: Wonderful product that I used at the top of each riser after I installed the wallpaper to give the joint clean lines. I used this narrow one and cut them in half length wise. I needed 2 packs based on the width of my stairs.
White Trim Paint: I used this as a 2nd coat on the wallpaper for the risers as well as for the wall trim on the sides of the staircase.
General Supply List (you may already have these items or can easily get them at your local home improvement store)
- Pliers (used to remove staples and nails under the carpet)
- Paint scraper
- Small wood chisel (helped me remove some of the staples and stuck on gook)
- Flat screwdriver
- Sandpaper and a palm power sander
- Paint brushes
- Foam brushes
- Protective plastic drop cloths (used while I was sanding to keep dust contained as much as possible)
- Ruler or measuring tape
- Utility knife
- White caulk
- Painters tape
- Small paint roller (for the final coat of paint on the wallpaper for the risers)
- Small sponge (used when gluing the wallpaper risers on)
- Hammer