Twenty years of wear on stairs and doors
Handrails get greasy, treads lose their finish where feet land, and white gloss on doors and skirtings turns yellow. In houses from the early 2000s, much of this woodwork is on its original coat, and a careful refinish makes the whole interior look newer.
Natural timber such as oak handrails or doors can be cleaned, sanded evenly and given a fresh stain or clear varnish. We test the stain on a hidden spot, such as the underside of a tread, before going any further.
Painted woodwork in a modern finish
Many owners here swap shiny gloss for satin or eggshell, or paint skirtings in the wall colour for a calmer look. On a whole-house project we have used Tikkurila white satinwood. Our staining and varnishing page explains each finish.
If you have bare softwood, knots need sealing with a Zinsser primer so resin does not bleed through later.
Cambourne at a glance
- 13 milesby road from our Landbeach base, about 16 minutesOSRM routing
- 3%of properties were built before 1919VOA Council Tax stock
- 1%date from 1919 to 1939VOA Council Tax stock
- 90%are houses rather than flatsCensus 2021
- 2listed buildingsHistoric England
- 59%of homes are owner-occupiedCensus 2021
How we approach woodwork staining & varnishing
We agree a route up and down the stairs while each section dries, then sand treads, spindles and handrails so stain takes evenly. Panelled doors are finished in a set order, panels first. Old gloss is keyed with Mirka dust-free sanders, gaps at skirtings are filled and a clear protective coat goes over stained treads. The full method, products and FAQs are on our woodwork staining & varnishing page.