If the wood railing on your home's interior staircase has seen better days, then you will be pleased to learn that you can easily refinish it yourself. However, if you have never refinished wood before, then there are some special things you need to do to ensure a professional-looking result. To this end, follow these important tips when you refinish your home's interior staircase's wood railing:

Use an Electric Sander to Remove the Old Finish from the Wood Railing

Before you can apply a new finish to your wood staircase railing, first you need to remove the old finish. If you wish to change the color of the railing's stain, then you need to remove the stained layer of wood as well. The easiest way to accomplish this is to use an electric palm sander. Use a soft pad on the palm sander with a fine grit and remove all of the old stain and finish. Use a manual sanding block to remove the stain and finish from each area that you cannot reach with the palm sander.

Use a Shop Vacuum and Tacky Cloth to Remove Dust Before Staining

Once you have removed the old finish, then it is vital that you remove any sawdust that you have created during the process. The best way to ensure that you remove all of the sawdust is to first vacuum the railing with a shop vacuum. Once the railing is cleaned, then rub it down using a tacky cloth. Don't forget to rub down all of the small nooks and crannies around the mounting hardware.

Always Apply a Penetrating Finish on Old Wood Railings

Finally, once your interior staircase's wood railing has been stripped and completely cleaned, you should apply a layer of stain or penetrating finish. If you want to change the color of the railing, then using a stain is appropriate. However, if you want to keep the same color, then you can just apply a layer of penetrating finish. Penetrating finishes are designed to absorb well into wood that is older and being refinished. This type of finish is oil-based and once it has dried, then you can apply a top coat. If you want a glossy finish on the handrail, then you should apply a high-gloss wood finish. If you prefer a matte look, then you can always apply a layer of matte finish.

DIY is always great, but if you have any difficulties, consider contacting a wood refinishing services expert from places like http://www.paintingbyjerrywind.com.