The painting of this Timber and Steel staircase was one part of a larger interior painting scope for this renovated warehouse conversion. This new steel frame and spotted gum staircase has become the central feature of the home when placed against the back drop of a freshly repainted space in Dulux Natural White. Replacing an old and structured form of staircase with a sleek and modern flight of stairs has transformed this home into a topic of conversation amongst family and friends.
Scope of Work
The interior painting required the Steel beam to be prepared and painted and also the Spotted Gum stair treads and box flooring be prepared and coated in a clear oil.
Preparation
The preparation involved;
- Applying an undercoat to the pre primed steel beam with Dulux Precision Maximum Adhesion
- Once dried, the steel beam was lightly sanded and undercoated again with Dulux Total Prep which was tinted to a dark grey
- All spotted gum treads were lightly sanded and wiped cleaned
- The box flooring had all nail holes, cracks and timber knots filled with Timbermate Wood Putty and when dried it was sanded and cleaned
- One coat of Cabots CFP Flooring polyurethane was applied to all treads and box flooring
- When dried, all timber surfaces were sanded using 240 Grit sandpaper and wiped cleaned ready for top coats
Colour Scheme
The colour of the steel beam was Black and the paint used was Dulux Super enamel in high gloss. The stair treads and box flooring were both coated in a clear transparent oil using Cabots CFP Flooring polyurethane. The steel was coated with 3 coats of black enamel and the spotted gum flooring and treads were coated in oil with 4 coats.
The stair treads were placed on trestles and coated on one side in the morning and in the afternoon they were flipped and coated and the other side. At the same time, it was a good opportunity to paint the steel beam without the treads in the way as well as the box flooring. When completed the carpenters reinstalled the treads and the staircase was ready to have its balustrade and handrails fitted.
Below are some pictures of the completed work.
Final Thoughts
This interior painting project was very rewarding to work on, not only for the challenge of working at heights but also for the opportunity of working on an architecturally designed staircase. The highlight for me was working with Spotted Gum, which is one of the most beautiful Australian timbers to be used in housing construction. On this project, the steel and timber come together effortlessly to produce a strong, modern and sleek looking staircase that showcases the natural characteristics and depth of colour of Spotted Gum. It’s definitely a timber worth considering for your home renovation.