refinishing wooden stairs

kellyjo

I have very old wooden stairs that i want to refinish. i have used a stripper to remove the varnish the was on the edges but i am having trouble sanding down the area to remove the old stain. What grades of sandpaper should i be using and will i be able to get the stain out to be able to restain?

sdsester

It is unlikely you will be able to get the stain out of the grain. You can try sanding down to the depth of the stain penetration but you could end up chewing your stairs to an unacceptable thickness.

Options to try are staining and blending with a darker stain. You may find gel stains easier to control than liquids.

You can try bleaching the stain but try a small section first and don't get your hopes up too high.