Particle-wha?!?! Particle-where?!?!

"Particle board?!?! You can't cover Particle Board!!!"

They said it couldn't be done. They said I was "crazy". But, I attempted the impossible anyway!!! Just look at those ugly stairs. And right next to the beautiful new banister... 

It was definitely a shot in the dark. I didn't really know what I was doing, but I knew my fall back plan could be to just re-carpet the stairs until a better option was available.

Step 1: Remove all tacks and sand legitimate rough spots. Then smooth over a thin layer of wood filler and wait for it to dry.

Step 2: Sand down the step

Step 3: I used a product called DeckOver from Behr- a very thick paint used to restore old decking and concrete surfaces. This product will fill gaps up to 1/4" deep. With 2 solid coats, the stair tread was sufficiently covered and had a nice finish. 

I did use 3 coats of a clear coat as well to gloss it up a bit!

Step 4: Now that all the stairs are covered, I used a beadboard panel (20$ Home Depot) to cover all 13 risers. With a little Gorilla glue and a few brad nails, the finished look was amazing!

 

The finished product is amazing. You will need to fill the brad nail hole and cover any gaps as necessary (I'm not a perfect cutter). Once I paint the banister, install beadboard and some pops of color, my otherwise drab foyer will be a marvelous entryway for me, my family, and guests to enjoy! 

Hardly your average DIY

So, as my husband sits in the living room, watching football, I chopped away at the house...

I should probably back up a bit. I came home on Friday afternoon after an average work week. I don't know why or how, but I got it in my head that I no longer wanted the carpet on the stairs or the enclosed banister in my foyer. And, usually, when I want something to happen, it happens. So... by the time my husband got home that evening all of the trim had been removed from the banister. And he said nothing. That's typical of him, however, he usually lets me do exactly what I want without comment.

My banister and my foyer area have always been an issue for me. It feels like it closes in on you when you walk in the front door. The banister does nothing but collect dust in all the areas. It's about 3 tones of white / neutral color. It's hideous, to be blunt. I wanted it gone. If you don't believe me, here's a picture to prove what I'm saying.

Once the planning began, there was no going back. And my idea for a grand entryway was about to come true- thanks to the help of my wonderfully talented little brother! 

Time to demo!

 

And the rebuild... 

After you are done gawking at the open banister, gaze over at the stairs... They are particle board and I hate them. But I cannot (structurally and financially) replace the stair treads at this point, so I have a few ideas on how to cover the treads and risers to finish off this amazing addition to our beautiful home. 

Stay tuned for how it all turns out!