Interior Painting in Naperville, IL
Staircase and railing painting in Naperville: spindles, handrails and risers
Oak rails and spindles you want white, or a painted stair worn through at every step? We refinish staircases part by part and keep a way up and down while we work.
We answer 24/7 and book walk-throughs on the first call.
Answering 24/7Naperville service office
Updated September 2026
This job
Staircase & Railing Painting
Interior Painting · answering 24/7
Quick answer
Staircase and railing painting in Naperville, IL means sanding, priming and enameling spindles, risers and stringers, and often restaining the handrail and treads so they wear better. Stairs are done in stages, so the family can still use them.
The job
The most detailed woodwork in the house
Dozens of spindles, a handrail every hand touches and risers kicked by every foot all wear differently, which makes a staircase slower to refinish than any other trim.
The most common request is the two-tone look: white spindles and risers with a stained handrail and treads. Painted parts are sanded, primed and enameled; the parts people touch and walk on are restained and clear-coated.
What moves the price
What moves the price of staircase painting
Stairs are priced by the number of parts, not by square footage.
- 01Number of spindles
Each spindle is sanded and painted on every side.
- 02Paint or stain
Two-tone staircases need both enamel and clear-coat work.
- 03Rail length
Long runs, landings and balconies add rail and spindles.
- 04Wood and finish
Glossy oak needs sanding and a bonding primer before paint.
- 05Treads
Refinishing treads adds sanding and several clear coats.
- 06Repairs
Loose spindles and gaps are fixed first.
What this job covers
A
Spindles and balusters
Spindles take the most time on a staircase, because each one is round, detailed and painted on every side. We clean and scuff-sand each one, prime oak or glossy spindles with a bonding primer and brush on two coats of enamel, checking for runs at the turnings. Wrought-iron balusters are cleaned, primed where rusted and painted with a metal enamel. Loose spindles are glued and pinned before painting, since paint alone will not stop a rattle. Stair treads stay covered while we work.
B
Handrails and newel posts
Handrails and newel posts are touched constantly, so they need the toughest finish on the stair. Stained rails are cleaned of hand oils, sanded, restained if needed and given several coats of clear finish. Painted rails get a hard enamel that stands up to hands and rings. Newel posts are often the focal point of an entry, so we take care with the caps and trim, and everything around a rail being stained is masked so the two colors stay crisp and separate.
C
Stair risers
Risers take scuffs from every step, which is why white risers under stained treads look sharp and why they need an enamel you can wipe clean. We sand and prime the risers, caulk the joints where risers meet treads and stringers, and brush on two coats of enamel. Treads are left stained or refinished separately, and carpet or runners are protected. The stringers along the wall are painted to match the trim for one clean line, and nail holes in the risers are filled first.
What is included
What a staircase job should include
- A plan for which parts are painted and which stained
- Floors, walls and carpet protected
- Hand oils cleaned off the rails
- Sanding and bonding primer on oak
- Loose spindles glued and pinned
- Two coats of enamel on painted parts
- Clear coats on stained rails and treads
- A way up and down kept open throughout
Around Naperville
Homes on Sleight Street, dating to 1890 to 1900, are known for their original woodwork, and staircases in houses of that age often have turned balusters and newels worth refinishing rather than covering. In south Naperville, the newer Will County side of the city, a common staircase is an open two-story rail with oak spindles, and the usual request there is white spindles and risers with a darker stained rail.
How the job runs
How a staircase job runs
- Step 1
Walk-through
We count parts and agree which are painted and which stained.
- Step 2
Protect
Floors, walls and carpet are covered and taped off.
- Step 3
Clean and sand
Rails are degreased and every part is sanded.
- Step 4
Prime and repair
Oak gets bonding primer and loose spindles are secured.
- Step 5
Paint and stain
Enamel on spindles and risers, stain and clear on rails and treads.
- Step 6
Final walk
Masking comes off and we check every part with you.
Timing
How long the stairs are out of use
Most staircases take three to five days, because each coat of enamel and clear finish needs drying time. We work in stages, one side or every other tread at a time, so there is always a safe way up and down. Rails being clear-coated are marked with tape so nobody grabs them while they are wet.
Enamels, stains and clear finishes we use come from Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams and Zinsser.
Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams, JC Licht, Behr, PPG, Valspar, Cabot, Sikkens, Rust-Oleum, Zinsser, Purdy, Wooster
Yes. They are sanded and primed with a bonding primer so the enamel grips and oak tannin does not bleed.
Yes. We work in stages so there is always a safe way up and down.
Stained rails hide wear from hands better; painted rails give a cleaner, modern look.
Yes. They are cleaned, primed where rusted and painted with a metal enamel.
Usually three to five days, because each coat needs to dry before the next.
Often booked together
Other jobs that usually come up alongside this one
Basement Painting
Finished basement walls
See the jobPre-Sale Home Painting
Neutral repaints before listing
See the jobInterior Wood Staining & Finishing
Trim and door staining
See the jobFire & Smoke Damage Repainting
Soot and smoke stain sealing
See the jobCeiling Painting
Flat ceiling repaints
See the jobAnswering now
Book a staircase painting estimate in Naperville
Call any hour. We count the parts, agree the paint and stain plan and send a written estimate.
