Staircase Refinishing
Staircase Refinishing in Benton Park
Benton Park's Victorian cottages and rowhouses hide some of the best-preserved original fir staircases in south St. Louis — often buried under six to ten layers of paint. We uncover them by hand, never with dip tanks, so the wood and its joinery come back intact.
What makes Benton Park staircases different
Benton Park developed primarily between the 1870s and early 1900s as a working-class and middle-class residential neighborhood. The homes here were built solidly but practically — Victorian cottages and attached rowhouses with straight-run staircases, simpler turned spindles, and straightforward newel posts. The craftsmanship was honest rather than ornate, and the wood used was almost universally Douglas fir, which was the standard material for interior millwork throughout this era.
What distinguishes Benton Park staircases today is their paint history. These homes changed hands many times over 120-plus years, and each generation of owners added another coat of paint rather than stripping back. It is not unusual to find six, eight, or even ten distinct paint layers on a Benton Park staircase — each one a record of a different decade. The fir beneath is almost always in excellent structural condition, because paint is actually protective. But uncovering it requires patience and the right approach.
The turned spindles in Benton Park homes are simpler in profile than those found in CWE or Lafayette Square mansions, but they are no less vulnerable to dip tank damage. The hide glue at the base of every spindle is soluble in the caustic solutions used in dip tanks. We remove spindles individually, strip them by hand in the shop, and reinstall them with the original joinery intact.
Because Benton Park has seen significant renovation activity in recent decades, some staircases have a mix of original elements and later replacements. We assess each staircase before work begins and advise on how best to achieve a cohesive result across components of different ages.
Restoring every component of your Benton Park staircase
Treads & Risers
Benton Park fir treads are typically narrower than those found in grander homes, but the paint accumulation on them is often thicker. We strip each tread layer by layer, assessing condition as we go. Once down to bare wood, we level the surface, address any soft spots, and apply a finish suited to the amount of foot traffic the staircase receives. Risers, usually painted, are finished to complement the treads.
Spindles & Balusters
The turned spindles in Benton Park rowhouses are typically a single-profile design — simpler than CWE but still requiring individual hand-stripping. We remove each spindle, strip it in the shop, and reinstall it. The base joint — the point where the spindle meets the tread — is preserved completely. Dip tanks would dissolve that joint; our method does not.
Newel Posts
Benton Park newel posts tend to be square-section with simple cap details — sturdy and well-proportioned, but without the elaborate carving of larger neighborhood homes. Under accumulated paint they are often in near-original condition. We strip them by hand, working carefully around any applied moldings or panel details that the paint has obscured.
Railings
Handrails in Benton Park homes are typically a simple rounded or oval profile in fir. After decades of hand contact and repeated painting, they accumulate a combination of built-up finish and wear that requires careful stripping rather than heavy sanding. We strip them by hand, along the grain, and finish them to a surface that feels as good as it looks.
EPA-Certified Lead-Safe Work in Benton Park Homes
Every Benton Park home built before 1978 is presumed to contain lead paint — and virtually all of them were. With six to ten layers of paint on a typical staircase, the lead content can be substantial, often in the lower layers closest to the original wood. We are an EPA-certified lead-safe firm and have decades of experience managing lead-paint removal in south St. Louis homes.
Our process includes full containment of the work area, wet-method stripping where required, and proper disposal of all stripped material under EPA RRP protocols. We provide documentation of our certification before any work begins, and we discuss scheduling with households that include young children or pregnant residents.
"We knew there had to be wood under all that paint — our neighbor had the same house and theirs came out beautifully. Sue's team stripped ours down to bare fir and it looks like a completely different staircase. The grain is gorgeous."
— Tom & Kira B., Arsenal Street, Benton Park
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you refinish staircases in Benton Park?
Yes. We work throughout Benton Park and have restored staircases in Victorian cottages and rowhouses across the neighborhood. Benton Park is exactly the kind of area where original wood is hiding under generations of paint.
My Benton Park staircase has been painted many times — is the wood worth restoring?
Almost always, yes. Paint actually protects wood. The fir under those layers is typically in excellent structural condition — it just needs the paint removed. We assess the wood before committing to a full restoration, but in our experience, Benton Park staircases are almost always worth it.
Can you match a stain across old fir spindles?
Yes, though fir is more variable in how it takes stain than oak. We test stain on inconspicuous sections first and blend where needed. With hand-stripping (not dip tanks), we preserve the natural surface texture of the fir, which helps stain penetrate evenly.
Let's talk about your Benton Park staircase.
Call (314) 367-6054 or request a free estimate online. We've been restoring south St. Louis staircases since 1989.