Staircase Refinishing
Staircase Refinishing in Lafayette Square
Lafayette Square's 1860s and 1870s Italianate and Second Empire mansions contain the most historically significant staircases in St. Louis — some with chestnut or walnut elements that are now irreplaceable. We hand-strip every component, bring the right chemistry to each wood species, and never use dip tanks that could destroy 160-year-old joinery.
What makes Lafayette Square staircases different
Lafayette Square is the oldest intact neighborhood in St. Louis, developed primarily between the 1860s and 1880s by the city's commercial and professional elite. The architecture is Italianate and Second Empire — styles that demanded elaborate interior woodwork as a matter of social standing. The staircases in these homes were not afterthoughts. They were centerpieces, often rising three or four stories, featuring grand newel posts, elaborate balustrades, and wood species that were chosen for their beauty as much as their strength.
The wood in Lafayette Square staircases predates the standardization of Douglas fir as the dominant interior millwork species. American chestnut was still common — before the chestnut blight of the early 20th century eliminated it from North American forests. Black walnut appears in newel posts and railings of the larger homes. Some staircases combine species: a walnut newel post with fir spindles, or chestnut treads with painted risers. Identifying the species correctly before any work begins is essential, because each wood requires different chemistry and handling.
The age of these staircases also means that the finish history is longer and more complex than anything found in later neighborhoods. Some Lafayette Square staircases have been refinished multiple times over 160 years — with shellac, oil varnish, polyurethane, and paint each leaving their own layers. Working through those layers without damaging the wood beneath requires patience and a thorough understanding of historic finish chemistry.
Many Lafayette Square homes are on the National or Missouri historic register, which imposes documentation and material-matching requirements on any restoration work. We have experience working within those guidelines and can provide the documentation that preservation review bodies require.
Every component of your Lafayette Square staircase
Treads & Risers
Lafayette Square treads may be chestnut, walnut, or fir — sometimes a combination across a single staircase if repairs were made at different periods. We identify the species on each tread before proposing any chemistry, because chestnut and walnut respond very differently to strippers than fir does. The goal is to strip completely without raising the grain or introducing moisture damage, then finish in a way that is appropriate to the age and significance of the wood.
Spindles & Balusters
The spindles in Lafayette Square mansions are among the most elaborate in the city — multiple turned profiles, sometimes with carved details at the capital. They are removed individually and stripped by hand in the shop. Dip tanks are never used. The caustic chemistry in a dip tank would destroy the hide glue at the base of each spindle — joints that have held for 160 years and, with proper care, will hold for another 160. We preserve them.
Newel Posts
Lafayette Square newel posts are often the most significant single piece of woodwork in the entire house — massive walnut or chestnut columns, carved and paneled, sometimes six feet tall at the landing. We strip them in place, working section by section with tools sized to each carved profile. Where walnut is the species, the color that emerges after stripping is extraordinary. We take the time these posts deserve.
Railings
Curved handrails in Lafayette Square homes are often in walnut or chestnut — wide, heavily profiled, and built to a standard of material quality that is simply unavailable today. Stripping them requires patience and chemistry appropriate to the species. We finish them with products that protect the wood without obscuring its color or figure, and that are reversible for homes where preservation standards require it.
EPA-Certified Lead-Safe Work in Lafayette Square Homes
Lafayette Square homes predate the 1978 lead paint ban by nearly a century, and the finish layers on their staircases can contain lead at multiple levels — original 19th-century oil-based finishes, subsequent repaintings, and mid-20th century updates. We are an EPA-certified lead-safe firm and have extensive experience managing lead removal in historically significant homes where surface preservation is as important as safety.
Our lead-safe process meets EPA RRP requirements: full containment, wet-method stripping where required, and proper disposal documentation. For historic register properties, we can coordinate our protocols with the requirements of your preservation body. Certification is provided before work begins, and we discuss re-occupancy and scheduling with every household.
"The walnut newel post was buried under so many layers of paint that the carving had nearly disappeared. After Sue's team stripped it, the detail came back completely — every leaf and panel. I had no idea what was under there. Neither did the previous three owners, apparently."
— Eleanor & James R., Missouri Avenue, Lafayette Square
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you refinish staircases in Lafayette Square?
Yes. Lafayette Square is a neighborhood we've worked in for decades. The staircases here are among the oldest in St. Louis and require a thoughtful, careful approach — which is exactly how we work.
My Lafayette Square staircase may have chestnut or walnut — does that change the process?
Yes, in important ways. American chestnut, which went virtually extinct after the blight of the early 20th century, is now irreplaceable. Walnut is still available but expensive. Both species respond differently to strippers and stains than fir does, and both deserve extraordinary care. We identify the wood species before proposing any approach and adjust our chemistry and technique accordingly.
My home is on the historic register — do you have experience with preservation requirements?
Yes. We have worked on historic register properties and understand the documentation and material-matching requirements that preservation standards impose. We can provide before-and-after documentation, discuss reversibility of finishes where required, and work within the guidelines set by the Missouri State Historic Preservation Office or your local preservation review body.
Let's talk about your Lafayette Square staircase.
Call (314) 367-6054 or request a free estimate online. We've been working on St. Louis's most historically significant staircases since 1989.