Handrail Stripping and Refinishing in Carmel Valley, CA

Have you ever watched a seasoned professional ride a unicycle?

Without teetering they go forward and back, or zip around in effortless circles, maybe while playing an instrument or even juggling. They do it so smoothly that maybe you were tempted to think, “Heck, I could do that.”

The truth is, a skilled person can make something look easy that really isn’t.

So, what does this have to do with a professional painting company’s blog? Well, we wanted to share a project with you that one of our craftsmen, Victor, recently finished. But, a little like that pro unicyclist (or maybe “unicycler”? Who knows?), he makes a very tricky bit of work look easy. You’ll have to take our word for it, but the process you’re about to hear about is tedious and requires a skilled, steady hand that is committed to doing the job right.

Kind of like unicycling.

Stripping Away a Faux Finish

The handrail you can see in the slideshow above was originally covered in a faux (false) finish that essentially created a chunky, almost cheesy aesthetic. Victor’s mission was to totally strip away the existing coating and draw out the charming character of the wood that was buried so deeply underneath.

How did he do this? We’re glad you asked!

First, he stripped it with a chemical stripper
Sanded the surface
Applied a satin gel-stain from Colorama
He then topped it off with four coats of a semi-gloss clearcoat

Not only does finish allow for a smooth, durable quality, but it also is much more natural and beautiful. You can see in the close-up photos above that the swirls and grain patterns are allowed to shine.