how to paint rainbow stairs

With drying time, this project will take a few days. If exile from the upstairs isn't an option, paint and seal all the risers but only every other tread. After they dry, do the remaining treads.

The Paint:

The Process:

1. set the tone: This technique looks best in a modern or casual beachy place. If you have yellowish wood floors or busy wallpaper, it's probably not the project for you. Perry's white walls and dark floor provide an ideal backdrop.
2. pick a palette: For her bright but refined spectrum, Perry started with the coolest color, then chose progressively warmer hues for the following steps. For a more subtle tonal palette, use four shades that span adjacent strips of paint samples. We find that the second row of most decks works well.
3. prep and paint: If your stairs are already painted, sand lightly, then vacuum, damp-mop and dry thoroughly. Next, apply primer. For the color itself, do two coats of a regular semigloss latex.
4. seal it: To protect your paint job from scuffs and scratches, apply three or four coats of clear polyurethane. We like AFM Safecoat's pleasantly low-odor, low-VOC, water-based sealant (Polyureseal BP floor finish, safecoatpaint.com for stores). Be sure to let the steps dry completely before walking on them!