Wax or Poly stairs - please help us decide

if the wax is rubbed out it will be much more slippery than poly.  Do not use oil as someone suggests as the oil will not offer a built up surface to protect the stairs; they will wear.  Try a satin poly.  we have poly on ours and it is not an issue. Steve

stevecym

in Flooring 13 years and 5 months ago

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arewedoneyet | 13 years and 5 months ago

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We’re doing a pretty complete restoration and are waxing our floors. We’re trying to decide what to do with our stairs. The first flight is mahogany and the upper flights are pine. Will wax be too slippery on the stairs?
Is poly less slippery? We will put runners on them eventually but it may take some months and we’ve got small children. Thanks

callalily | 13 years and 5 months ago

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Poly is definitely slippery. Both my husband and I have fallen down the stairs, and we’re not that uncoordinated. We now never ever go up and down the stairs in socks or bare feet and always wear rubber soled shoes indoors.

BHS | 13 years and 5 months ago

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I find carpeted stairs the most slippery but the runner will protect the stairs. Stairs really take a beating and I’d be worried about the wax finish being too delicate for high traffic areas. Unless you’re going to renew it often of course or get that runner down ASAP.

allans | 13 years and 5 months ago

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I have pine stairs and poly-ed them – I concur – they are slippery but as long as you hold the railing and do NOT run down the stairs you should be ok and NOT fall.  I have twin 4 year olds and they have never fallen going down the stairs (they are either in socks or barefeet) – but my wife and I have taught them not to run and ALWAYS hold the railing (knock on wood).  My wife on the other hand did slip and fall once so she uses rubber soled slippers now throughout the home.

slopegirl | 13 years and 5 months ago

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we have waxed floors and they’re not slippery.. you could also skip the wax and just oil the wood. when i was researching non-poly floor finishes I talked to a store in maine that said they just oil their floors in the store and makes it easy to recoat when needed. problem with polyeurethane on the steps is you’ll have to sand to refresh the finish.

jcmartinrenovation | 13 years and 5 months ago

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We’ve done both wax (mostly for brownstone wood floor refinishing projects) and of course polyurethane, let us know if we can help estimate your wood floor refinishing needs!  Most of our projects are in Manhattan and Brooklyn. http://www.jcmartinrenovation.com/wood-floor-refinishing/

bunkershillcon | 13 years and 5 months ago

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I would go with the polyurethane on the stairs. The wax may be too slippery while you all wait to add the runners. Feel free to contact us with any of you needs.  www.bunkershillny.com

Augustiner | 13 years and 5 months ago

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Wax or Oil is not slippery.
It is beautiful as it adds more depth to the wood, especially aged wood.
But it is definitely more work intense. You need to re-wax regularly.
If this is a common hallway I wouldn´t do it. If it is inside your space then why not.