Blogs | Makeover Tool | Share Slow-Cooker Recipes | Subscribe
Links We Love
  • Oatmeal with blueberries
    Kitchen Daily: 7 Hot, Homemade Breakfast Cereals
  • Woman sleeping in bed
    Stylelist Home: 7 Helpful Tips for Buying a Mattress
  • Winter gear
    ThirdAge: 5 Ways to Make the Most of the Winter
|
Real Simple | Life Made Easier, Every Day
       
make us your homepage
  • Food & Recipes
    • Browse All
    • Enhanced Recipe Search
    • Recipe Collections & Favorites
    • Cooking Tips & Techniques
    • Shopping & Storing
    • Tools & Products
    • New Uses For Old Things
    • Guide to Ingredients
    • Share Your Slow-Cooker Recipes
  • Home & Organizing
    • Browse All
    • Organizing
    • Cleaning
    • Decorating
    • Home Improvement
    • Gardening
    • Green Living
    • New Uses For Old Things
    • Decorating With Color
  • Beauty & Fashion
    • Browse All
    • Clothing
    • Shoes & Accessories
    • Skincare
    • Makeup
    • Hair
    • Makeovers & Tips
    • Clothing Care
    • New! Beauty Makeover Tool
  • Holidays & Entertaining
    • Browse All
    • Holidays
    • Weddings
    • Birthdays
    • Entertaining
    • Gifts
    • 50+ Creative Valentine’s Day Gifts
    • Digital Holiday Cards
  • Health
    • Browse All
    • Nutrition & Diet
    • Fitness & Exercise
    • Mind & Mood
    • First Aid & Health Basics
    • Preventative Health
    • Stay Healthy on the Go
  • Work & Life
    • Browse All
    • Money
    • Family
    • Life Strategies
    • Technology
    • Travel
    • Etiquette
    • Entertainment
    • Saving and Budgeting Basics
  • Magazine & More
    • Browse All
    • Inside the Magazine
    • Inside the Website
    • Newsletters
    • Real Simple Products
    • Real Simple Rewards
    • Books & Back Issues
    • Simply Stated Blogs
    • Subscribe
    • Give a Gift Subscription
    • Enjoy Real Simple on Your Tablet

Paint Like a Pro 

  • PRINT
  • SAVE
  • COMMENT
  • SHARE:
  •      
  • Pin It
Painted stair risersJustin BernhautPage 6 of 8

Update Your Decor With Easy Paint Projects

Paint Stair Risers

Tips and tricks: A dark color in a glossy finish hides scuff marks best. (When risers get nicks, says LaHatt, just “fill them in with a Sharpie.”) If you want to test colors before committing, cut cardboard pieces to the size of the risers, paint them, and position them on the steps to approximate the effect. When you’re ready to go, prime the risers, then add at least two coats of paint. If you wait a day, then add a third coat, the paint will be even more durable.


Best paint for the job: Semigloss and high-gloss finishes withstand high traffic best.


Next: Paint Interior Window Frames
Skip to Daily Finds slides.
Painted chair
Painted mirror
Painted door
Crown molding
Painted stair risers
Painted window frames

Most Popular Galleries

  • Yummie Strappy Tank

      7 Body-Shaper Options That Slim You Instantly

  • Ketchup bottle as batter dispenser

      50 All-Time Favorite New Uses for Old Things

  • Heart to Heart Bow Tie

      Unique Valentine’s Day Gifts for Him

  • Real Simple March 2002

      16 Before-and-After Room Makeovers

  • Cheese Souffle

      Easy Recipes for Two

Hot Topic

Are you color-friendly or phobic? Share your paint solutions and ideas.

View Earlier Comments
Advertisement

What's Hot

Halibut With Citrusy Tomatoes and Capers

5 Cool-Weather Dinners

Warm up with these quick, healthy, delicious dinner ideas.

  • How to Host a Swap Party
  • Stylelist Home: 10 Smart Organizing Ideas
Computer deskNew on the Web
Nil Zacharias: Sinfully Good and Cruelty-Free: Vegan Recipes for Valentine's Day (PHOTOS)
...
from Kitchen Daily on Huffingtonpost
How to talk to children with autism about death
The only thing harder than losing a loved one may be explaining that loss to yo...
from FOXNews.com
Vending Machine Morning-After Pills Investigated by FDA
A vending machine that dispenses morning-after pills to students at a university...
from ThirdAge
Williams Sonoma Thief Stole More Than 200K
Luxury retailer Williams-Sonoma has been robbed--and how the culprit pulled it o...
from Stylelist Home
6 Cost-Conscious Ways For Singles to Celebrate Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day is not just a holiday for couples - it's a holiday of ...
from SavvySugar
Create a Place for Inspiration to Flourish (15 photos)
I'm going to take a leap of faith and assume if you are browsing through this s...
from Houzz
Real Simple Newsletters To receive any of these free e-mails, check the boxes below and enter the required information.
  • Weekly Tips Newsletter
  • Daily Finds
  • Daily Thought
  • Wedding Newsletter
  • Daily Recipe Newsletter
  • Ask Real Simple
  • Keep It Together Checklist
Home & Organizing:
  • Organizing | 
  • Cleaning | 
  • Decorating | 
  • Home Improvement | 
  • Gardening | 
  • Green Living | 
  • New Uses For Old things | 
  • Clever Organizing Solutions | 
  • Speed-Cleaning Tips & Tricks | 
  • New Uses for Everyday Items | 
  • DIY Decorating Ideas | 
  • Unexpected Natural Cleaners | 
  • Top Cleaning Checklists | 
  • Go Green | 
  • Painting Tips | 
  • Home Gardening Tips | 
  • 40 Decorating Tips for Your Living Room | 
  • Quick Weekend Projects | 
  • Simply Stated: Decorating & Organizing Blog


More from RealSimple.com:
  • Food & Recipes | 
  • Beauty & Fashion | 
  • Holidays & Entertaining | 
  • Health | 
  • Work & Life | 
  • Magazine & More
  • Real Simple Magazine:
  • Subscribe | 
  • Give a Gift Subscription | 
  • Tablet Edition
  • On The Go: 
  • Get Ideas Daily | 
  • Become a Fan on Facebook | 
  • Follow Real Simple on Twitter | 
  • Real Simple Mobile Apps
  • Contact Us | 
  • Customer Service | 
  • Privacy Policy | 
  • Terms of Service | 
  • Print Media Kit | 
  • Digital Media Kit | 
  • Real Simple Rewards | 
  • Site Map
  • Ad Choices
Copyright © 2012 Time Inc. Lifestyle Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
Real Simple Home and Lifestyle Network