How to Build a Farmhouse Staircase

How to Build a Farmhouse Staircase

Hi there!

I’m excited to share a staircase update with you! We didn’t get as far as we’d hoped to last week which ended up being a blessing in disguise! I was able to really take the time needed and think about how to build a farmhouse staircase!

You can find the “before” and start of this project HERE!

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Farmhouse Staircase Deconstruction

As always when we do DIY renovations we have a general plan, but know we’ll have to be flexible and pivot based on what we find once we get in there! We took all the treads and risers off and then measured each on to make a replacement part. Old homes are rarely square or plum so it’s important to look at each individual piece and make it fit.

Other Staircase Issues

We also have the wall behind the staircase to consider. One issue with this is that there was wiring that was run up through one of the staircase treads to a random outlet on the wall for the kitchen light. You can see in the pictures below that the outlet sits right next to a piece of wood on the wall where there used to be a door to the upstairs when they were walled in.

After relocating the outlet so we can finish building the staircase, we’ll be adding some architectural interest to the wall next to the beadboard to make the space feel less divided.

Farmhouse Staircase Construction

We removed a wall in our barn loft, which we had planned on doing anyway, to build the new staircase treads and risers. Since I obviously wasn’t able to work on our upstairs bedroom I spent the week sanding all of the treads to reveal their natural wood beauty. I sanded them with 80 grit first and then I went over them with 180 so that they’re baby booty smooth! Lol!

I ordered a clear sealant/hardener that sounds like exactly what we need for them too! I’m excited to try it and let y’all know how it goes! I also sanded and painted all the risers. I’m SO happy with how they all turned out!

Building the Farmhouse Staircase

After we set a few risers in place to see how things were going to fit and come together, I spent the rest of the week priming and painting around the staircase. Again, I took advantage of the fact everything wasn’t attached yet, which meant I didn’t have to be as careful. The lack of steps made this challenging lol, but doable!

After realizing the entire beadboard and moldings had places where the paint was chipping off because someone had painted latex paint over the top of oil based paint (see how I discovered that while working on our bedroom HERE!) I decided to give everything a coat of this primer from Behr. It’s specifically meant to help paint bond in these kinds of situations. I’m excited to see how it holds up and I’ll let ya know!

What’s Coming Next

This week/weekend we’ll be working on getting the wiring relocated, and getting treads and risers in place! Before we attach the treads I’ll be sealing them. Then we’ll do some caulking to make everything more seamless before painting!

After that it will be onto the newel post, railing, and spindles! Eeek! I can’t wait!!!