Your entryway offers guests their first impression of your home. Often, staircases are located at the focal point of this high visibility area. If your stairs are ageing or even if their current look doesn’t mesh well with your personal vision of your home, it may be time to look at a renovation. Making careful style choices that are unique, tasteful and practical could add value to your home, especially if you are thinking to sell it within the next 3 to 5 years. Keep your eye on Toronto real estate listings to be familiar with current real estate market and offered home features.
Here are some ideas for anyone who is interested in freshening up the look of their entryway by renovating their stairs.
Start with a Plan
In every home renovation project, planning is one of the most crucial steps to making your vision into reality. Evaluate the elements of your stairs that need revamping, unless it needs complete reconstruction. Browse the internet for inspiration, and decide what areas of your staircase you are hoping to tackle in your reno project. From your railings to the steps themselves, there are a number of different options to rehabilitate your stairs. Consider what materials may be necessary to create the staircase you want. Allocate available budget but keep in mind that it may change. As the project progresses it can be hard to determine what unforeseen costs may come up along the way.
It is also quite important that you are well informed about building codes and other guidelines as they may impact your project. While this may be the kind of renovation that some people are able to do themselves, don’t be afraid to get a professional opinion on all stages of the project to avoid interruptions.
Safety and Expertise
When it comes to renovating your staircase, it is crucial to keep in mind that safety and functionality are the two main purposes. The structure of your staircase is one of the core elements of the project. Checking the current state of the structure can determine what work needs to be done to ensure that the stairs can serve their purpose safely. This may make it well worth it to think about bringing a professional in to examine the structure of the stairs before you begin.
If the stairs themselves are too worn, you may want to recap them. Stair recapping allows you to refresh the look and strengthen your steps without having to completely replace them. A more challenging aspect of this kind of renovation is railings as they can be a challenge for less experienced DIY renovators. If you are looking at tackling the railings in your home and you run into a bit of trouble, it may be a good idea to call a professional in to help.
Choosing Your Finish
While there are a number of different options available to you when it comes to the finish and overall look of your staircase, there are a few important things to keep in mind. The first is that you have to understand the features of your current set of stairs, particularly the wood that was used before you make any changes. If you are working with builder’s grade materials, you should avoid staining your stairs and paint them instead; however, if you’re using higher quality wood, re-staining is a technique which can be utilized. Dependent on the look you are trying to achieve and the functionality of your stairs, whether you should choose to refinish the wood or look into reinstalling/installing a carpet is truly up to you. While refinishing the wood may give your stairs a sleek look, it may also make them a bit slippery and more challenging to walk on. Carpet, on the other hand, can be chosen to suit your design needs and may provide more stability for residents.
Conclusion
Your stairway is the centrepiece of your entryway and a reflection of your home; there is no reason why its design should not be reflective of your vision. The great thing about choosing to renovate your staircase is that there are a number of little changes that you can choose from if a complete replacement is too daunting for you. If approached properly, the end result could be stunning adding value to your property. Behind every successful home sale, there is careful planning. If you are looking to buy a home in beautiful British Colombia check out Zoocasa’s Vancouver MLS listings.
