Staining a Railing

I found treasure! Ok, not quite, but close enough. In our basement, I found 3 pieces of railing that was untreated, cut to size and with hardware. What a great find! It was obviously meant for the basement, but was never put to use. Of course, I couldn't help it and put my grubby hands on them immediately.

I made my 3rd trip in 2 days to Home Depot to pick up a can of clear polyurethane and a foam brush. I went with clear because I could tell it was cedar and I wanted to bring out the natural red color. Work outdoors, lay some newspaper down, and elevate your railing.



Before and After: After I took this picture, I put 5 more coats on the rail. After 2 coats, lightly sand the rail with sand paper to give it a smoother feel, and repeat until you're happy with it. Allow to dry completely before handling. Avoid drip marks.