Staircase Stripped - What To Do With Banisters ?

[deetees]

Hi All,

after many many months of very tedious stripping and sanding we have almost finished renovating the staircase in our Edwardian semi - 2 flights of stairs, 4 newel posts and exactly 100 spindles. :shock:

Previously everything was high gloss white - on top of many coats of old gloss and sticky brown varnish. Now everything is to being repainted an off-white, with the exception of the newel posts and banisters. We are planning on leaving these bare, but I'm not sure of the best way of treating them.
The newel posts are some form of dark wood, but the banisters are pine. First thoughts were wax, but then I started doubting how hard wearing this would be. And I really don't want to have to redo them every couple of years; I've had enough staircase renovation to last me a lifetime. Coating them in varnish doesn't seem right either. Is oil the right answer - and if so, what sort, how many coats...?

We have spent so much time on this project that I really don't want to ruin it at the last moment, so please share any advice/experiences

Thanks,

David.

 

[Moo]

This may or may not be helpful, but at least it will bump your question back to the top of the page :

I have a dim feeling that banisters of that period used to be french polished, but have no idea what they did with the newel posts. Perhaps a dip into books about interior decor of the period, or a visit to the Victorian Society website would give a clue?

 

[Moo]

Is this (from the Victorian Society site) any use?

"The stripped pine look is a late twentieth-century fad: before the 1960s, joinery was painted (or, occasionally, stained to resemble expensive and exotic woods and then varnished). The only exposed pine in a Victorian house was the well-scrubbed top of the kitchen dresser or table.
Expensive timber such as solid oak or mahogany was polished or varnished, to enhance its natural beauty and to make it easier to clean."