Quick Answer
Hardwood stair refinishing is the hand sanding, staining and finishing of treads, risers, stringers, handrails and balusters so the staircase matches the floors it connects.
- Licensed MHIC #141267
- Fully Insured & Bonded
- 15+ Years Experience
- Family-Owned
- HEPA Dustless Sanding
- Premium Bona & Loba Finishes
- Written Scope & Timeline
- 15% Veteran Labor Discount
Stairs are the hardest-working wood in a house and the least forgiving to refinish. Treads take concentrated foot traffic, nosings round over, and the vertical faces — risers, stringers, skirt boards — sit at eye level where every sanding scratch shows. Most of the work is done by hand and with edgers rather than a drum machine, which is why stair refinishing is priced separately from floor refinishing.
CDS Hardwood Floors refinishes staircases throughout Gaithersburg, Rockville, Potomac, Bethesda and the wider Montgomery County market, and on request across Northern Virginia, Washington DC, nearby West Virginia and Pennsylvania. We handle painted risers, stained treads, two-tone staircases, and handrail and baluster refinishing in the same visit as the surrounding floors so the color and sheen read as one continuous job.
Because stairs must stay walkable, we sequence the work — commonly every other tread, or a full flight with an agreed access plan — and we discuss that plan with you before the first machine comes out of the truck.
Key Takeaways
- Stair refinishing is largely hand work and is priced separately from floors
- Color and sheen should be matched to the adjoining floors on site
- Nosing wear, squeaks and loose balusters are corrected before finishing
Problems We're Called In to Solve
Treads and floors don't match after a prior refinish
We sample stain on the actual treads and adjust the blend until it reads correctly under the home's own lighting.
Worn, rounded nosings
Re-profiled by hand, or the nosing is replaced when the wear is past the point sanding can correct.
Squeaks and loose balusters
Fastened and re-set before finishing so the repair is hidden under the new coats.
The CDS Process
1. On-site consultation
We inspect tread wear, nosing profiles, squeaks, loose balusters and the existing finish, then confirm how the staircase should relate to the floors.
2. Written proposal
Line-itemed by tread, riser and railing so you can see exactly what is included.
3. Containment
HEPA-connected sanders and zip-wall containment at the top and bottom of the flight.
4. Hand and edge sanding
Full grit sequence on treads, detail sanding into corners, scraping where machines cannot reach.
5. Repairs
Squeak fastening, loose baluster re-setting and tread or nosing replacement where wear is beyond sanding.
6. Stain and finish
Color matched to the adjoining floors, then multiple coats of Bona or Loba finish with light abrasion between coats.
7. Walkthrough
We review every tread and rail with you before invoicing.
Ready to talk about your project?
Material, Stain & Finish Options
- • Bona and Loba water-based finishes for fast cure and low odor
- • Oil-modified polyurethane where a warmer amber tone is wanted
- • Custom stain blends matched to the existing floors
- • Replacement oak, maple and poplar treads, risers and nosings
- • Satin, matte and semi-gloss sheens
Why Homeowners Choose CDS
CDS Hardwood Floors is a family-owned, Maryland-licensed contractor (MHIC #141267), fully insured and bonded, based in Gaithersburg with 15+ years of hands-on work in Montgomery County homes. Our crews have finished landmark commercial work — including DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, DC — alongside thousands of residential projects. Veterans receive 15% off labor.
- A plan for getting up and down the stairs during the project, agreed in advance
- Containment at both ends of the flight and HEPA extraction at the tool
- Hand work in corners, on nosings and around balusters
- Cure time before heavy use — typically longer on stairs than on flat floors
- A written punch list and final walkthrough
What Affects the Investment
Every home is different, so pricing is set after we see the floors. These are the factors we weigh in your written proposal:
- • Number of treads, risers and landings
- • Whether risers and stringers are stained or painted
- • Handrail, newel post and baluster work
- • Existing finish type — old oil finishes and paint take longer to remove
- • Tread or nosing replacement and squeak repair
- • Whether the stairs are refinished alongside the adjoining floors
Project Case Studies
Caring for the Result
- • Vacuum treads weekly — grit on stairs acts as sandpaper underfoot
- • Use a pH-neutral hardwood cleaner, never oil soaps or steam
- • Add a runner in high-traffic flights to slow wear on nosings
- • Plan a recoat of treads before wear reaches bare wood
Warranty & Guarantee
All CDS craftsmanship is backed by our workmanship guarantee. Manufacturer finish warranties are transferred to you in full.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you refinish treads, risers and handrails together?
Yes. Stairs are refinished as one assembly — treads, risers, stringers, balusters and handrails — so sheen and color read consistently from the bottom step to the landing.
How long are the stairs unusable?
Stairs are coated in stages where a home has only one staircase, so there is normally a safe path up and down. Full cure before heavy use takes the same 24 to 72 hours as floor work.
Can stairs be matched to floors that are not being refinished?
Yes. We sample stain on the actual stair wood and compare it against the existing floor in your own lighting before committing to a color.
How long does hardwood stair refinishing take in a typical home?
Most residential projects are completed within 3–7 working days, depending on square footage, drying times and any repairs required. We provide a firm timeline in your written estimate.
Do I need to move out during hardwood stair refinishing?
In most cases, no. Our dustless equipment keeps the home habitable, though we recommend staying off finished areas for 24–72 hours to let the finish cure.
Can I schedule a consultation?
Yes. Every hardwood stair refinishing project starts with an on-site consultation and a detailed written quote, usually delivered within 24 hours.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. CDS Hardwood Floors is a Maryland-licensed contractor (MHIC #141267), fully insured and bonded for your protection.
Written by
Daniel Santos
Owner, CDS Hardwood Floors
Daniel Santos is the owner of CDS Hardwood Floors and has spent 15+ years sanding, staining and installing hardwood in Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC homes. He personally walks most projects, specializes in HEPA-contained dustless sanding, premium water-based finish systems and custom installations, and believes homeowners make better decisions when the process is explained plainly before a single board is touched.
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Where We Work
CDS Hardwood Floors is based at 21008 Golf Estates Dr, Gaithersburg, MD 20882. Our primary service market is Montgomery County and the surrounding Maryland communities:
- Gaithersburg, MD
- Rockville, MD
- Potomac, MD
- North Potomac, MD
- Bethesda, MD
- North Bethesda, MD
- Germantown, MD
- Clarksburg, MD
- Olney, MD
- Damascus, MD
- Frederick, MD
- Montgomery County, MD
We also serve extended markets in Northern Virginia, Washington DC, nearby West Virginia and Pennsylvania. See all service areas.
Book Your Consultation
Tell us about your floors and we'll walk the space with you, talk through options and send a written proposal.