To think this doesn't look like 4-5 hours work?

[Windsweptaway]

Currently trying to prep my stairs for painting, need to take them back to wood.

Have been trying to scrape paint/ varnish off, having previously treated it all with paint remover, since 4pm, but as you can see from the photo it's nowhere near done. You can only see about 2/3 of the stair rise, and I've not even started the part not shown.

I have to stop now as my arm is burning, but I just can't see how I'm ever going to finish it. Just clearing the floor is going to take the best part of an hour now 😞

How do people manage to do this? Am I missing something?

Yes a heat gun with a good scraping tool is the answer. Paint stripper is really messy.

I painted my stairs which had 30 year old underlay stuck to them under manky carpet before in October. I estimate it took me about 30 hours in total. They do look beautiful though now if I say so myself

How did you get on with the heat gun @Windsweptaway

You can get sanders that clip onto your Hoover!

Yes, paint stripper these days might as well be sold in squeezy Jif lemon things for all the effect they have.
So heat gun or fingernails - they're both more effective.
I blame the 'woke' society and before that the EU ...

I feel your pain. It took me over 5 days to remove the varnish from open tread 70’s stairs with nitromors. I too burnt myself but by that stage I was beyond caring. I’d like to say the stairs looked fab afterwards but they didnt. Just average. As one workman pointed out ‘well it is just cheap pine isn’t it?’. Happy days.

Many years ago i stripped bannisters and the bits that hold the bannister up back to wood ready to clear varnish. I went out and we had a painter in and as a favour he painted it all for me. I was absolutely gutted and pretty annoyed.

Painting other areas obviously.

Please wear a mask whatever you use-paint and wood particles are really bad for yr lungs.

@Ohmygodyesthatsit

Many years ago i stripped bannisters and the bits that hold the bannister up back to wood ready to clear varnish. I went out and we had a painter in and as a favour he painted it all for me. I was absolutely gutted and pretty annoyed.

Ouch. I nearly cried for you just at the thought of it.

Another vote for zinsser and then self levelling paint. No stripping required

You need a hot air gun!

Yep heat gun job

Can't believe you didn't put something on the floor.
As PP said, the plastic sheeting with tape at one end is great. Wilko sell it very cheaply. Even an old sheet would've saved the hour wasted clearing up.

Great advice here ...but does a heat gun work on more modern water based satinwood paints? Hoping to strip my bannisters soon ..TIA

Klingstrip and clingfilm. Do a small test patch first but it will make the job a hundred times easier!

Wear a proper mask that protects you from fumes and vapour.

@SarahAndQuack thank you!

I did this recently to our stairs. I did use an electric sander though. There was lots of dust but I covered everything in dust sheets (our lounge/kitchen are also open plan.) I painted the spindles as there was no way I was sanding all of them! Took about 2 weeks from start to finish.

You can get sanders with vacuums attached, you can rent them for a day too. You are making progress, keep going, you will get there.
All the best.

Pics

I would go with the Zinser Bin and paint them though!

I take that back, you did it!!!!!!!!!!

Well done!!!!