Painting stair treads

[didireallysaythat]

We had a new staircase put in a year ago (think MDF nothing fancy). I can't see us having the budget to carpet it for another year or so.

Would I be mad to paint the treads white ? My reasoning is if we like it, we might be able to afford a stair runner at some point (we are used to the noise of uncovered steps) or is white just the most impractical thing ever ?

And if I was this mad, could I try the first coat with bog standard white paint (I have a vat of Leyland white which refuses to stick to ceilings). Or will it put me (and DH who I haven't shared my plans with yet) off the white tread and (potential) runner look ?

It's up to you on the colour but leyland won't stick. It's shit, I work in a decorating shop and I've never had anybody happy with it on walls let alone floors

For floors you need at least an oil eggshell but ideally a proper floor paint. Especially in white as you'll be cleaning constantly

Thanks marmite. I bought a vat of it from screwfix when the builder needed some with 20 minutes notice. He managed with it ok but when I tried to do a ceiling with it it just didn't stick.

I guess I was hoping I'd be able to find some use for 9 litres of useless paint.

I presume dulux trade white will stick to my ceilings.....

To paint it properly, I'd suggest Farrow and Ball floor paint and their relevant undercoat. We had that before and it was very heard wearing and looked smart.

I have to disagree, our decorating clients don't like farrow and ball, their marketing is better than their paint

Dulux or johnstones trade all day. Never go for the cheapest or most expensive. Trade shops/brands- they can give you the best advice as they know all the tricks :)

And by decorating clients I mean decorators not meaning to sound like a twat!

Thanks marmite - we're lucky in that there's a paint shop in the next town that makes their own paint and the staff are fantastic. So all the paint I buy comes from them with the exception of the panic purchase Leyland. I'm too sensitised to my SIL'S elephants vomit or whatever the F&B name is to part with my cash that way - I'm sure they are lovely colours but I don't think F&B have the monopoly on lovely.