When we bought our house a couple of years ago, several people commented on the fact that the builder hadn't done anything to the banister. It was bare wood, with nothing on it - at all!
What I disliked the most were the dark areas formed from rubbing dirty or oily hands along the railing. Blond wood is also not a favorite of mine so after a bit of research I found an amazing product General Finishes Gel Stain.
It requires little wood prep to use, dries quickly leaving no brush stroke or drip marks. I have to admit, I was terrified to try it at first, but the reviews were fantastic so Todd and I followed the instructions to at 'T' and had great results.
We have since tackled a couple of bathroom vanities and even our kitchen with great success.
Romy
