How to Paint Stair Spindles with a Sock

Updated: Mar. 22, 2024

Learn how to paint stair spindles with a sock in this quick-and-easy tutorial.

If your stair spindles are in need of a fresh coat of paint but you want to save some cash, you will be relieved to learn that you don’t have to hire a professional painter. Instead, you can do it yourself.

To successfully paint your stair spindles, you’ll need to make use of one common household item. That’s right: today, you are going to learn how to paint stair spindles with a sock. And, of course, we’ve got you covered with some more handy painting tips to make your next project go smoothly.

Can You Use a Sock to Paint Stair Spindles?

Yes, you can learn how to paint stair spindles with a sock, according to TikTok creator @diywithemma. Making this do-it-yourself project a success is as simple as gathering the right products. When we first heard that a tutorial emerged that teaches you how to paint stair spindles with a sock, we’ll admit that we had our doubts. However, it’s now clear that this process actually does work—and you can easily replicate it at home.

@diywithemma happy face optional 😁 #learndiy #diynewbie #girlswhodiy #diysos #sockpainting #sockhack #sockhacks #diywithme #diywithemma #newtodiy ♬ Mama Said – Lukas Graham

How Do You Paint Stair Spindles with a Sock?

What You’ll Need

  • A pair of plastic or latex gloves
  • A sock or two that you don’t mind throwing away or recycling later
  • Your preferred paint

What You Need to Do

  • Open and mix your paint. Make sure that you put down a plastic cover to protect your home and furniture from any spare paint that could drip.
  • Put on your latex gloves. You’ll wear these to protect your hands.
  • Layer a sock on top of your latex glove on the hand you’re painting the stair spindles with. When your sock is securely layered on top of your glove, dip your hand with the sock into the bucket of paint.
  • Use the sock with the paint as a brush and get in the grooves.

That’s it! This DIY hack for painting your stair spindles is that simple.

More Tips for Painting Hard-to-Reach Stair Spindles

Need some more tips for painting stair spindles and other hard-to-reach spaces? Here are some of our favorite tricks.

Use mini rollers

Because stair spindles are often intricate and difficult to reach, you may decide to use mini rollers to evenly apply paint to the surface.

Use a rag

If you don’t have an old sock lying around, you can also use a piece of cloth to apply paint to the stair spindles. Just be sure you don’t drench the material and properly lay down protective plastic to safeguard your furniture and the rest of your home.

Painting something beyond stair spindles? We’ve compiled a list of painting tips to help you paint almost anything.