What does stair polishing include?
The whole staircase, not only the treads: treads, risers, nosings (the front edge of each step), landings, skirting, handrails and balustrades. The staircase is the most used route in a villa or townhouse and the first thing a guest sees on entering the living room, which is why the service covers all of it.
The exact scope is agreed after the survey and written into the quote: for example only the flight from the ground floor to the first floor, or the full staircase and its handrails over three floors. Work outside the scope, such as repairing a broken step, replacing an edge trim or repainting a handrail, is noted separately so that you can arrange it yourself. Polishing does not repair chips, breaks or cracks; the specialist points them out and photographs them before starting.
How much does stair polishing cost?
Stair polishing is priced per step and by treatment, with landings, handrails and glass panels priced separately; the listed prices are in the table. Curved and winder stairs take longer than straight flights and add 20%, and the minimum for a visit is 2,500,000 VND.
Which treatment applies to each flight is settled only after the specialist has treated one test step and you have approved the result. You can send photos or a video by WhatsApp or Zalo beforehand for a provisional figure. The written, all-inclusive quote states the treatments, the scope and the working time. These points decide which rows of the table apply:
- Steps and size: the number of floors and steps, the width of the treads and the area of the landings.
- Material: marble, granite, terrazzo or timber, each with its own materials and working time.
- Condition: only dull, or deeply scratched, worn at the nosing, yellowed or etched. This decides how many grits of honing pad are needed.
- Handrails and balustrades: the length and material of the rail, and the number of glass panels and steel posts.
- Finish: mirror gloss or a moderate satin, and which steps need crystallising and which only a sealer.
- Protection and schedule: timber floors, rugs and cabinets around the foot of the stairs to protect, and visits split so the household can carry on.
| Item | Listed price |
|---|---|
| Stone steps: deep clean and seal | 120,000 VND per step |
| Marble or terrazzo: polishing | 180,000 VND per step |
| Granite: polishing | 200,000 VND per step |
| Worn stone steps: honing | 280,000 VND per step |
| Timber stairs: cleaning and conditioning | 60,000 VND per step |
| Landing | 220,000 VND per m² |
| Wooden or stainless steel handrail | 40,000 VND per metre |
| Glass balustrade | 50,000 VND per panel |
| Curved or winder stairs | Add 20% |
| Minimum per visit | 2,500,000 VND |
How are marble, granite and terrazzo stairs polished differently?
Each stone reacts differently to polishing materials, so identifying it correctly decides the method. The specialist studies the veining, tests the reaction in a hidden spot and treats one test step before doing the rest. A step that is only dull usually improves clearly with deep cleaning and polishing; honing is needed only for deep scratches, wear along the main walking line or acid etching on marble.
| Material | Method |
|---|---|
| Marble | Softer, easily scratched, and dulled by lemon, vinegar and acidic cleaners. It can be honed, polished and crystallised. The nosing usually wears first and is worked carefully with a hand-held machine. |
| Granite | Hard, wear-resistant and little affected by household acids. Granite does not crystallise, so the shine is raised with powders and pads made for hard stone, followed by a sealer. Honing granite takes longer. |
| Terrazzo | Stone chips in a binder, and the binder is usually more porous than the chips. Cast-in-place terrazzo stairs often have rounded corners that need careful hand work. Where the chips are calcium-based, it can be crystallised like marble. |
| Engineered stone and tiled steps | Quartz-based stone, porcelain and ceramic tile on steps each have their own properties. We look at close-up photos before confirming whether we take the job. |
Can wooden stairs be polished?
On timber stairs UpClean only cleans and conditions the existing finish. The gaps between steps are vacuumed, dirt and shoe marks are wiped off with a solution made for coated wood, and the surface is conditioned so that the colour is even and it feels smooth. Very little water is used and it is dried at once, to keep it out of the joints.
We do not sand, repaint, apply PU lacquer or repair the structure of timber stairs. Where the coating has peeled, scratches reach the grain, or a step sags or creaks, the specialist records it in the Up Report, the photo report sent after the visit, so that you can find a timber finishing contractor.
How are wooden handrails, glass balustrades and stainless steel rails cleaned?
| Part | How it is cleaned |
|---|---|
| Wooden handrail | The build-up of hand oils is wiped off, marks at the turns and on the newel post are treated, and the surface is conditioned. No sanding, and no solvents that dull the finish. |
| Glass balustrade | Both faces are cleaned, fingerprints and water marks removed, and the clamps and silicone joints wiped. Tall glass in a stairwell is cleaned only within safe reach from the steps; anything higher needs a survey first. |
| Stainless steel rails and posts | Hand oils and water stains are cleaned off and the steel is polished along its grain, without chlorine-based cleaners or metal scourers, which scratch and stain. Deep rust or heavy scratching may only fade; the specialist tests a short section first. |
| Powder-coated steel balustrade | Dust and dirt are wiped off with a mild solution. Rust and peeling paint are recorded only; we do not treat paintwork. |
Are polished stone stairs slippery?
The glossier the stone, the more slippery it is when wet or underfoot in socks. At the test step the specialist therefore usually suggests comparing two levels: a mirror gloss and a moderate satin. In a home with elderly relatives, young children or pets, a moderate sheen on the treads is usually the balance between appearance and safety.
During the work a dry route is always kept open and wet steps are marked with warning signs. Anti-slip strips and nosing trims already fitted are kept and cleaned with the tread. Afterwards, wipe up spills at once, do not clean the stairs with wax or shine oil, and put a mat at the foot of the staircase.
Can I polish the stairs myself, and how often should it be done?
Weekly care is for the household: vacuum, wipe the steps with a pH-neutral cleaner and a well-wrung cloth, and dry them. Avoid vinegar, lemon, bathroom cleaners and shine wax, which dull the stone or make it slippery. Honing, polishing and crystallising need hand-held machines, pads in several grits and practice on nosings; done wrongly they leave patchy marks, uneven shine from step to step or a duller marble.
A specialist also avoids the less obvious risks: slurry running onto the timber floor below, stone dust on painted walls, or a hand-held machine slipping off the edge and chipping a nosing. Up specialists work in a fixed order from the top floor down, protect each flight before starting and compare the shine of neighbouring steps, so that the staircase looks even when seen from the bottom.
Stairs in daily use are usually maintained once a year. Do it sooner when a wear path shows in the middle of the treads, when a drop of water soaks in quickly and darkens the stone, or when the handrail feels sticky even after wiping.
Which areas do you cover, and how do I book a survey?
Stair polishing is scheduled regularly in An Khanh ward (Sala, Thu Thiem, Thao Dien), Binh Trung ward, Tan My and Tan Hung wards in Phu My Hung, and Thanh My Tay ward, areas with many villas, terraced townhouses and duplex apartments with stone stairs. The regular schedule also includes Cat Lai, the former Districts 1, 3 and 4, the former Phu Nhuan and Nha Be commune. Bookings are taken as well in Districts 5, 6, 8, 10, 11 and 12, Go Vap, Tan Binh, Tan Phu and the former District 9; call or message 0773 521 104 to confirm the date. Wards replaced the city's districts on 1 July 2025, but the old district names are still in everyday use.
The survey at your home is free. The specialist treats a test step and sends a written, all-inclusive quote based on the listed prices. The duration depends on the number of steps, the material and the wear, and is stated in the quote; a staircase over several floors can be split into several visits so that the family can still get around. Quotes, confirmations and the Up Report can all be in English.
- Get a quote
- Send a few wide and close-up photos of the staircase.
- Stone floor polishing
- To match the stairs to a stone living-room floor, both are surveyed and quoted together.
