Facing concrete stairs and design options

Gusevsky Andrey Anatolyevich

Concrete staircase finishing options

The concrete staircase is fireproof, durable, solid. But at the same time, it has a massive and even boring appearance.
To correct this small flaw, you can with a creative and creative approach take on the decoration of the stairs. And for this you need to know everything for facing concrete stairs.

What materials can be used for facing concrete stairs?

Concrete staircase, it is that design on which it is possible to combine various options. Indeed, many facing materials can be used when working with it, to combine colors and combine various materials.
What is faced with concrete stairs:

• A tree.
• The stone.
• Roll coating.
• Ceramic tiles.

In favor of which facing material the choice will be made, depends on the answers to some questions:

• Are there children in the house?
  If so, it is preferable to give your choice to warm facing coatings, and those that are able to absorb the fall. After all, children will constantly run upstairs, including barefoot. And some may even enjoy playing it.
• What is the shape of the flight of stairs? If the staircase has cross-cutting steps, then do not purchase ceramic tiles or stone cladding, as the material will have to be trimmed, which will affect the appearance of the steps.
  But the staircase with straight steps can be faced with any facing material.

Tip. Is the staircase necessary to be silent? If so, you can choose a material that is capable of absorbing sounds. It can be a carpet or a tree.

And one more nuance:

• If the house has not completed repairs or the home improvement is still ongoing and more than one furniture import to the upper floors is planned, then you need to know that the finishing material during these works may be damaged.
• In this case, it is not recommended to lay carpets or soft wood on the stairs. It would be even better if staircase lining will be rescheduled until the repair is completed.

In order to have an idea of ​​how this or that material looks like a cladding, you can see a photo of the finished work on finishing the stairs.

Cladding concrete stairs with wood

Finishing work with wood

Facing concrete stairs in most cases occurs with the use of wood.
The following factors push many to this choice:

• Wood is a very reliable facing material. It does not crack from mechanical stress. If its processing was carried out correctly, then the service life will be very long.
• Concrete stairs with wood cladding have thermal insulation.
• The existing variety of wood species (oak, ash, beech, exotic species). You can also use pine or spruce - but only if the staircase has low traffic.
  Each tree has its own individual colors and shades, so you can easily find the right one that successfully fits the staircase into the surrounding interior.
• If desired, you can make the tree tinted in the desired color, which further increases the range of its shades.

The advantage of wood finishes:

• The wooden cladding of the stairs will create coziness, warmth and a special atmosphere in the house.For facing concrete stairs, you need to use only solid wood; parquet will not work.
• The wood must be dry, have 1 class and marked with the letter "E", which means "exclusive". The cost of this material varies greatly, depending on the type of wood.
• Only facing concrete steps of the stairs is possible without touching the risers. They, in turn, can be left simply in plaster or painted white.
  This will give the entire structure lightness, and it will no longer look so massive.

And you can experiment and veneer them with other materials:

• Ceramic tiles.
• Steel sheets.

The resulting staircase as a result of the work will look very modern and stylish.

Facing concrete stairs with stone

Stone Finishing Technology

Cladding stairs for concrete can be made with such fine-grained stones as marble, granite, sandstone, basalt. They are most often used in a classic interior.
Finishing Features:

• The price of this material is not small, but the stone can give an elegant look and decorate any home.
• It is possible to use the same stone in the cladding, but with different shades, for example, to make the steps of a dark color, and steps of a light tone.
• The stone has one small minus - this is its impracticality. It is quickly polluted and difficult to launder.
• But at present, this minus can be eliminated with the use of an impregnating composition. To do this, periodically (every 2 months) lubricate the surface of the stone.

Note. It is worth knowing that a stone staircase in a small house will look very massive.

Cladding concrete stairs with ceramic tiles

Tile finish option

Ceramic tiles are striking in their diversity. With its help, you can make a unique interior.
But if the entire staircase is finished only with ceramic tiles, it will look a little monotonous. It is better to combine it with other facing materials, for example, with a tree.
Facing a concrete staircase with tiles has its advantages and disadvantages:

• Low cost.
• Durability.
• Easy to care.
• Fire safety.

Now a few cons:

• Hard coating.
• Cold surface.
• Does not cushion the drop.

The choice should be given to tiles with a high class of abrasion, hardness and anti-slip properties. The tile should not be smooth, matte with a rough surface or corrugated is ideal for facing.

An economical option for facing concrete stairs

How to paint a ladder

If there is not much money, you can use the most economical type of cladding - this is painting. Also, this finish is quite relevant if a more expensive option is delayed for a while.
Doing this facing yourself is not at all difficult. Before painting, it is advisable to cover the stairs with cement mortar, since concrete is prone to abrasion.
At the end of the work, the staircase will take on a strict look, its steps will be cold and hard.

Note. Well, with a staircase lined with this material, glass or metal is combined.

Roll coating as concrete staircase lining

Another good and economical finishing option is the facing of concrete stairs with soft roll coatings.
Recommendations:

• If there are children in the house, then this option is the most optimal.
• The result is a very warm, soft staircase capable of absorbing sounds and absorbing falls.
• This cladding is not at all difficult to care for.
• It is necessary to give preference to coatings of polypropylene, polyamide and rubber. Do not buy acrylic, woolen coatings, with a long pile or from felt.

You need to fix the roll coating with glue, it is advisable to attach them to the risers even more with metal plates.

Features of facing concrete stairs

Concrete staircase cladding do it yourself should be done only after 3 months after its casting. During this time, concrete will evaporate all excess moisture.
And if possible, it is advisable to stand the heating season on the stairs.
So:

• Do not lay any finishing material on wet concrete, otherwise the lining will be of poor quality.
• The range of materials for choosing the facing of concrete stairs is wide. You can think of various individual finishes that fit perfectly into your interior and emphasize the beauty of a seemingly ordinary staircase.

If there is uncertainty about the correct laying of the facing material, you can watch various videos on this topic before starting work.