It's no secret that in the mansions special attention is drawn to the luxurious staircase. It can be made from any material. As a rule, stairs are built of concrete, since this material is highly durable and has a long service life. At the same time, such structures have one serious drawback - they are cold. In addition, they usually do not look very aesthetically pleasing. How is a concrete staircase sheathed with wood? Let's consider this question in more detail.
Advantages of finishing stairs with wood
Let's take a closer look at this. Why most often the owners of private houses choose such an option as sheathing the metal frame of the stairs with wood? This material has many advantages, among which the following can be highlighted:
- excellent decorative performance;
- high thermal insulation;
- easy to handle;
- lightness;
- harmonious combination with other materialsfinishing.
One of the most bulky and heavily decorated elements in the interior is an iron staircase. Wood cladding will help correct the situation. This material, as a rule, visually smoothes the massiveness of the structure. The advantage of wood lies in the fact that with it you can decorate the stairs with various patterns. In addition, when using this material, you will get a warm and comfortable surface on which you can even walk barefoot.
Wooden stairs in the interior
Before we consider how the sheathing of a concrete staircase with wood is done with our own hands, let's figure out in which interior the use of this option would be appropriate. Metal and concrete stairs decorated with natural wood will give the interior a luxurious and respectable look.
Wood sheathed stairs are often used in these interior styles:
- Provence;
- chalet;
- country;
- classic;
- high-tech;
- minimalism.
What else do you need to know about them? Metal and concrete stairs with wooden elements are distinguished by excellent performance and long service life. Structures of this type combine the main advantages of wooden structures with concrete or all-metal structures. Wooden steps make the structure more comfortable and safe for residents to move. Depending on the wishes of the owner of the house, the frame can be either completely or partially sheathed.tree.
Choosing wood species
Let's take a closer look at this. There is a large selection of species with which wood cladding can be made. The most commonly used oak, beech or larch. You can also use more rare finishing materials. But it’s better to choose practical and aesthetic options.
If you need a reliable, strong and durable finish, it is better to give preference to oak. The increased cost of this material is justified by its durability and wear resistance.
A more budget option is larch. It is almost twice cheaper than oak. When using this material, wood sheathing of stairs becomes available to buyers, regardless of their financial situation. This is especially important when creating monolithic structures. There are larch finishes and other advantages. These include:
- moisture resistance of the material;
- strength and reliability;
- pleasant smell;
- long service life.
In addition, larch has a beautiful texture and a pleasant orange tint.
Sheathing stairs with wood on a metal frame can also be made of ash. This option will also cost you less than oak. The pattern on the material looks very natural, and the boards retain their strength for a long time. In addition, on sale you can find a wide range of colors, ranging from the lightest to the darkest. The main feature of the ash tree is the traced texture.
One morea contender that can be used to finish a monolithic staircase is beech. It has a uniform fine-grained structure. The breed is characterized by pleasant light colors. The quality of the material remains on top, regardless of its cost. The main distinguishing feature of beech is considered to be a noble appearance. In terms of strength, it is in no way inferior to oak.
Mounting Features
So what do you need to know about this? Sheathing a metal staircase with wood causes difficulties even for professional craftsmen. Many mistakenly believe that the most expensive part of the design is the pouring of the surface of the stairs. However, this is not the case. There are many other features here.
Let's look at the main ones:
- Sheathing stairs with wood requires a fairly large material investment.
- The array cannot be attached directly to the steps, otherwise the structure will not last long.
- Minimum thickness of wooden boards should be 30mm. Saving in this matter can backfire.
- When finishing, it will be necessary to complete the processing of edges, grinding the boards. This will require specialized equipment.
Consumables
Before sheathing, the concrete surface will definitely need to be leveled. For this, plywood is carried out. You will need not only wooden shields, but also sheets of plywood. Do not attach wood trim directly to concrete.
In stock atcraftsmen must have the following materials and fixtures:
- dowels for mechanical fastening;
- adhesive composition;
- primer.
Before finishing work, the surface is cleaned of dirt and debris. Otherwise, it will not be possible to achieve strong adhesion with other materials.
You should not save on the purchase of paints and varnishes. It is recommended to purchase only those varieties that are highly resistant to moisture. Apply them to the surface of the finish should be at least twice. Each layer is applied with a short break and only after the previous one dries.
Preparation
What is she like? Any finishing work begins with a preparatory stage. This applies to both the work surface and the tools used. They need to be collected in one place. The list of necessary equipment is not so long.
It includes:
- screwdriver;
- grinder;
- milling machine;
- plumb line with level;
- jigsaw;
- hacksaw;
- hammer;
- electric drill.
Technology
This aspect should be given special attention. How is the sheathing of stairs with wood done by hand? Beginning craftsmen can also handle this type of work.
The work includes several main stages:
- The surface of the stairs is cleaned of debris and dust, and then primed. It is recommended to use a deep penetration compound. It will help increase the density of concrete and enhance the adhesive properties of the adhesive.
- The substrate should be cut out of moisture-resistant plywood according to the size of the steps. Its thickness should be 1-1.5 cm. It will help to achieve the effect of smoothing the surface, and will also absorb moisture from the surface of the concrete.
- Steps are treated with special glue or moisture-resistant mastic. The cut out elements are tightly applied to the base. Additional fixation with dowels and self-tapping screws may also be required.
- Wooden cladding is attached to the substrate with liquid nails. Work should start from the lower steps. On the tread, it is desirable to put some kind of load on top. This will ensure the fixation is secure. If necessary, you can also glue the ends.
- At the final stage, the installation of fences - railings and balusters. These elements are fastened with screws. Upon completion of the installation, it remains only to seal the joints with putty or mounting foam.
Installation of treads
An important stage, without which the sheathing of a concrete staircase with a tree with your own hands, is the installation of treads. Indispensable helpers here are special moldings and profiles, as well as self-tapping screws. This will help to secure the quality of the product. A groove should be made in advance using a milling machine. From the back side, the upper edge is installed in the groove. The riser is fixed flush with the bottom. Metal corners are installed from the side of the tread. If possiblesteps should be isolated. Even polyethylene will do for this. This material will help create additional protection for wood and concrete from negative environmental factors. Steps on such stairs will be almost silent.
Profiles and moldings
What are they for? Do-it-yourself sheathing of the metal frame of the stairs with wood can be carried out using special moldings and profiles. Molding is called a false plank, which is used to decorate the edge of the steps. This element is necessary when finishing stairs with laminate. With the help of a molding, it is easy to connect two laminate planks laid on a base. It hides the junction of two lamellas. Coated fastening requires the use of self-tapping screws or a special adhesive.
The function of the edge molding can also be performed by L-shaped or stair sills. They are made of various materials: steel, aluminum, brass. Popular options are bronze, wood or gold. In addition to the decorative function, metal products also perform a practical function: they protect the surface of the finish from wear.
Quick Step
Beginners who are interested in do-it-yourself sheathing of metal stairs with wood will be attracted by the technology developed by Quick Step. They suggest using special profiles for concrete stairs called Incizo. This is a unique product that can be used to create seamless joints. The material can be applied to various stairstructures, regardless of their technological features.
If wood sheathing of stairs is carried out using these profiles, no additional preparatory work is required. You just need to lay parquet boards on the elements of the steps.
Subtleties of lining
Let's discuss this aspect in more detail. How is the sheathing of the metal frame of the stairs with wood? To perform cladding work yourself, you need to know about the main nuances of this process:
- Work always starts from the bottom riser.
- Self-tapping screws are not recommended to be screwed into the concrete base from the very beginning. It is better to finish the entire staircase, and then fix them.
- Risers are installed at the very end. For their fastening, special corners or boards are usually used.
- Additional elements, such as profiles, must be pre-installed in the grooves. The owner can control the location of the structure on his own.
- The gaps and joints between the riser and the tread should first be puttied, and then docked with each other using a corner. Putty must be of the correct color.
- Turns will be easier to shape if you cut the tiled material. Parts should not only be glued together, but also additionally secured with screws and self-tapping screws.
Conclusion
In this review, we detailconsidered how the concrete stairs are sheathed with wood. Initially, the design has good performance characteristics, but its appearance leaves much to be desired. To give the stairs aesthetics, the steps and other structural elements are finished with wood. Due to the wide choice of shades and structures of this material, very unusual results can be achieved. Such a staircase can decorate even the most modest interior.
