Concrete marches that form the basis of stairs have a long service life and increased strength. The metal reinforcement located inside the structures acts as an effort. Thanks to this, the concrete does not crack and does not crumble. It is completely indifferent to moisture and external factors. The most accurate can be considered prefabricated stairs, mounted from plates and their fragments, as well as monolithic, made on site. You can finish the concrete structure with stone, carpet, tile or wood. The staircase will look spectacular in the latter case, this is especially true when precious woods such as beech, larch, ash or oak are used.
Choosing wood species
Finishing a concrete staircase with wood can be done using different breeds. Sometimes they are used and quite rare, which are imported from afar. However, to choose a practical,beautiful and solid wood is possible within the framework of your region. The favorite among finishing materials can be called oak, which is affordable and durable, it has pleasant shades and a bright pattern on the surface. If you want to get a respectable design that will last for more than one year, you should choose oak.
Larch and beech
With the purchase of larch there will be no problems, its cost will pleasantly surprise you, since it is almost two times lower than the price of oak. However, the material itself is not inferior in external data and quality. It is quite reliable and durable, and it is ready to serve for a very long time. Finishing a concrete staircase with ash will be cheaper compared to works where oak is used. Among other things, this breed is very durable, and the pattern is distinguished by natural beauty. By choosing an ash-based material, you can even choose a color that can be light or dark. Another worthy contender in the line of described materials is beech, which has a uniform structure and a pleasant shade. You will not have to pay so much for it, and the quality of the material will be on top.
How to avoid installation errors
If you will be finishing a concrete staircase with wood, you should try to eliminate the most common mistakes. Most believe that the most expensive part of the work is pouring the stairs. But cladding the structure with wood will cost the most. You should not fix the array directly on the steps, this requirement is due to the fact that such a finish is notwill last a long time. It is not worth saving on the thickness of the material, the shields should be no thinner than 30 millimeters or more.
Consumables
Before you complete the final cladding, you need to level the surface and make veneer. It is not recommended to use paint that completely hides the natural structure of wood, as the appearance will lose its attractiveness. Before starting work on sheathing, it is necessary to clean the surface of dust and debris, otherwise adhesion to glue and other materials will be fragile. Finishing a concrete staircase with wood should be accompanied by the use of not only an adhesive composition, but also additional mechanical fasteners in the form of dowels. In this case, the material will hold strong enough. You should not save on lacquer coatings, it is worth purchasing a moisture-resistant composition, which will cover the steps at least three times, between layers it is imperative to withstand the time required for the coating to dry completely.
Preparation of tools
Finishing a concrete staircase with wood should begin with the preparation of a set of necessary tools, among them an electric drill, a jigsaw, a building level and a plumb line, a milling machine, and a hammer. You will need a hacksaw, a grinding machine and a screwdriver. You need to purchase the material that suits you in advance, which will be used for decoration. You will also need plywood, which will act as a substrate. alignthe surface can be a solution of cement and sand, and glue will be needed to fasten the elements. At the final stage, the surface of the stairs should be varnished or painted, which will make the design not only more attractive, but also durable.
Technology of work
Finishing a concrete staircase with a tree with your own hands should be carried out according to a certain method, at the first stage the surface of the steps must be cleaned of dust and dirt. Next, the master prepares a solution of sand and cement, it is best to use the M150 brand.
At the next stage, the steps are glued, for this, a liquid composition based on sand and PVA glue should be diluted. The layer must be left until dry, which can take up to 5 hours.
Cracks, bumps and potholes are leveled with a spatula, with which it will be possible to apply the concrete mixture. Finishing a concrete staircase in a private house should involve preparatory work. In order for the structure to look like a single unit with the wall, narrow strips must be installed from below, which are made of 10 mm veneered plywood. While the mortar dries, attention should be paid to treads and risers. In order to make the skin durable, hardwood should be used.
For reference
Standard tread width range is from 27 to 32 centimeters, as for risers, their width can be from 15 to 18 centimeters. Depending on the characteristics of the march, one shouldmanufacture and install these items.
Installation of treads and risers
When finishing a concrete staircase with your own hands, you should use self-tapping screws to fasten the tread and riser. It is necessary to make a groove in advance using a milling machine, after the risers it is fixed to the tread with the lower edge flush with the bottom. The upper edge of the tread is installed in the groove from the back. It should have a width and depth that are 2.5 and 1.4 centimeters respectively.
The master will be able to speed up the process if he assembles several risers with treads into a single structure. From the side of the tread, a metal corner is installed. It is recommended to make additional insulation of steps, for this you can use 3 mm polyethylene. It will protect wood and concrete from harmful effects and create sound insulation. When using material, steps will be almost inaudible.
The nuances of cladding
If you are thinking about how to finish a concrete staircase with a tree, then you should start work from the bottom riser. In each workpiece, it is necessary to mark, and then drill holes, of which there should be two on each side. The parts will be installed in the groove made, while you can control their even location. Self-tapping screws should not be screwed all the way until the entire structure has been installed. Only after the build quality has been checked can the screws be screwed in all the way. At the end it followsinstall a riser, for which you need to use a board or corner.
Next, the master proceeds to finish the railing, if they are planned. Turns should be made by sawing segments at a certain angle. Between themselves, they are not only glued, but also fixed with screws to the base. In order for the cut to be as even as possible, you should use a hacksaw with fine teeth. Joints need to be puttied, and then sanded. It is important to choose the right putty color, the shade of which will match the color of the wood. The final step is grinding the surface of the steps, as well as further coating them with varnish.
Alternative finish
Finishing a concrete staircase with wood can be done using a slightly different technology. To do this, at the preparatory stage, you need to measure the steps, which will determine the highest of them. All others should be trimmed to size with a self-levelling floor compound. If the differences are insignificant or the steps are the same in height, then the surface is still leveled, while the mixture simply needs to be applied to the base. If the difference in height is more than a centimeter, then plywood formwork should be prepared, which is fixed with dowels so that the upper edge matches the required level.
Before using the fill, the steps are cleaned of debris and coated with a primer, which will increase the adhesive characteristics. After the primer has dried, you can fill with a mixture.
Finishing the concrete stairs is carried out according to the described technology only after fixing the plywood, which will act as an insulating layer. At the same time, wooden linings will not accumulate excessive moisture. The surface is then primed again, the composition should be allowed to dry. At the next stage, the master cuts blanks from plywood, the thickness of which should be from 10 to 15 centimeters. The dimensions of these elements must correspond to the dimensions of the steps. Next, glue mastic is applied, and a plywood blank is applied on top, which is fixed with dowels. When doing this, it is important to level the plywood.
Main Stage
Finishing concrete stairs with wood, photos of which you can see in the article, is carried out using an array. Blanks for this can be cut independently or ordered in the workshop. If the treads have a rather complex shape, then their contour is best depicted on thick cardboard or plywood. You need to start finishing from the bottom. Three bolts should be screwed into the bottom end of the riser so that they protrude from it. The caps are cut off, the wooden riser is aligned with the concrete, and the location of the bolts will need to be marked.
Appropriately sized holes must be drilled and then filled with epoxy. The surface of the plywood is processed with liquid nails and installed in place. In the step, a groove of the required depth should be made, which is needed for the abutting riser. The second riser is fixed with self-tapping screws on the steps. Finishing technology for concrete stairswood provides for the need to treat the plywood surface with an adhesive composition. This will install the first stage. Elements are leveled and, if necessary, corrected. Using this technology, it is necessary to line the stairs, gradually moving up.
Conclusion
Projects for finishing concrete stairs with wood should be prepared by a professional. But you can try to make them yourself. However, even if the scheme of work is drawn up as accurately as possible, gaps will form on the side of the steps, which are recommended to be filled with putty or mounting foam.
It is important not only to observe the features of the technology, but also to choose the right material. For example, laminate is not suitable for this at all. Despite the fact that it belongs to the popular floor coverings, it is not used for sheathing. Since the area of the steps is small, it will not be possible to lay the material in a floating way, and the technology will be violated. The thickness of the boards is too small to fix them in a way that is similar to the technology when using wood. In addition, they do not have an anti-slip coating.
