Finishing the stairs with your own hands

The staircase in a private house has many quality criteria and requirements, however strong it may be, the aesthetic component must still be present. Finishing of the stairs is a separate layer of work, aimed at improving the interior and improving the performance characteristics of the structure. In this article, we tried to fit as much information as possible on how the staircase is trimmed with our own hands.

Design selection

Stairs to the housee at first sight captures attention and sets the mood for the whole interior, especially if it is located in the living room or hall. That's why it is very important to choose the design of the staircase in such a way that it not only does not get out of the general situation, but also emphasizes its merits, it was an ornament of your house.

The interior of the house must fully correspond to the moods and characters of its inhabitants. This is evident in the colors of the finishes, shapes and outlines of furniture, decorative components and materials used. Fortunately, for the finishing of stairs with their own hands the market offers such a variety of materials that it is sometimes very difficult to determine the choice. Therefore, professional design knowledge of styles comes to the aid.

In which style to decorate the ladder:

1. Neutral - universal style allows the use of any materials, elements and technologies. The complete flight of the master's fantasy, however, must be limited to certain notes of conservatism and unobtrusiveness. Finishing should look so that even with changing wallpaper or painting the walls in the house, the staircase remained an ornament of the interior.
   
2. Classic - these stairs are distinguished by refinement, but not pathos. Elements of the handrail can be decorated with carving, painting or skillful forging. The quality of execution should be at the highest level, so it is recommended to instruct such professionals to ensure that the staircase does not look like a cheap decoration on the general background.
   
3. Rustic - a simple but very reliable staircase, made of wood or stone. Characteristic features of the style - maximum functionality, naturalness and color. Decorate such a staircase can be carpeted with bright folk motifs.
   
4. Hi-tech - when decorating stairs in hi-tech style, it is allowed to use all kinds of modern materials, from glass to plastic and silica gel. The basic rules are moderation, bordering on minimalism, clear lines, functionality.
   
5. Loft - the word loft translates as "attic apartments", so the style is set appropriately - maximum air, high ceilings, "careless" finish. The staircase for an interior in loft style can be just a bare metal frame with flat steps, painted black. However, lovers of fantasy with textures can use combinations of various materials: metal, glass, wood, pipes, mirrors, etc.
   
6. Provence is a gentle romantic style, dominated by light pastel shades, a slight shadow of antiquity( craquelure, artificial aging of the surface), roughness, unevenly lying coat on the walls. When finishing the stairs, you can set very few bright colors to emphasize the airiness of the interior.
   
7. Chalet is a fashionable name for a style that almost completely imitates a solid hut of a Siberian hunter. In Switzerland, a chalet is called a house deep in the forest, in which shepherds live or travelers can stop. The staircase for a house in the style of a chalet must be massive, firmly knocked down, made only of natural materials - stone or wood. Possible rough iron inserts. From flowers it is better to give preference to natural: ground-brown, coffee, green scale( especially grassy), rich red and burgundy shade.
   
8. Baroque - if the classical style allowed a patina of wealth, then the Baroque surpassed it in all respects. This is a luxurious pathos style, which only accepts artsy stairs. Use of all kinds, but only expensive materials( natural stone), an abundance of small monograms, forging, gilding, etc.
   
9. Colonial - a combination of spirituality and practicality, restraint, neatness, elegant simplicity. As materials for finishing the stairs, wood( yew, red, nut, rubber, rattan), clay( tile), bronze, ceramics is used.
   
10. Gothic - a distinctive feature of the style is a clear verticality and an abundance of long columnar elements. Also unchanging companions of Gothic are carved ornaments, delicate elements, arch arches, gargoyles and other sculptures. The color scheme is almost always dark: gray, blue, red, purple, silver and gold. As materials, natural stone or wood with dark wood is preferable( can be stained with stain).
    

Functional load

Planning the design of the ladder is not only in the choice of design, but also taking into account the functional components. First of all, the ladder should provide unimpeded and rapid penetration to the floor above and back, withstand a certain load, be comfortable for all family members.

Most of its performance depends on the lining of the ladder. So, it is necessary to take into account the physical characteristics of the materials, their combination with each other, to provide for the possibility of repair or replacement, the rapid wear of the elements, etc.

For example, if you want to have a beautiful stone staircase at home, but making it narrow and unattractive will not be very wise. Such a design will not allow a beautiful coating to reveal all its aesthetic and functional potential. Moreover, on a stone step you can easily slip, so if the house has children, this is not the best solution.

When choosing finishing materials for stairs, you should give a sober assessment of their capabilities. Otherwise, if you can not cope with the processing of expensive material, then just throw the money away.

Selection of finishing materials

Selecting finishing materials should be based on the configuration and appearance of the "rough" stairs. So, concrete and metal structures often lined with wood or laminate, a stone staircase can be ennobled with beautiful decorative tile, wooden - painted or covered with warm carpet. It is acceptable to share several types of material, for example, metal and glass, wood and stone, wood and metal, etc.

As a rule, treads are faced with a stone or plinth, and the risers are covered with paint or varnish. The most remarkable thing is that there are a lot of options for finishing stairs, and they are limited only by the imagination of the owner.

Carpet covering

If small children live in the house, it is almost obligatory to decorate the stairs with carpet. It perfectly absorbs noise from the trampling of small legs, creates a less traumatic surface if the child falls, is warmer and more comfortable than linoleum or wood. In addition, it is almost impossible to slip on a carpet.

This is an elastic and warm material, it's easy to lay it - just roll it up, lay it on the ladder and fasten it. Mounted carpet with wooden or plastic skirting in the area of ​​the stain.

The staircase is quite a passable place, and to prolong the service life of the carpet, it is recommended to lay a substrate under it.

Linoleum, laminate

Linoleum or laminate can only be covered with treads. The same goes for rubber non-slip mats. First, you should cut the material according to the dimensions of the tears, and then attach to the end part with metal slats, to the long part of the tread-corners( for wooden stairs).If it is a construction of concrete or metal, the laminates are finished with a special high-strength adhesive.

Tile, porcelain stoneware

If you want the staircase to serve faithfully and even to your great-grandsons, it is recommended to use porcelain stoneware. Ceramic tiles also have a long service life and are able to maintain their original appearance for 30 years. Facing the staircase with ceramic granite is a rather laborious task, requiring the presence of special techniques and skills of handling it.

Alternatively, you can purchase special sets of steps from porcelain stoneware slabs with non-slip coating. Also on sale are ready kits for fastening with right and left skirting boards. It is quite easy to install such a cover yourself, if you select the correct elements in accordance with the dimensions of the ladder.

As for facing the stairs with tiles, in this case you will need a tile cutter and the skills of using it. If you can not cut the elements exactly, you can use a tile battle to decorate it and put it in the form of an original mosaic. The option with tiles is not suitable for finishing spiral staircases, as it will not be possible to avoid frequent and ugly stitches. Work on facing the ladder with straight marches should be started from the very first step from below.

Natural stone

Stone stairs are finished in the same way as ceramic tiles, because the materials are produced in an identical format. The main drawbacks of stone finish are the sonorous knocking of steps, the cold from the surface, the risk of slipping and high cost. In addition, the porous rocks of the stone, for example, marble, require constant care and careful handling. Otherwise, accidentally spilled red wine on the step will "please" you with a stain for many years.

Staircase coloring

For those who are not at all interested in high cost and presentable finishes, the usual( or unusual) coloring of the staircase is suitable. It's not about rough processing with one-color paint, although this option is not excluded. It is possible to paint a ladder so masterly that this furnish will surpass on an aesthetics even expensive gloss of a natural stone or a laminate.

Advantages of this method of decoration is not found: cheap, if you want or change the interior you can quickly repaint the surface, even children can participate in painting, especially if the staircase is in the children's room. The paint protects the wood from dampness and parasites, and metal - from corrosion. With the help of correctly selected color combinations, you can turn a bulky concrete structure into an easy decoration of the interior, for example, if the tread is darkened and the risers are painted in a light tone.

If you like the natural texture of wood, protect it with a clear varnish. You can change the tone of the tree with stain. This method is suitable for those cases when it is required to create an imitation of expensive wood, for example, mahogany or wenge.

Finishing a wooden ladder

You can turn an ordinary wooden staircase into a real work of art or at least refine it in accordance with the general interior of the house. When choosing finishing materials, it is necessary to take into account the features of wood, its natural texture and performance characteristics.

If you choose the right varnish or paint for a wooden ladder, you can emphasize the natural beauty of the material and increase its strength. Apply the coating with a wide flat brush or with a spray gun. For the artistic painting, including using stencils, an airbrush is used.

A ladder made of ordinary cheap wood species, for example pine, can be transformed in a matter of hours, tinted with stain or varnish with a dyeing component.

Varnishes for wood not only protect the material from dampness and rot, but also enhance its aesthetic characteristics. When choosing varnishes, it is necessary to take into account the component on the basis of which they were produced( nitrolac, oily, bitumen, resin, etc.).

So, alkyd based varnishes are highly resistant to moisture, temperature changes and mechanical damage. The popular "Yacht Lacquer" can be used for outdoor works and processing of structures, which has regular contact with water.

The acrylic based wood varnish does not burn out in the sun and creates a dense hydrophobic layer. It is completely transparent, glossy and gives the tree a so-called "wet" effect. Over time, it does not turn yellow even on light wood.

Inexpensive polyurethane varnishes and paints have recently become especially popular in the domestic market. Excellent quality coating at an affordable price. They can be used in rooms with high humidity and temperature changes, for example, in a bath.

The stairs are usually covered with stain to give them a darker shade, and the remaining parts( risers, balusters, balusters) are left light and opened with a clear varnish.

Finishing of metal stairs

Metal staircases with forged elements and massive wooden inserts will give a noble look to any room. To make such a ladder, first build a metal frame, and then sheathe it with wood.

For cladding of iron stairs, you can choose almost any type of wood depending on financial possibilities. If you are not constrained in the means, it makes sense to consider the options with carving or embossing, especially when it comes to the interior in the Gothic style or chalet.

Useful advice: to save without damage to the aesthetics, just cover the tree with treads, leaving the risers open. This will "facilitate" the design and make the interior more free.

Wood species for stair covering

As mentioned above, for the finish of the metal ladder, you can choose any type of wood, depending on the amount that you can spend. When choosing a tree, it should also be borne in mind that each breed has its own unique energy and creates a special background around itself.

The most commonly used types of wood:

1. Oak - oak staircase looks very stylish, it is reliable, strong and durable, although it costs a lot of money. Oak has always been considered a strong "male" tree, so if you create an interior in the style of country or chalet, the oak will emphasize the mood as much as possible. In addition, the breed allows you to choose a shade for every taste, ranging from light yellow tones, ending with burgundy and brown.
   
2. Ash is distinguished by its high strength, beautifully pronounced texture and pleasant grayish shade. Perfect for staircases in classic and colonial style.
   
3. Beech - elegant texture, high strength and durability. The rocks are often covered with stain to simulate an expensive mahogany.
   
4. Exotic breeds( wenge, teak, merbau) are expensive but very beautiful and texture breeds. A wide color palette allows you to choose the option of plating for any interior.
   
5. Spruce, fir, pine - most often from such "simple" rocks are made risers and tinted in accordance with the color of the steps. Such wood is less dense than the above-described variants, but for podstupeniy it is more important not for density but for durability, for which they are quite suitable.

Work technology

The sheathing of a metal ladder with a tree can be partial or complete. At a partial finish, only wooden treads are attached, with a full tree fixed with treads, risers, banisters, imitations of the scythe, etc.

Proceed as follows:

1. Determine the future design of the ladder and the way the carcass is finished( partial or full).
2. Select the wood species.
3. Prepare wooden elements by fitting the array to the size of the frame. Make the markings and cut out the trowel and risers with a hand saw.
4. For the complete plating, select the appropriate balustrade. Take into account the interval between the balusters. The standard distance can vary from 15 to 22 cm, but if there are children in the house, it is recommended to reduce it to 9-10 cm.
5. Fasten the elements with self-tapping screws, by deepening the hat 3-5 mm into the tree. In the future, all the places of fasteners will need to be closed with wooden choppers.
6. Treat all wooden elements with stain, wait for drying( from 30 minutes to 2 hours) and apply a varnish. It is recommended to make several layers of varnish, applying a subsequent layer only after the previous one has dried completely.

Finishing of the concrete ladder

For the finishing of concrete staircases, almost any available material can be used - wood, laminate, carpet, tile, natural stone, etc.

The most expensive is not construction, namely the finishing of the concrete staircase, so it is important not to make mistakes to keep within the shortest possible time and planned budget.

Common errors in finishing:

1. Do not fix wooden elements directly on the concrete, otherwise they fall off very quickly. Use a plywood backing for this.
   
2. The thickness of the wooden elements must be at least 3 cm.
3. Align the surface before proceeding to the final cladding.
4. Do not use paint that covers the beautiful structure of the tree, otherwise this ladder will look poor and unpretentious.
5. Before coating with varnish or paint, thoroughly clean the tree of dirt and dust.
6. One glue for fixing is not enough - use dowels.
7. It is not necessary to save on varnish - get a moisture resistant compound of increased strength, otherwise the ladder will have to be updated every year.

Wood trim

When you have purchased the right wood, fasteners, plywood, sand, cement and paints, you can proceed to the lining of the stairs. But in order to do everything right, it's better to understand the terminology and features of the staircase structure, which is clearly shown in the figure below.

For work you will need the following tools:

• drill with a set of baits;
• electric jigsaw or hand saw;
• hammer;
• grinder;
• cutter;
• screwdriver;
• plumb line;
• building level.

Procedure:

1. Remove dust from concrete steps, wet-clean and wait until the surface dries.
2. While the steps are drying, make a cement mortar with sand. It is recommended to use cement grade not lower than M150.
3. Add fine sand to the PVA glue to form a thick mixture. Make it the sizing of the steps and leave to dry for 3-5 hours.
   
4. Use a spatula to level the surface, filling the irregularities with a cement compound.
5. While the cement dries, prepare the wooden elements for steps and treads. The standard width of the stitches is from 27 cm to 32 cm, the risers from 15 cm to 18 cm.
6. Screw the self-tapping elements by first making grooves on the treads and risers so that they are connected like a designer. The width of the groove should be 2.5 cm, depth - 1.4 cm.
7. Begin the plating from the bottom step, moving upward. Do not tighten the screws until the end is complete.
8. The last riser at the top is covered with a metal corner.
9. If necessary, trim the handrail.
10. Joints between elements can be masked with putty on wood, matched to the tone to the material.
11. Walk through all the elements of the design with a grinder, paying special attention to sharp corners.
12. Clean the ladder of dust by wiping it with a damp cloth and cover the wood with a varnish.

Alternative way of finishing a concrete staircase with wood:

Useful advices

The following helpful tips will help you to finish the staircase yourself:

1. Make sure that the steps and floor of the room where the stairway is located are in the same color range.
   
2. The strength of the covering of the ladder should not be less than the strength of the floor. Ideally, it is recommended to use one type of wood in both cases.
3. In the case of metal structures, wooden steps with wrought iron handrails, glass inserts or chrome parts are most beneficial.
4. Carefully ensure that the steps are of the same height. A discrepancy of even 3-5 mm will lead to the fact that you will constantly stumble on the stairs.
5. Do the finishing work only after the completion of the main repair on the second floor, so you do not have to constantly wear construction materials upstairs, stain and scratch the stairs.
6. If you are not confident in your abilities or have started work, but feel that you can not cope, it is better to entrust the finishing to professionals.

Original design options

To get some inspiration and just admire the beautiful interiors, we offer you a photo of finishing stairs in interesting styles:

Use for interior design interior stickers or stencils:

A bit of phosphor paint with a green tinge, and you will never stumble upon suchstairs in the dark! Plus, the original design is perfect for a children's room or an apartment in the loft style:

The ingenious transformation of the underbrush space will save a lot of space - make bookshelves or boxes for things in the risers:

Ladder from wooden pallets - creative and budget variant:

Absolutely stunning stone sculpture, as if from the interior of a resident of Atlantis. To make such decorative finishing of a ladder by own hands very few people will manage, but it is worth trying.