Renovate and dress up your garden stairs

For many people, having a welcoming entrance to their home is a matter of course. And giving an old staircase a new look and a proper lift can be a big step in the right direction. Regardless of whether it is an entrance staircase or another type of garden staircase with an existing concrete foundation or new construction, the stair cladding works perfectly.

Using this type of cladding creates surfaces, possibilities and provides a smooth installation that doesn't have to cost a fortune either. T he stair cladding is available in both flat steps and set steps for a complete stone staircase and to require less cutting and cutting.

Review your stairs and the possibilities for mounting

Review your existing foundation to see if this can be covered. The substrate must be intact and not cracked. The risk that arises when there are large cracks in the foundation is that the surfaces can continue to crack and create movement, which can then lead to the fixing and joint cracking and the cladding eventually loosening. If the stairs are newly cast, the surface may have a slightly smooth surface finish and then primer should be used to get adhesion for the fix.

Clean and prepare the substrate

Make sure your foundation is properly cleaned and all loose material is removed. Scrape this off so you can ensure no old loose coating remains. If the stairs have been covered with tiles or other tiles before, these should also be removed and the surface should then be as smooth as possible. If there have been large craters, rashes or minor cracks when you are finished, these will be repaired before new assembly. Use mortar or fix that can handle the building height you want to adjust.

Assemble step by step

We always recommend that you use a fix that is suitable for natural stone when installing a stair covering in granite or slate. Contact us at Stenbolaget for the best suited product for the stone you are going to install. Apply the fix to the foundation and use a notched trowel to comb out the fix. The larger the teeth on the cam, the higher the mounting. Keep in mind that natural stone can vary a few millimeters in thickness and therefore do not use a comb that is too small. When you then push the stone down into your fixed bed, you can adjust a part to achieve an even installation. Always mount the riser with a couple of millimeters of overhang above your riser so that water can easily run off your stairs. When you install the tiles, a joint cord or tile cross is preferable. These are placed between the plates during assembly and make up the joint width you will get. The joint width can vary according to taste, but is usually between 3-5mm according to the standard. It's not always possible to use whole tiles and one staircase is rarely the same, so cutting will most likely happen somewhere along the way.

For this, you use a water cutter or a circular cutter or angle grinder with a diamond blade. Connecting water cools the blade and makes it easier to cut through the material with less wear. When the installation of your stairs is complete, let it dry and harden fully.

Always read what applies to your natural stone fix, but then put in some time. Often you should wait about 1 day, but it depends entirely on climate, weather and wind.

Seal, wash and wash some more

Jointing is a bit of what puts the finishing touches on your entire granite staircase. It is not until the joint is in place that the stairs will feel completely finished. Remember to also use a joint here that is suitable for natural stone installation! Mix the joint compound and apply it using a joint board or other soft tool to work the joint between the stones. When the grouting is complete, wash the stone thoroughly with lukewarm water to remove any grout residue from your stone surface. As the surface of the stone is often rough, the washing step may need to be repeated and carried out very carefully both once, twice and sometimes three times.

Tips from Stenbolaget:

- Of course, you don't have to feel locked in with the models that are available as stair cladding . Granite slabs , slate slabs and granite ceramics are also an option for those who want to build a stone staircase. These are assembled in the same way but come with sawn edges and bed up for more cutting and visible joints.

- Seal all cracks and joints so that water does not find its way to the stone's attachment point and the fix itself.

- Choose a shade of stone that suits your surroundings. We stock both slate and granite and where you can choose from gray and graphite gray shades.

- Choose a joint that blends in with the stone you have chosen for as discreet a joint distance and as homogeneous a result as possible.

- Remember that fix and joint work best within certain temperatures, so don't install when it's too cold. Read what applies to the fix and the joint before starting your installation.

- If your tiles are uncalibrated (uneven in thickness), it is an advantage to double glue. That you simply apply fix to both the substrate and the side of the plate to be attached.

- Allow your granite or slate stairs to harden completely before loading them. Don't stress, this may just end up in you having to redo the process all over again.

- Don't feel locked into stair cladding. We have a wide range of stone steps for the garden. Look at our block steps and find a step height, a step depth and a step that suits your stone project. These are especially good choices if your foundation is that bad and still needs to be removed.