Covering for staircase steps in the house: laminate finishing, cladding materials, carpeting and photos

In residential buildings with two and three floors, be it a country house, a cottage or a mansion, there is always a staircase. Often, this structure does not attract attention and has a purely functional meaning. But if the staircase has a beautiful cladding, then such a design can become the main decoration of the interior.

High-quality finishing will prevent premature wear of the steps, strengthen the entire structure, and make movement along it more comfortable and safe. For this purpose, there are many different finishing materials on the market. Let’s talk about which one to choose in more detail and consider the advantages of each finishing option.

Why do you need finishing stairs and steps?

The purposes of coating work may be different, and, accordingly, finishing methods and materials will also vary.

Finishing is usually needed to protect stair steps from damage.

So, the tasks of staircase cladding:

If the stairs are wooden, then you need to protect the steps from temperature changes and changes in humidity in the room;
Protection of steps from mold, insects, etc.;
Finishing the steps, based on the design of the house;
Anti-slip features;
Masking surface irregularities and other damage;
Noise absorption.

Based on the purpose that the coating will serve, you can choose finishing materials. Below we will consider in more detail the types of cladding on the steps of a wooden staircase.

conclusions

There are many ways to process staircase construction, and there are a variety of materials for this. In addition, finishing options can also be combined, there are many of them, and accordingly the design can be very different. Therefore, before you start, you need to know what you want to get as a result. All controversial issues depend on the materials used.

How and how to decorate a staircase in a house with your own hands

The most common type of stairs in a private house is a solid wood staircase. But wood is often exposed to various negative factors: dirt, insects, mold, rot.

Therefore, the most common type of finishing of steps is coating with protective varnishes and paints. Paint, in addition to its protective properties, allows you to fit the staircase into the color scheme of the room and correlate it with the wallpaper with which the walls are decorated.

Varnish can give a beautiful look to the steps and highlight the structure of the wood itself.

It is quite possible to finish the stair steps yourself if you choose the right facing materials

It is better to use high-strength varnish options:

Alkyd varnish: forms a durable coating, can be used for external stairs;
The polyurethane coating forms a special polyurethane varnish: the coating is as strong and durable as possible;
Multi-component varnish: formed by mixing several components.

The surface after finishing becomes very durable.

Constructive staircase options

There are the following types of products.

Marching. They are the most common. They are easy to use. The march can be straight or turning. The latter is a great space saver. The design is suitable for spacious rooms.
Screw. Most often used in small rooms. Be sure to have railings for safety. They take up minimal space and look impressive.
Console. They look light. Load-bearing walls act as support for them. Steps are attached to them. Decorative rods or cables that are attached to the ceiling allow you to take on additional load. The design does not prevent natural light from entering the room.
Combined. The product will be reborn by combining different materials and parts.

Spiral staircases are often used in small rooms

Decorative lamps can be installed on the wall

Modern staircase design in the interior will look unusual and at the same time beautiful

Decorative finishing with laminate stairs and wooden steps

You can update the steps or create a staircase project that matches the intended design using laminate flooring.

Laminate can be used to cover concrete, metal or old wooden stairs.

Manufacturers offer a huge selection of laminates of various colors, textures, and strength.

Material for covering steps with laminate boards:

High-strength (from class 32) laminate, corresponding to the width of the steps;
Metal or wooden profile;
Special glue;
Jigsaw or hacksaw;
Screws.

A staircase with steps finished with laminate will look quite beautiful.

Covering steps with laminate begins with preparing the surface. Floor substrates are laid under each step: polypropylene film or cork. This will make it possible to make a reliable coating with sound insulation properties. If the structure has different widths of steps or a complex configuration, then you need to prepare cardboard templates in advance and cut out the base and laminate using them.

The necessary material for covering steps with laminate is edge moldings - curly overlays for decorating corners and joints. They are used to close the joint between laminate boards laid on the step and riser. In addition, edge molding strengthens the attachment of the laminate to the steps.

To ensure a safe descent, staircases made of wood, plastic, metal, aluminum and cork are used. The thresholds are attached with self-tapping screws or glue. And also, the thresholds extend the service life of the stairs, as they protect the edges from wear.

Moldings are available in a variety of colors, allowing them to be perfectly combined with laminate flooring.

Features of handrail decor

It is impossible to imagine the design of the walls of staircase openings and the stairs themselves without stair railings and handrails.

Tip: To install such elements, without disturbing the comfort of movement, the width of the steps should not be less than 80 centimeters.

The fencing is selected in accordance with the stylistic decision.

Simple supports. Usually these are square or round wooden blocks, which is important for country style. They can be made of PVC gratings and metal rods.
Curly balusters. In this case, the wooden elements are turned on a milling machine according to templates. More complex are carved elements.
Stainless steel railings. Their difference is a simple design in the form of pipes. Used in modern interiors.
Forged metal. Such fences look impressive and stylish. They consist of curly curls and more complex elements. Most often they are combined with wooden railings. They are best used on spiral flights of stairs.
Glass. Combined with stainless steel handrails and supports, it acts as a partition.
Plastic. Serves as handrails on stainless steel. Can imitate other materials.
Stone and concrete. Used for massive structures. At the same time, a feeling of luxury and grandeur is created, but with a small area they look bulky and inappropriate.

Original carpet covering of stairs

Carpet is a fairly popular and beautiful covering for staircase steps. For indoor use only. You should be very careful when choosing the carpet itself, since the staircase is one of the most trafficked places in the house.

Important: do not choose high-pile carpets, because... It is difficult to care for, it will quickly lose its beautiful appearance.

Therefore, you need to choose carpet with increased wear resistance.

If you decide to decorate the steps of the stairs with carpet, then it is better to choose a material that is wear-resistant

The main advantages of carpeting stairs:

Protects steps from wear: using high-quality carpet, the coating will last a very long time.
Safety: forms a non-slip coating.
Provides sound insulation.
Low labor costs: it’s easy to decorate even stairs with a complex design with carpet with your own hands. This does not require special knowledge or tools.

You can not cover the entire steps with carpet, but only part of the step. To do this, you need to cut out a template from cardboard and attach the carpet with glue.

Finishing carpets for stairs in the house: choice

You can decorate the steps of the stairs with carpet runners. Recommended for use on straight single-flight stairs.

Important: if the base of the stairs is concrete, use special adhesive for carpeting.

The variety of carpets allows you to decorate the staircase in any style: from classic to modern.

To decorate staircase steps in a country house, many people prefer to choose carpeting.

Paths are laid using:

Nails;
Special clamp strips;
Metal fasteners;
Glue.

In specialized stores you can purchase special carpet overlays for steps.

What will need to be taken into account

The decor of the wall on the stairs is determined not just by the taste of the owner, but it is also influenced by several factors.

Let's take a closer look at them:

First of all, this is the shape and size of the room itself.
The presence of living creatures will also be important. After all, if you have a dog or cat, then they can damage the finish and soft materials are not suitable here.
General lighting. If it is not enough, then dark colors cannot be used. Indeed, in this case it will be necessary to provide additional lighting.
Ceilings will also matter. If they are low, then not every pattern will fit. You will need to choose rectangular ones and place them vertically. This will visually increase the space.
Wall decoration should be done in the style of the entire house. After all, if everything is done in the classics, then country music will simply be inappropriate.

What kind of anti-slip coatings for stairs are there?

Non-slip coverings for steps are used on both indoor and outdoor stairs. Safety is a very important aspect when choosing stair covering materials.

In our climatic conditions, street stairs must be equipped with anti-slip elements. But internal stairs also require anti-slip elements if the steps are covered, for example, with linoleum or tiles.

Anti-slip coatings for stairs are made from thermoplastic elastomers, abrasive materials, rubber and aluminum, using cork and rubber or rubber coating.

A special anti-slip coating will help you make your stairs safe.

Types of anti-slip coatings:

Crumb rubber step pads: a very popular and effective anti-slip coating. They have good consumer reviews. Recommended for use even in kindergarten.
Rubber mats: can be installed on stairs of any shape, they are easy to clean from snow and dirt, and extend the life of the steps.
Rubber pads: have excellent anti-slip properties, various shapes, which allows you to install them on any steps. But rubber is an expensive finish because... the cost of producing the product is high.
Rubber roll coverings: allow you to cover the entire staircase or cut out the required shape.
Metal profiles: have a ribbed shape against slipping, and are easily attached to the steps with self-tapping screws.
Self-adhesive tapes: Abrasive tapes can easily achieve an anti-slip effect. The reverse side of the tape has an adhesive composition, so it is easy to install on any surface of the steps.

The tape performs its functions well for 3 years, after which it requires replacement.

Choosing finishing materials for the external cladding of stairs

The finishing of the steps is completed. Now you need to take care of the finishing as a whole (lining the space under the stairs, stringers and fasteners) to give the stairs a finished look.

When choosing finishing materials for stairs, you must take into account their quality, characteristics and sustainability

Usually used:

Finishing with plywood: it is easy to sheathe a flight of stairs of any design. You can use the space under the stairs to create a pantry, mini-library, etc.
Plasterboard finishing: used in the same way as plywood. To install the structure, first attach a frame made of a metal profile. GCR takes any shape, in addition, the material is quite light, so this finishing is easy to do with your own hands.
Textured plaster: used to decorate plasterboard sheathing. First, all joints and fastening points are sealed with ordinary plaster, then the entire surface. After it dries, textured plaster of any color is applied.
It is recommended to use tiles for stairs located in the kitchen or outdoors. It can be laid over the entire under-stair surface or combined with wallpaper, plaster, mosaic, etc.

This finish is suitable for marching stairs.

Screw and cantilever ones have structures that are separate from the wall; they are beautiful and light in appearance, so they do not require special finishing.

What will influence the choice

The design of the walls of a staircase can be done with many materials, but they must meet certain requirements:

Environmental friendliness	There are a lot of people walking up the stairs. They also often move in shoes and moisture can get onto the surface. Not all materials can withstand it. And if the material is not of high quality, then when wet it can emit not only an unpleasant odor, but also be harmful to health.
Easy to care for	This indicator is perhaps clear to everyone. After all, dirt must be removed and it must be comfortable. The material must also tolerate chemicals. Especially if the children draw pictures.
Finish color	The color range of finishing materials is quite large. But you should give preference to those on which any dust is not immediately visible.