We are going to build a new house and still don't have a solution for the staircase between our two half-floors. The plan is to pour the concrete slab at the beginning of December. The floor will be exposed concrete, so we don't want a wooden staircase. One idea is to build a staircase with, for example, leca blocks and either treat it with microcement or cover it with some type of stone/tiles. Does anyone here have tips on this?
The guy who will pour the slab thought it would be expensive and complicated to do this in concrete.
If you want a concrete staircase, I would choose to make an in-situ cast concrete staircase but with air underneath, like a typical concrete stair flight. In my previous career as a carpenter, I formed a number of such staircases, absolutely no hassles if you have the knowledge, just a routine job. But I think that knowledge is harder to find today because almost everything is now prefab and assembled on site.
1. Find a supplier who can make the stair flight in prefab so you can assemble it on site.
2. Find a carpenter/joiner from the older generation who was around when this was routine to form. He'll easily handle it on site
I think the biggest challenge will be achieving visible concrete in a stylish way that matches the rest of the floor.
It certainly feels doable. I would also advocate for a form to avoid the staircase weighing a ton and to not build away storage space. But the idea with leca might be simpler to find executors for.
Perhaps this job can be combined with other work? I suspect you'll get expensive quotes for a small job spread over multiple occasions (formwork + casting + removing formwork / grinding etc.)
If you want a concrete staircase, I would choose to make a cast-in-place concrete staircase but with air underneath it, like a regular concrete stair flight.
In my previous career as a carpenter, I have shaped several such stairs, absolutely no big deal if you have the knowledge, just routine work. But I think that knowledge is harder to find today since almost everything is prefab and mounted on site.
1. Find a supplier who can make the stair flight in prefab so you can mount it finished on site.
2. Find an older generation carpenter/joiner who was around when this was routine to shape. He'll easily handle it on site
Sounds great. I have a couple of concrete workers who poured our first slab today and will pour another in two weeks, but they don't really have experience with this. Their spontaneous idea was to pour one step at a time per day, which of course becomes expensive with all the back-and-forth. How is this actually done?
BBSOD said:
I think the biggest challenge will be getting the exposed concrete to look nice and match the rest of the floor.
Definitely feasible. I would also advocate for a form to prevent the staircase from weighing a ton and to avoid building away storage space. But the idea with leca might be more straightforward to find contractors for.
Maybe you can combine this job with other work? I suspect you'll get high quotes for a small job spread over several occasions (form + casting + breaking form / polishing etc.)
We have a few guys on site now, so that's definitely possible! Just need to come up with a good proposal for support structures, they are mostly used to pouring house slabs (which they are really good at) but they are a bit uncertain about the staircase...
Their spontaneous thought was to cast one step at a time per day, which of course will be expensive with all the back and forth. How is this actually done?
All the stair flights I have set forms for have been cast in one go. If there's a landing, then it might actually be easier to take the job in a few stages to have better control over the casting. But looking at your sketch, it seems to be only a half-staircase, which makes everything a lot easier
Tried googling a bit to find some pictures/videos, but the only thing I find is stairs on sloping ground. It's the same principle though, just replacing the ground with a sloping form. The reinforcement can be a bit tricky too, but I was spared that as a carpenter The staircase mustn't collapse due to insufficient reinforcement... As I recall, it's basically standard beam reinforcement + flat reinforcement.
Unfortunately, I can't possibly give a step-by-step instruction on how to do it... it’s in my hands and only comes to life if I were to do it again. I think the knowledge is dying out, mostly prefab these days I suppose
From what I've seen, you cast in one go, but you need to have a bit of a feel for it. If it's a 3m high staircase, there will be quite significant forces at the bottom of the form, which must be considered. If you fill the form slowly, the lower part will harden slightly and not expand the form.
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Singenjören89 said: