Popular in construction. This material is used for finishing internal stairs and to create a flawless and durable appearance external structures of buildings. Thanks to its high wear resistance artificial granite Can be used even in public places with high traffic.
Advantages and disadvantages
The artificially created material does not differ in its qualities from natural granite. This is due to the special production technology and a certain composition of components. Due to its advantages, porcelain stoneware is often used in finishing works. The advantages of the material include:
- High wear resistance. The most high score On the durability scale, diamond has the same durability; porcelain stoneware is only 2 points behind it.
- Hydro repellency. Thanks to the high-tech production method, the material does not have cracks, so moisture does not get inside, which allows it to be used for outdoor work.
- Chemical inertness. The product does not react with aggressive chemical environments.
- Frost resistance – can withstand temperatures down to -50 °C.
- Resistance to atmospheric fluctuations and influences. Tolerates heat up to +50 °C and sudden changes in temperature.
- Simple and easy to care for.
- Environmentally friendly and safe material.
- Fireproof.
- Does not conduct electricity.
- Does not change its color and does not fade in the sun.
Comparison of characteristics of ceramic tiles and porcelain stoneware |
||||
| Properties | Floor tiles | Porcelain tiles | ||
| Domestic | Imported | Domestic | Imported | |
| Thickness (mm) | 8-11 | 7-10 | 7,5-12 | 7,5-11 |
| Flexural strength (kg/cm) | 360 - 380 | 400-450 | 470-550 | 500-600> |
| Water absorption (%) | 3-10 | 3-6 | 0,05-0,1 | 0,05-0,1 |
| Wear resistance P.E.I. | 1-4 | 2-5 | 3-4 | 3-5 |
| Frost resistance (number of cycles at -5 C to +5 C) | 25-120 | 100-300 | ||
| Average prices per 1 sq.m. (rub) | 200-600 | <700-1500 | 400-800 | 900-2500 |
It is important to know! Manufacturers guarantee the service life of porcelain stoneware for 50 years, provided that it is laid correctly.
The disadvantage of using this product is its cold surface, but this can easily be eliminated by purchasing or.
Varieties
According to the installation method, steps made of porcelain stoneware slabs are:
- prefabricated;
- whole.
Options made from modular or solid tiles, which can be different in size, are called prefabricated. They can fit:
- seamless butt method;
- with the formation of a seam.
Information! Sheet material measuring 1200 x 300 mm is called solid steps. These products are more durable and look better than prefabricated ones.
In addition, porcelain stoneware can be presented in the following types:
- polished - it is used in interior decoration;
- unpolished is most often used outdoors;
- polished or matte has a non-slippery surface, which is necessary when precipitation gets on the surface;
- glazed has high specularity and anti-slip properties.
According to building codes, porcelain stoneware steps must be made in accordance with the following indicators:
- standard step height – 15-20 cm, width – 26-30 cm;
- should not slide. This requirement is especially relevant for street stairs. Sometimes special strips are used to reduce the slip coefficient;
- should or house facade.
On the construction market, porcelain stoneware steps are presented in the following configuration: plinth, risers, treads. In the one-piece version of the product, the riser and tread are connected together. Each of these structural elements has its own characteristics.
- Skirting is the angular component of the step. It is used both for steps and at the junction of the wall and stairs.
- Tread– the top plate of the step, which can be with anti-slip strips. They can be figured or simple.
- Riser – vertical bar under the tread. You can combine the color options of the tread and riser, creating an unusual one.
How to select material for cladding?
In order to get the ideal design, you need to choose the right material.
When purchasing, pay attention to moisture absorption. If the product is wetted with water, the liquid should not be absorbed. If the material is intended for cladding street stairs, then the surface should be rough so as not to slip on it in winter and during the rainy season. In addition, the product must be well painted to avoid loss of pigment under the influence of atmospheric phenomena and mechanical influences.
To install the steps, a special form of porcelain stoneware layers is used, which is most often made to order. In rooms where traffic is minimal, you can use a glazed version of the product. If this is a public place with a large flow of people, it is better to choose matte or polished material.
Laying technique
Before you begin laying the slabs, you need to prepare the base. To do this, the surface is coated with a primer. This will help improve adhesion to the facing material.
Advice! If there are uneven spots and chips, they should be filled with putty using a special mixture, and then re-primed.
Next, you should compare the base of the steps and tiles. If required, the material is trimmed on a special machine, which guarantees a smooth edge without chips or cracks. It is also necessary to check all packaging to ensure that the colors of the products match each other.
The staircase needs a reliable coating that can withstand constant loads. It is necessary to select a material that will not require updating and repair for a long time. Porcelain stoneware meets the requirements for materials for finishing stairs.
When choosing a material, there are two options - ready-made monolithic steps or porcelain tiles.
1. If the staircase has standard dimensions - step height 15 cm, width 30, length 120-160 cm, it is convenient to use ready-made steps. Such steps have rounded ends and notches that prevent slipping.
2. Length of monolithic steps 120, 130, 160 cm, 180; width 30 cm. The steps are sold both separately and as a set with a riser. The edge of the step can be straight, figured or with a cornice. The kit is complemented by a plinth and a cornice, which is used when the edge of the step is straight. 
3. The kit required to install one stage is expensive. An option to save money is to use a monolithic step, and decorate the riser with another material - porcelain tiles, mosaics, shell rock.
4. The use of monolithic steps allows you to create a reliable, beautiful coating without seams. 
5. For cladding non-standard curved or fan-shaped stairs, porcelain stoneware tiles are used. The thickness of the tiles must be at least 12 mm.
Tiles with a side or cornice are easy to use. When working with such tiles, the use of a profile is not required. 
6. Tiles with a smooth edge need to be supplemented with a profile. The permanent corner profile is installed during the laying of the tiles. The removable profile is attached after covering the stairs and grouting the joints.
7. You can choose the optimal size tiles. Tiles for stairs are available with different edge design options. Tile scraps are used to decorate the baseboard.
8. When choosing the size of the tile, draw a diagram of its location on the steps. The center of the step may be the middle of the tile or the seam between the tiles. Choose sizes so that you can do without trimming porcelain tiles on a horizontal surface.
9. For finishing stairs, it is better to use structured relief porcelain tiles. Material with a polished surface is not suitable for these purposes.
10. To avoid unpleasant surprises and to avoid having to change the material, carefully check the lot number when purchasing. A different shade of steps will spoil the overall appearance of the staircase.
Surface preparation
1. The steps of the base must not have deviations from the horizontal. If the steps are narrow, you should not increase their width with tile adhesive - this will make the structure heavier. In this case, you should install wooden formwork and fill the steps with a mixture of small-caliber expanded clay, sand and crushed stone. The surface of a brick staircase is leveled in the same way. 
2. Cladding wooden stairs with porcelain stoneware is not allowed. Some experts recommend using elastic glue or adding a plasticizer to it. This won't save the situation. The structure of a wooden staircase may not withstand the load that comes from facing the stairs with porcelain stoneware. Wooden steps do not have sufficient rigidity; this will lead to the fact that over time the porcelain stoneware coating will move away from the surface.
3. Prime the base with a deep penetration primer. The primer serves to reduce the absorption of the surface. Concrete absorbs moisture well; if it is not primed, the moisture necessary for good adhesion of the tile adhesive will be absorbed into the concrete and the adhesive base will become fragile.
4. You can start covering a new concrete staircase with porcelain stoneware only after two months from the date of its manufacture.
Laying technology
Proper preparation of the base and adherence to installation technology will help avoid unpleasant consequences in the form of destruction of steps.
The technology includes preparing the surface, choosing the adhesive mixture, the order of laying the tread and riser, and their correct location.
Which glue to choose
Porcelain tiles have a high density, so they do not absorb water. For this reason, cement mortar is not used for laying porcelain tiles. Choose a two-component adhesive with polymer additives.
When cladding stairs outdoors, pay attention to such an indicator as frost resistance.
Work outdoors is carried out at an air temperature of at least 5º. Please note that at night temperatures can drop to below zero. Freezing of the adhesive will negatively affect the quality of the tile installation.
How to cut porcelain tiles correctly
- Porcelain tiles are cut using a grinder with a diamond wheel or an electric tile cutter.
- When cutting with a grinder, it is impossible to get an even, smooth edge. It is allowed to cut with a grinder along the edge, which will subsequently be covered with a plinth or cornice.
- An electric tile cutter allows you to cut porcelain tiles efficiently. Choose a tile cutter model with a water bath. The price of porcelain stoneware for stairs is high, so you should not skimp when choosing a tool for the job.
- When cutting, dust is generated that settles in the tray. Don’t forget to change the water, this will help you get a high-quality cut and extend the life of the disc.
- Periodically clean the disc from porcelain stoneware dust.
- Do not use much force when feeding the tiles under the tile cutter disc.
- Observe safety precautions when cutting.
Operating procedure
Among all the options ceramic tiles, which is presented on the building materials market today, porcelain stoneware deserves special attention, offering a combination of sophisticated style and excellent quality. It is especially often used in places where high traffic and heavy loads are expected - shopping and office centers, sports complexes and shops. It is not surprising that many people often use porcelain stoneware for staircase steps.
A staircase familiar to everyone can become an unusual and pleasing element of the interior if it is made with steps made of porcelain stoneware. Regardless of its application (bathroom or kitchen), it must, first of all, be safe. To do this, it is worth selecting samples of steps with an unpolished or structured surface.
To ensure additional safety, most manufacturers apply additional grooves to the surface of porcelain stoneware steps. This is also worth considering when choosing different options, especially when you are planning a staircase facing the street.
Another selection criterion is prefabricated steps made of porcelain stoneware or monolithic. A positive aspect in the first case will be the ease of replacing one slab if it is possibly damaged, while the second option is supported by the absence of a large number of seams and a more holistic impression.
Important selection criteria for HomeX
Having ensured that the main characteristics of porcelain stoneware steps match, you can set filters according to:
- blossom
- design
This will ensure that you have the right choice among many options.
Yes, and one more thing. Is it almost time to congratulate you on the stairs? Don't forget about (the next type of element), which will allow you to maintain a unified style for the entire room. After all, when it is used everywhere along the perimeter, its presence is also mandatory when decorating the steps.
With HomeX, the repair will be completed quickly!
Porcelain tiles for reinforced concrete stairs are used very often. Facing with this type of material is not only very aesthetically pleasing, but also has increased wear resistance and strength. However, in order to get a beautiful and durable finish for the stairs, you need to select and lay out the facing material correctly.
Porcelain tile is not a natural material. However, in the manufacture of finishing material a mixture of the following components is used:
- Kaolin;
- Quartz sand;
- White-burning clay;
- Feldspar;
- Pegmatite.
During the creation process, all components in powder form are mixed with water and can be pressed and fired at temperatures of 1200-1300 0 C. As a result of such manipulations, slabs are obtained that have the following characteristics:
- Low level of water absorption, due to which porcelain stoneware is frost-resistant;
- Inertness and chemical resistance;
- Slip resistance;
- Depth of color and pattern. Even with prolonged active use, the color of the slabs does not fade;
- High impact resistance;
- Resistant to temperature changes.
To color the material, various coloring oxides are added to the semi-dry mixture before firing.
Advantages and disadvantages of this finish
Due to the properties of the material used as a finishing material for stairs, porcelain stoneware has many advantages:
- Not subject to cracks and chips;
- Resistance to mechanical damage, thanks to which the coating can be used both for finishing stairs inside and outside the house;
- Solid structure with virtually no pores. This ensures the water-repellent properties of the slabs. Therefore, porcelain stoneware can be used even in places with high humidity;
- The products are dielectrics;
- High fire resistance;
- The products are non-toxic;
- It does not require special care;
- Does not accumulate dirt, and is also completely protected from the formation of fungus on the surface and inside the slabs;
- Color resistance to fading and erasing.
But despite the large number of advantages, the use of porcelain stoneware in the interior for finishing stair steps also has its disadvantages:
- The material itself is cold. Therefore, for comfortable use inside the house, it is recommended to install a “warm floor” system under the finishing, or use additional covering in the form of a carpet or rug;
- Significant weight of the tiles;
- Slipperiness of certain types of porcelain stoneware when used outdoors in winter. This factor can be easily eliminated by installing special anti-slip tapes and pads on the surface of the slabs.
- Tendency of slabs to delaminate in the cold when using an inappropriate adhesive during the installation process.
Porcelain tiles, compared to regular tiles, have a higher price. However, this factor cannot be completely attributed to the shortcomings of the material. The cost of porcelain stoneware is often fully justified by the durability of the material, its appearance and ease of maintenance of the slabs. The average service life of the product is 50 years.
If installation is carried out incorrectly, the characteristics of the material can significantly deteriorate. Therefore, it is important to follow all the rules for working with porcelain stoneware.
Criterias of choice
The criteria for choosing materials for finishing stairs on the street and in the house are practically the same:
- Minimal water absorption. The parameter can be checked by pouring a little water onto the slightly inclined surface of the product. With high-quality material, water will flow over the surface, leaving virtually no wet mark;
- Strength. The weight of the slab, the thickness of which is about 0.8-0.85 cm, must be at least 18.5 kg;
- The coloring composition must be evenly distributed over the surface of the slab;
- It is better to use rectangular products for finishing flight stairs. For screw structures, it is better to use beveled slabs;
- Outdoor material must be selected with a rough surface. It is the least slippery.
Also, when choosing a finishing material, it is important to pay attention to the reverse side of the product. It will definitely have technological recesses in the form of small squares. For high-quality tiles, the size of the squares should not exceed 2 cm. Moreover, the material should not contain a large number of these holes.
When choosing porcelain stoneware for the exterior or interior decoration of stairs, it is recommended to pay attention to the dimensions of the main elements of the steps. The maximum thickness of the coating is 3 cm. And the dimensions of the slabs range from 5x5 to 120x120 cm.
Types of porcelain stoneware steps
There are two types of porcelain stoneware steps:
- Monolithic;
- Prefabricated.
Each of these types of products has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Monolithic
A monolithic slab for finishing stairs is a seamless product that completely covers a concrete step. This type of product is characterized by ease of installation and high aesthetics of the final result.
The disadvantage of such products is the inability to partially replace the step covering.
Prefabricated
Prefabricated steps are a set of the following slabs:
- The attack, or the main supporting horizontal surface;
- Riser. This is a vertical element perpendicularly connecting two adjacent attacks;
- Cornice, or ceramic corner;
- Skirting board.
Installation of this type of finish occurs in stages, with all parts of the set being fixed. Moreover, if necessary, the damaged element of the stair covering can be easily replaced. Also in such products it is possible to combine different colors and textures for individual coating elements.
Types of porcelain tiles for stairs
Porcelain stoneware slabs can also differ in the type of coating surface. According to these criteria, products are:
- Polished. The material often has a mirror-like surface sheen;
- Unpolished. The slabs do not lend themselves to additional surface treatment;
- Polished. Such products are amenable to several types of processing. These include long and intense rough grinding followed by minor surface polishing;
- Glazed. Before firing, a special glaze is applied to this type of material;
- Lapatated. The structure of the product is half matte and half polished;
- Satin. The material is not intended for frequent and intense loads. The surface of the product is treated with wax or mineral salts. Thanks to this, the slab becomes less slippery and more shiny;
- Structured. The product has an uneven surface that replicates the texture of natural wood, fabric or leather;
- With double filling. The slabs are painted with rare colors. The decorative paint coating is applied only on top of the slab;
- Technical. The material is cheap. The slabs are sharply colored.
The most common products used for finishing stairs are polished, unpolished, honed and glazed products.
Features of cladding stairs with porcelain stoneware
In order for the finishing of a concrete staircase using porcelain stoneware to last a long time, its installation work must be carried out correctly and in strict sequence:
- The required quantity of consumables is calculated.
- Glue selection is in progress.
- If necessary, the slabs are cut.
- The structure is being clad.
Most often, porcelain stoneware is laid on concrete stairs. In this case, the installation of the slabs is carried out using a special adhesive composition.
Size calculation
The size and number of slabs for stairs are calculated according to the following principle:
- The width of the steps is measured;
- The length of the tread is calculated;
- The height of the riser is measured.
When selecting tiles, it is advisable to choose those specimens that are most suitable in length and height. To calculate the number of required tiles, the width of the platform must be divided by the width of the selected tile, to the size of which 3 mm is added for the seam. The resulting number is the quantity required to purchase tiles. Fractional numbers are always rounded up.
Glue selection
When laying porcelain tiles, it is necessary to use a special adhesive for such slabs. The compositions are:
- One-component;
- Two-component;
- Added with plasticizers.
For laying porcelain stoneware on outdoor stairs, the most suitable option is a mixture with plasticizers. It ensures reliable fastening of parts. For external and internal work, it is necessary to use various adhesive compositions with appropriate markings. Of course, there are also universal adhesives, but they are somewhat more expensive.
The use of conventional ceramic tile adhesive or cement mixture when working with porcelain stoneware is unacceptable. Such adhesives will not provide reliable fixation of the slabs. And when facing outdoors with such compounds, the risk of porcelain stoneware delamination increases significantly.
Cutting Rules
You can cut porcelain tiles using the following tools:
- Electric tile cutter;
- Grinder with a diamond wheel.
If it is necessary to obtain precise and neat cuts, it is recommended to use a tile cutter. The machine allows you to make precise cuts of the material, strictly along the line drawn on the slab. The most convenient to use tile cutter is one with a water bath.
You should use a grinder only on those sides that will subsequently be covered with cornices. When cutting material with a diamond wheel, the edges are knocked down and uneven.
During the cutting process of porcelain stoneware, a large amount of heavy dust is generated. Therefore, when working with the material, it is important to use respiratory and eye protection. When using a tile cutter with a bathtub, it is necessary to change the water in it as often as possible.
Facing
Before starting work, the ladder and the material itself must be prepared for installation. Porcelain tiles must be brought into the house 1 day before installation. The staircase itself is thoroughly cleaned of dirt and primed 24-36 hours before installation of the slabs. As a primer for concrete stairs, a deep penetration acrylic compound or acrylic paint can be used.
The cladding of stairs with reinforced ceramic tiles is carried out in the following sequence of actions:
- Starting from the center, the tiles are laid out on the steps for fitting.
- The products are removed from the steps and coated with an adhesive on the reverse side. The adhesive is applied using a notched trowel.
- Apply glue to the tread using a notched trowel. In this case, the stripes resulting from the teeth must be perpendicular to the stripes on the slabs.
- The tiles are laid on the horizontal part of the steps. In this case, the edge of the slab should protrude 1-1.5 cm beyond the edge of the step.
- When installing tiles without corner rounding on the street, a corner profile with an anti-slip coating is installed at the edge of the step.
- Crosses are placed between the porcelain stoneware slabs to create even seams.
- After laying out the horizontal slabs, the riser and the underside of the vertical products are coated with the adhesive mixture. When laying porcelain stoneware, the step slabs must form an even angle.
After laying porcelain stoneware on the stairs, it is not recommended to use the structure for 2 days. During this time, the adhesive mixture will firmly set. After time, the crosses are removed from the seams and they are cleaned. The seams must be filled with special grout. After it has completely dried, plinths are installed along the edges of the structure. After this, the ladder can be used no earlier than 2 days later.
Regardless of where the porcelain stoneware was laid, on a street staircase or in the house, caring for the material will not require much expense or effort. You can clean the stoves using any chemical cleaner.
The material does not require additional treatments in the form of polishing or antifungal agents.
It would seem that it could be simpler than an ordinary staircase. It is familiar and familiar to everyone, gray, nondescript, present in every entrance of any city multi-story building. However, Cinderella can turn into a princess. Likewise, a simple staircase turns into something unusual and pleasing to the eye if it has steps made of porcelain stoneware.
Standard flights of stairs have become so familiar to us that sometimes we forget that the staircase is an independent element of design and landscape. What tasks it can perform when decorating the interior or exterior of a building, in addition to the usual transition from floor to floor, can be described for a long time, and this will be an exciting activity that opens up a new understanding of a completely familiar thing. But leaving aside purely aesthetic and design issues, let’s try to consider the practical functions that an ordinary staircase solves, and why steps made of porcelain stoneware are needed.
What is a step
In order to know what the concept of a step includes, just look at the photo below.
It shows all the components of a porcelain stoneware step. Of course, this is only a schematic representation of the stage. Actual performance will differ from that presented, although the difference will not be fundamental.
So, the tread can be either solid or prefabricated. What such steps made of porcelain stoneware look like can be clearly seen in the photographs below; the left photograph shows a tread designed to span the entire width of the step, and the right one shows one of the elements from which the step itself is assembled.
The resulting cladding of steps with porcelain stoneware is shown in the photo
Here it is probably necessary to make a small digression. After describing what a step is, the question of steps made of porcelain stoneware was raised, although the characteristics of the material itself were not considered.
About the properties of porcelain stoneware
Porcelain stoneware is an artificial material obtained by processing raw materials. Clay, sand, quartz and mineral dyes are used in this capacity. First, all components are ground to a dusty state in special mills, then mixed with water and with each other in a certain proportion, and the finished homogeneous mixture of the required moisture content is sent for preliminary drying and pressing. Depending on the desired result, the pressing operation can be carried out in two stages.
Pressing is carried out under high pressure, resulting in tiles without internal voids, cracks and cavities. After another drying, the tiles are annealed, which is carried out at a temperature of 1300°C. At this temperature, the initial components begin to melt, enter into chemical reactions with each other, and as a result, a new material is formed - porcelain stoneware. Its distinctive characteristics are:
- low, almost zero water absorption. Thanks to this feature, porcelain stoneware does not absorb moisture and can be used both in conditions of direct exposure to water and high humidity;
- immunity to temperature changes. Porcelain stoneware as a finishing material can work in conditions of low and high temperatures;
- high abrasion resistance and mechanical strength;
- high resistance to chemicals;
Thanks to such excellent properties, porcelain stoneware is used as a finishing material, which is used to:
- flooring in conditions of high humidity, direct exposure to water and significant abrasive loads;
- finishing of building facades and interior walls.
About porcelain stoneware steps
Now, after familiarizing yourself with the capabilities of porcelain stoneware, you can return to considering its use, in particular for the manufacture of steps from porcelain stoneware. Although this use of tiles, due to their characteristics, is one of the best possible options for its use, it is necessary to understand the basic requirements that porcelain stoneware steps must meet:
- safety, on the steps there should be no possibility of injury due to their slippery surface;
- possibility of long-term operation without additional maintenance and costs under the most unfavorable external conditions;
- ease of maintenance of the surface of porcelain stoneware steps;
- the appearance of the steps should be pleasant and give pleasure, combined with the overall interior;
- installation should be fairly simple and not cause too much difficulty or expense.
How security is ensured
Before considering safety issues, it should be noted that tiles, porcelain tiles for steps or not, may have a different surface. The main types of tile surfaces are as follows:
- polished, obtained by grinding the surface using diamond abrasives and water. This surface is very smooth and slippery;
- unpolished, obtained immediately after firing without additional processing. The surface of the tile is rough, if you use such porcelain tiles for steps, its price will be minimal in relation to other types of tiles, and it will not slip;
- polished surface, which is obtained as a result of special (matte) polishing;
- relief surface, repeats the structure of the surface of natural stone and has an anti-slip effect.
To ensure safety, it is necessary to use porcelain stoneware steps with an unpolished or textured surface. In this case, the possibility of slipping is significantly reduced, and you can use the stairs without fear of injury.
In addition, to ensure safety, there are additional grooves on the surface of the porcelain stoneware steps. They are specially applied to the tiles by manufacturers. You can see what it looks like in the photo below.
This approach is especially relevant if these are outdoor steps made of porcelain stoneware. Water getting on the surface of the tile can cause increased slipping, and this tile profile helps to avoid this.
About porcelain tile options
Previously, various designs of tiles were mentioned, and similar photographs were provided. Now we can consider this issue in more detail. For comparison, two photographs are shown side by side: on the left are monolithic steps made of porcelain stoneware, on the right are prefabricated ones.
Any of the options considered allows you to get an excellent result and achieve a wonderful impression when used for finishing porcelain tiles. So it is purely a matter of personal choice, using monolithic steps creates fewer seams, and such a finish creates a more holistic impression, without allowing the overall perception to be broken down into small details.
However, with the option of finishing porcelain stoneware steps using separate elements, there is another positive point. If any individual slab is damaged, only one element will have to be replaced, and not the entire tread.
Another feature of porcelain stoneware tiles used for finishing steps is the option of making the leading edge. It can be made integral with the tile, as shown below in the left photo, or it can be composite, as in the right photo.
In the latter case, the profile forming the front edge of the tile is a separate independent part and allows, if necessary, to reduce the cost of repairing the coating, since usually during intensive use damage occurs on the edge of the tile
About steps with risers
The question of choosing and using porcelain stoneware steps with risers primarily concerns the size of a particular staircase.
Despite the generally accepted step height of 15 cm, there are isolated cases of different heights of staircase steps. Then the dimensions of the riser have to be adjusted to the actual dimensions of the step height, which requires frequent cutting of the tiles if they are larger than the height of the step.
This solution is quite acceptable when using single-color tiles, but cannot be recommended when the riser is a tile with a pattern, such as in the photo below.
If you cut such a tile, the design will be disrupted and the beauty created during finishing will disappear. Therefore, often, when deciding which porcelain stoneware steps to buy, the choice can begin with the choice of risers in order to prevent their trimming when installing on the stairs.
About steps and baseboards
An indispensable attribute of steps can be considered a plinth. It allows you to maintain a uniform design style for the entire room. If a plinth is used everywhere around the perimeter, then it should also be used when decorating the steps. Manufacturers make special kits that include the baseboard.
Of course, you can also use tiles cut into pieces as a plinth, but this is only possible with single-color tiles. In addition, the cut edge does not make the best impression. And with this use of tiles, there may be difficulties in joining them along the edge of the step, especially if it has a rounded shape.
About prices and purchasing steps
As always, this question is the most difficult. Today, the choice of porcelain stoneware steps is extremely wide. There are special collections offered by the best manufacturers from Italy and Spain. The only question is the price; elite porcelain stoneware steps have a corresponding cost. Of course, there is always the opportunity to buy steps made of porcelain stoneware, which are sold when the collection of manufacturers is updated.
At the same time, you should not limit yourself to considering products from imported manufacturers only.
Today, domestic factories produce high-quality porcelain tiles; steps, whether Russia is their manufacturer or another country, will serve for a long time if the manufacturing technology is followed during the production process.
Moreover, when manufacturing steps, the consumer is offered a complete set with a plinth and riser.
And elite producers may also have violations. But the price when using steps from domestic manufacturers will be lower than those of elite Western ones. The manufacturing quality of the steps is checked visually by their appearance.
Steps for the manufacture of which porcelain stoneware is used, when chosen correctly, provide an excellent finish for both stairs exposed to the atmosphere and indoors. Their service life is at least 50 years, and throughout the entire period the steps retain their appearance and do not require additional costs for maintenance.