Tile Installation on Stairs



Tile produces a durable, attractive surface for stairs, as long as it is tile which is not slick and, for outdoor installations, does not become slippery when wet. You must take into account the substrate substance of your stairs before deciding on tile. Concrete stairs are suitable for tile, as long as they’re made completely level prior installation. Wood stairs can be tiled; however, you have to make certain they will resist the burden of tile and you have to employ cement backer board to make a surface to hold the tile.

Leveling Concrete Stairs

Ensure that the stairs are perfectly level and plumb. For concrete stairs, hold a 3-foot degree across the width and thickness of each tread and riser. Mark high spots and low spots with a pencil.

Grind down any high spots with an electric Landscaping design Salt Lake City, UT grinder.

Mix floor-leveling compound with water until all lumps have disappeared and the mixture is about the consistency of pancake batter.

Expand the leveling compound across the marked low spots with a 12-inch drywall knife. Permit the compound to dry, then check for level. Apply additional coats of compound, allowing each to dry fully and sanding as needed, until every surface is perfectly level.

Preparing Wooden Stairs

Pry off the under-nose molding from every stair. Cut the nosing off every stair with a circular saw so that the front of each tread is even with the riser.

Cut cement backer board to fit each tread and riser with a circular saw fitted with a carbide-tipped blade. Cut the tread pieces to overhang the risers from the width of the backer board.

Screw the cut backer board onto every tread and riser.

Installing Tile

Cut nosing tiles to fit the front of the best stair. When taking measurements, adapt for the space you wish to leave between tiles for grout.

Load tile adhesive onto a notched trowel. Use the right edge of the trowel to spread an even layer of adhesive to a place that extend 2 inches past where the nosing tiles will fit. Comb over the adhesive with the notched side of the trowel, holding the trowel at a 45-degree angle.

Place the nosing tiles into place with spacers between each tile. Harness them into position with a rubber mallet. Ensure that they’re level, and adjust as required.

Cut tiles to fit the treads and risers above and below the nosing tiles. Apply tile adhesive to the surface and push the tiles into position with spacers between them. Repeat the process on every step, moving down the stairway. Allow the adhesive to cure completely according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Grouting Tile

Mix grout according to the manufacturer’s directions. For grout lines of the eighth-inch or broader, use sanded grout. For narrower lines, use unsanded grout.

Pull your spacers and distribute grout across the tread and riser of the first step with a grout float. Work the grout into the spaces between the seams, holding the float at an angle.

Remove excess grout by wiping the step with a moist sponge. Be careful to remove grout only from the tile and not the spaces between tiles.

Repeat the process on each tread and riser, working your way up the stairs.

Permit the grout to dry in accordance with the manufacturer’s directions; wipe out any remaining haze with a clean, damp sponge.