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How to lay ceramic tiles on the stairs?

How to lay ceramic tiles on the stairs? Ceramic tiles are a very popular way to finish not only floors and walls, but also more and more often stairs. How to lay tiles on the stairs?

Which tiles for the stairs to choose?

When it comes to the stairs that lead to the building, of course, external ceramic tiles should be chosen. It is also worth noting that the tiles are frost-resistant – otherwise they may crack or crumble due to very low temperatures in winter or during autumn and spring frosts. In this way, we will take care of the durability of the stairs. However, for the sake of people’s safety, it is necessary to obtain anti-slip tiles for external stairs . Tubądzin is a good place to buy this type of product.
For the stairs inside the house, any ceramic tiles with appropriate parameters regarding their abrasion resistance will be suitable – stairs are usually a very often wiped communication route in every house.

The stairs have two surfaces – horizontal and vertical. While on the horizontal surface we must be guided by the durability of the tiles and their resistance to abrasion when choosing, in the case of the vertical surface we can focus more on the aesthetic qualities of the tiles. Even decorative tiles or the very popular and popular tamoe bianco or the timeless, marble-imitating calacatta tiles will often work here. An interesting idea here are also wood-like tiles . If we choose those with high durability, we can cover the entire staircase with them, creating the illusion of natural wood without giving up the properties of ceramics.

What do we need to lay tiles on the stairs?

Whether we are going to put decorative tiles on the stairs inside the house or stoneware on the outside stairs – the set of necessary tools is very similar. To lay the tiles, we need to stock up on:

suitable tiles,
tile cutter,
rubber tile hammer,
spirit level and angle,
mortar bucket and mixer,
mortar,
notched trowel.

Under what conditions should the tiles be laid?

If we lay tiles inside houses and other buildings, it is not so important, but when it comes to external ceramic tiles, the weather is a very important factor determining the success of the project. Work should be planned for warm and dry days, so that the mortar has a chance to bond properly and the tiles to stick.

How to prepare the surface for tiling?

Proper surface preparation is a necessary step, on which the correct arrangement of tiles depends. Especially when you want to lay tiles on the external stairs, you need to pay special attention to it, after all, they will be exposed to adverse weather conditions. Therefore, the ground must be, above all, even – to determine whether it is, we use a spirit level. Any irregularities must be removed or covered with cement mass in order to level them. Any cracks should also be removed. After such work, the surface should be left to dry, then thoroughly washed and dried again. For successful tiling, the substrate must be clean and dry. Such a substrate should then be seasoned and primed using specialized agents.

How to lay and glue the tiles?

The next step is to prepare the tiles. They should be carefully measured and cut, so that after applying the mortar to the stairs they are ready for gluing. Otherwise, the mortar may solidify before we start gluing. Of course, if we already have the practice of measuring and cutting will go quickly, then you can do it on a regular basis. Then mix the mortar. Instructions on how to do this can be found on the packaging of the product we have chosen and must be strictly followed to avoid unpleasant surprises such as too thin or too thick mortar. When the mortar is ready, we can proceed to its precise application to the surface of the stairs. This is an activity for which the so-called notched trowel is particularly well suited.

Apply the next layer of mortar using a notched trowel on the concrete tiles intended for laying. Whether they are external or internal tiles – this treatment will ensure the best possible fixing. We place the tile with a layer of mortar in the right place, and then press and move it until, firstly, we feel that it is well connected with the mortar laid on the stairs, and secondly, the position of the tile is satisfactory for us. Probably at this point excess mortar will come out from under the sides of the tile. Don’t worry about it, it’s not a bad thing, quite the contrary. In this way, air bubbles are removed from under the tile, which would reduce its durability. Such mortar should simply be removed efficiently.

We must remember to keep a distance between the tiles, which will guarantee that the tiles will not rub against each other and will not be damaged due to stresses related to changes in pressure and temperature. Special plastic crosses will help to keep the right spacing. Finally, the gaps between the tiles are filled with a special binder, called grout. It increases the durability of the tiles and also improves the aesthetics of the surface. After the grout dries, all you need to do is wash the stairs.