Bathroom mirror AM.PM “Gem”, 70 cm x 65 cm
5890 ₽ More details
Bathroom mirror AM.PM “Gem”, 70 cm x 55 cm
5490 ₽ More details
Mirrors AM.PM
The problem of stable, non-slip coating becomes especially relevant in winter: under the influence of precipitation and low temperatures, the tiles for porch steps inevitably become covered with a thin, but very dangerous layer of ice. Precautionary measures in the form of special spiked shoes or sanding, as well as mechanical cleaning, are certainly good in their own way. Although the use of special material (linings) may be more effective.
Features of using tiles for outdoor porches and steps
Tiles for outdoor steps, a close “relative” of ceramic coatings for interior work, still have certain features that are no longer inherent in any other material. She must be:
- durable;
- abrasion resistant;
- frost-resistant;
- non-slip if possible.
This tile is practical.
All these qualities are equally important, since they influence the choice of tiles for steps on the street. The solution on which it will be glued, and even the grouting material for the seams, are also required to be resistant to changes in air temperature, load, their combination and action separately.
Most often, for exterior work, durable slabs of porcelain stoneware, natural stone, a special type for lining sidewalks (that’s called sidewalk) or clinker are used. But they must be designed to work in the external environment.
Reasons for material falling off
Peeling tiles on steps
Another possible reason for tile tearing is saving on the volume of materials. Some “masters” apply glue only to certain points of each tile, and not to its entire surface. When the area of contact between the tile and the floor decreases, voids inevitably appear. Mechanical loads, physical factors and vibration cause the material to tear off within a short time.
Let's consider the first method of attaching the outer cladding. Since porcelain tiles are being laid with adhesive, make sure the surface is clean before starting. It is degreased, dust particles are removed, treated with an antiseptic and thoroughly primed. After this, they begin to apply the solution.
Tiled outdoor staircase design
There is no need to think that the appearance of the porch or staircase will suffer significantly after tiling. Rather, on the contrary: thanks to the availability on sale of a large number of different types of materials for street cladding, differing not only in price, but also in size, texture, color, the porch (stair steps) can be made not only beautiful, but also safe.
The main thing is not to get carried away by the large thickness of the coating - visually it is not perceived very pleasantly, even excessively rough. But, in addition to the design, you should also remember about the presence of a non-slip surface and overlays on the steps: bright cladding, which becomes slippery and absolutely uncomfortable in winter and autumn, is unlikely to be liked by the owners of the house.
In this video you will learn more about the cladding of steps:
This one drawback can destroy all the advantages of slab material for finishing porch steps and spoil the pleasure of the repairs performed. However, experience shows that it is quite possible to find tiles that are frost-resistant, anti-slip, have a high degree of safety and at the same time correspond to the taste preferences of the customer.
Product sizes
Different types of floor coverings or steps most often have sizes that allow you to quickly paving a large base. For decorative masonry, small and large elements of square and rectangular shapes can be used. The most popular are 20x20 or 20x10 cm. They are best placed on porch steps without requiring additional processing.
For non-standard steps, you can also use larger porcelain stoneware, rubber, paving elements with sides of 30-50 cm. Before purchasing, it is better to measure the width of the steps and find the right size tiles.
It is important to correctly determine the thickness of the coating. In places with little traffic (in a private house) it can be about 1 cm. For an entrance porch with very high traffic, it is better to prefer thicker parts (up to 6 cm), designed for heavy loads.
Types of outdoor tiles and their main characteristics
Modern manufacturers offer a solid range of special slabs for external steps that best meet all the requirements for safe operation, reliability, and strength. There is also something for aesthetes who place this aspect above all else. Tiles for external work differ in design and method of installation on steps - this should be kept in mind when choosing and purchasing.
Important. Reliable fastening on the stairs is the key to successful operation of the coating, eliminating the need for frequent repairs. This must be taken into account in the process of choosing cladding.
Rubber tiles
A special category of outdoor step tiles is made from a rubber-like material.
It is elastic, resistant to external influences (abrasion), and practical. Widely used where special safety requirements are imposed: educational, medical institutions, public buildings and complexes. Contrary to popular belief, rubber can be not only black: by mixing crumb rubber and a special dye, the manufacturer gives the tile the required shade.
The only drawback of this material is excessive flexibility. It will need to be securely attached to the base to avoid displacement under load. Fortunately, there are many ways to do this - from adhesives to mechanical (bolts, special hooks and staples).
Ceramic
A common variety obtained by sintering inorganic raw materials followed by glazing or mechanical processing. There are a lot of ceramic tiles for porches of different sizes, thicknesses, textures, with or without patterns.
Due to the specifics of the work, the most suitable would be cladding made of rough slabs, which also have good frost resistance. In general, all information about the conditions for which the material is intended and about safety certificates can be found on the packaging. It wouldn’t hurt to familiarize yourself with it before making a purchase.
Each tile has its own nuances
The fastening method most often involves laying it on a special glue (solution). In this case, the rule of normalized mixture consumption applies: the layer thickness should not exceed 5 mm, and it is advisable to loop and level the surface before coating. Otherwise, all irregularities and potholes will have to be compensated by increasing the layer of glue.
If the natural roughness of the material is not enough, they resort to the method of installing special linings made of rubber or polyurethane.
Porcelain stoneware
The closest “sister” of ceramics, obtained from natural ingredients. It is laid only on a well-prepared base and is characterized by increased strength, hardness, and resistance to destruction from abrasion.
Allows all possible combinations of sizes, shapes, textures, colors.
Paving slabs
This, as they say, is just what the doctor ordered: in terms of strength and anti-slip properties, this cladding has practically no competitors. And in terms of working conditions, which, by the way, are spartan - all the time in the open air, there is little that can compare with it.
Since sidewalks and walkways have been successfully paved with such tiles for a long time, using them to create stairs with an anti-slip effect would be quite justified. There is only one annoying point that needs to be taken into account: the thickness of the material can be up to 50 mm, which is exactly how much (not counting the layer of glue) each step of the staircase will become higher, including the one adjacent to the front door.
Important. When covering the porch and steps with paving slabs, it is necessary to calculate in advance the level of the “clean” floor - this is the elevation mark after completion of the work. It may differ significantly from the “draft”, initial level. The difference between them is the sum of the thicknesses of the adhesive solution on which the cladding is laid and the dies itself.
Natural stone tiles
Material for true aesthetes: completely natural, equally easily withstanding the effects of high and low humidity and temperature, used for cladding stairs in rich mansions or elite public places. It is obtained as a result of mining and mechanical processing of solid masses of stone, so the material is not only very beautiful, but also extremely expensive.
In comparison, even porcelain tiles look faded. Laying cladding elements from such components requires particularly careful preparation of the base, leveling it to the level. The surface formed by individual tiles must look like a single plane, otherwise there is no point in spending money (and time) working with such serious material.
Clinker tiles
Where you need to save money while maintaining a decent appearance, tiles made from clinker mortar are used - in fact, artificial stone. It stands out for its variety of colors, configurations, sizes - after all, you can cast any shape you like, even hexagonal or asymmetrical.
Advantages include sufficient strength, wear resistance, and temperature/humidity changes. A disadvantage can be considered the dependence of the final result on compliance with the technology, but this is a requirement imposed on the manufacturer (supplier); it can be easily tracked using the information provided about the product.
Laying a clinker slab is not fundamentally different from that for ceramics: it is the same special solution that hardens over time and forms a strong seam.
With this tile you can save money
This is interesting: what you need to know about clinker tiles for the plinth.
Composites
As an alternative to concrete tiles, polymer sand tiles have often been used in recent years.
It consists of the following components:
- Sand;
- A binding polymer that replaces cement (usually polyethylene chips);
- Coloring pigments;
- Various additives and plasticizers.
After mixing, the raw materials are melted at a temperature of 250 degrees in an extruder and then pressed into the desired shape.
Polymer tiles
Advantages:
- The scope of application is not limited to climatic conditions. Frost resistance reaches 300 or more cycles, and strength is maintained at temperature changes from -70 to +70 degrees.
- Light weight for easy transportation and installation.
- Ease of processing: the product can be given the desired dimensions using a regular hand hacksaw or jigsaw.
- Resistant to fading, as the products are dyed in the mass.
- Moisture resistance – they do not absorb moisture at all (water absorption up to 0.15%), due to which they do not crack in the cold and do not become a breeding ground for mold and moss.
- Environmentally friendly - do not wear off to form dust and do not emit volatile compounds.
Note. The disadvantages include the ability of the material to expand greatly at high air temperatures. Therefore, the seams between the elements when laying must be at least 5 mm.
When deciding which tiles to choose for your porch, you should also think about how to lay them. It is advisable to place polymer sand products on a cement-sand base, using a metal corner as a boundary border. And fill the seams with a dry cement-sand mixture.
Metal staircase with composite steps
The standard sizes of the tiles allow them to be used to cover steps of different lengths and widths.
The most common sizes:
- 330x165 mm;
- 330x330 mm;
- 300x300 mm;
- 500x250 mm.
The thickness can also vary from 17 to 33 mm. Not long ago, ready-made polymer-sand steps with dimensions of 300x345x12 mm (ordinary) and 345x345x12 mm (corner) appeared on sale.
Ordinary stage
According to the manufacturer's instructions, they can be mounted on a base using a special adhesive composition or by means of hidden fastening to perforated mounting angles made of galvanized steel.
Which tile is better to choose
What to choose, whether to choose ceramics, granite or other options - such questions are asked by customers who are faced with the need to improve a porch, street staircase or individual steps.
As in most cases, there are no universal solutions: it all depends on the requirements for the coating, the amount of funds allocated for repairs, personal tastes, and the design of the building (entrance). You should also take into account the availability of certain types of goods from a particular supplier in the region: ordering limestone or marble from another region, which will also have to wait several weeks, can hardly be considered economically justified.
Priority should be:
- ease of installation;
- good wear resistance;
- strength;
- resistance to temperature changes;
- durability;
- acceptable appearance.
Which of these qualities will be the most important is decided by the customer, but the safety requirement, expressed in the presence of a non-slip surface on steps, porches, and platforms, should not be missed in any case.
The most popular analogues
All types of facing tiles marked “for external use” are widely used in porch design. Each option has high physical and chemical properties. In addition, a wide range of models, a variety of shapes and a variegated color scheme can satisfy the most extraordinary design requirements. The most popular in recent times have been:
Finding decent material today is not a problem. Any specialized store will offer its customers a wide range of items for finishing porches and steps. You just need to make a choice and make preliminary measurements.
The choice of ceramic products created by the construction industry sometimes causes inexperienced home craftsmen to get lost, which risks purchasing the wrong material for self-installation. Outdoor porch tiles are no exception. There are many types of it and each type has both advantages and disadvantages. The differences between high-quality and durable options are discussed below.
Despite the excellent characteristics of strength and wear resistance, porch tiles must receive timely additional protection from external manifestations and regular cleaning from dirt and accumulation of moisture. To do this you will need:
You need to ask yourself what tiles to use for the porch well in advance and long before the process. It is important to examine all the options offered by the manufacturer in order to choose the one that is acceptable in price and quality.
First of all, after making sure that the tiles for the porch are frost-resistant and anti-slip, they pay attention to the strength indicator. In a certain way it is connected with the manufacturing method:
Technology of facing the street porch and stairs
The nuances of the technology are related to the material used: rubber is glued to special synthetic compounds, ceramics, stones (including natural and artificial), clinkers are laid on a polymer-cement mortar.
An exception can be made only for areas adjacent to the entrance to the building that are in direct contact with the ground: a gravel bed with sand preparation is poured onto them (for paving, clinker slabs), and a screed is constructed (for ceramics and adhesive materials).
Preparation
It includes checking the compliance of the dimensions of the stairs and steps with the requirements of GOST, SNiP, including the width of the flight, the angle of inclination, the height of the riser and the size of the tread. It should be borne in mind that serious defects cannot be corrected, for example, an obvious defect in the installation of a flight of stairs, expressed in non-compliance with the technology.
All uneven surfaces, potholes, cracks must be cleaned, sealed, and leveled. For open areas, work is carried out on leveling, adding gravel and sand. Be sure to remove traces of old coating, grease, paint - everything that will interfere with the adhesion of the cladding to the base.
Laying
It is carried out in compliance with technology requirements, depending on the selected cladding material. The general rule: is to carefully check straightness, horizontality (verticality), minimal deviation of individual elements (protrusion beyond the plane of the cladding). Tapping with light blows of a special rubber hammer (mallet) is allowed, especially for paving and clinker slabs, which are very thick.
Important. All actions for straightening and adjusting the cladding parts in height are carried out before the solution has completely set or the glue has polymerized, otherwise the alteration will become practically impossible.
Don't forget about grout
Grout
This is the name of the procedure for filling the voids between the individual components of the coating with a special solution based on colored cement. Performs 2 functions: decorative and protection of seams from penetration of moisture, dirt, and foreign objects.
Initial data
How to properly lay tiles and finish the porch without involving tilers? Follow our recommendations and step-by-step instructions.
The finishing work is carried out from top to bottom, starting from the threshold of the house, at the very top of the prepared reinforced concrete frame, ending with the last step (more precisely, its riser). If the base is wide enough, it is necessary to provide a slight slope along which the water will flow down unnoticeably. The slope level should not exceed 1.5°. The slope of the site is formed using an adhesive solution at the time of finishing.
Second stage - installation
On the prepared and dried base, lay the tiles over the entire surface of the frame. The layout sequence is the same as when performing real masonry. An option when tiles are used to decorate the entrance to a house outdoors and are used entirely. Finishing with porcelain tiles with cuts is allowed only at the edges of the structure, and the total number of cuts should be less than 20% of the total number of installed elements.
Installation of ceramics is carried out on a thin layer of adhesive solution (no more than 1 cm). When ensuring the fit of individual elements, it is necessary that the voids between them be carefully filled.
The first stage is preparatory
If, when forming the frame of the future entrance, the builders thought through and prepared the base for the steps, and the surfaces were given the necessary shape, strength, and appropriate slope - good. If there is no solid foundation that allows you to properly tile the porch, you will have to carry out a whole range of preparatory measures. The surface is leveled, a sloped screed is applied, and a chain-link mesh is first laid on the site along with the steps. To ensure a strong connection, the mesh must be “shot” using the impact force of the mounting gun.
