Recommendation: ideas for 3 steps down to new en suite?

[Marcotiles]

Hi currently looking at a situation where a new en suite is soon to be created by knocking through to another room with a circa 560mm high difference. Looking at creating a 3 tread mini staicase, with (from memory) a 400mm 'landing' as required by building regs for stairs near a doorway. Anyone with any experience of this?

I've seen some places where you can order to dimmensions on line, but as with stairs they have 'nosing' on the edge ok when carpeted, but want to tile so no good then! Could just stain/varnish, but not sure this would be suitable down to a small ensuite.

I know some will reply 'leave it to a chippie!', but even if they were to build it I want to be clear of the best design. Also not to shoddy with a hammer and saw, so still tempted to build myself!

Not tiled steps before, so not sure about what to look out for, edging beeding, no slip, adhesive etc.

Anyone experinced similar or got some ideas?

Cheers in advance for ideas!

[user123]

Hi and welcome Marco,

How much room is there for those three steps? Do you just want them straight or curving into the room? A photo would be good...

[SandyFloor]

I would get a sheet 25mm ply and sketch out the profile of the steps and cut it out. You can use this for the template for the other side then. You then tie them together with 4" x 2" cls to the width required to form a unit. All you have to do then is cut and fit the treads, risers and platform and screw and glue them on top. I would fit the treads on top so allow 25mm (plus depth of tiles) off when marking out the profile. You then have a solid ply unit ready to prep for tiling. I don't know what width the steps would be but may need a mid profile for rigidity. It may also need a ply panel to the rear to help keep it square and rigid.

[Marcotiles]

Thanks Mosaic - straight steps, around 700 wide covering around 900 mm out from wall (250mm for 2 steps plus top 'landing' of around 400mmas near door). Speaking to planning control tomorrow to see if a landing is needed as they can possibly be classed as steps not a staircase.

Thanks Sandyfloor - gets round the nosing issue plus within my skills! Would you then use a hardibacker typye material on top of the ply? Presumably a flexi adhesive? Do people use a special anti slip type corner beading on the lip of each step?

[Bri]

If you are going to use backer board aswell as ply, use 18mm ply and a 6mm backer board otherwise you will have 31mm tread and riser. As Sandy has already said 25mm ply is more than suitable on its own. As for the nosings use a chrome or stainless steel square edged trim and mitre the corners, heres a step I builtS7300371.jpg
These tiles are polished porcelain, probably not advisable for a bathroom area (bit slippy when wet!) And yes, flex adhesive and flex grout