You should know that is a universal finishing material! Finishing the staircase with laminate gains popularity. Indeed, this is a great way to make a staircase styled to look like a tree (we mean the worn out staircase or concrete model that looks gloomy and bulky).

Instruments and materials to work with laminate

Here is a list of materials you should buy:

  • laminate and glue;
  • edge profile;
  • tapping screws.

As the staircase is subjected to heavy loads during use, you will require commercial laminate. It means that the first digit indicated in the class of laminate must be 3, and the following value depends only on your financial capabilities. You should also buy a special adhesive for laminate. It is desirable that the width of board coincides with the height and length of step. Otherwise, you will have to fix the staircase with locks, which means loss of strength.

Meaning and types of edge profile

Edge profile is a decorative bar for hiding the angle formed by slats. There are several types of edge profiles: metal, wooden and plastic. Metal L-shaped thresholds are often used as the edge profile. There are also special laminated profiles from the company “Quick Step”. They are fastened to the step with metal guide, to which laminated profile is glued. Such compound turns out stronger as the profiles includes grooves, which creates double binding.

Laminate finishing of the stairs: options

Options and methods of hand-made decorations of stairwell differ only in the chosen profile: L-shaped or specialized. Installation of L-shaped profile is easier and cheaper; however, it is less strong that the specialized model.

Use of L-shaped thresholds when finishing the staircase to the second floor and porch

Visual decorative properties of L-shaped thresholds are inferior to those of the laminated ones. They also better in the strength. However, if you’re not an expert but want to restore the stairwell in the house on your own, this option is for you. It is lighter and cheap.

Let’s start:

  1. First step to the ennoblement of the porch or stairs to the second floor is a preparation of staircase for installation. You should remove all stains (including dust), eliminate the old coating (if any), and align the elements.
  2. Cut out the laminate blanks for laying on the steps. For this, you should measure the width of every step. Even if the staircase seems straight, it doesn’t mean that the steps have the same size. Therefore, you should measure every step. To avoid confusion, it is recommended to renumber the blanks.
  3. Attach laminate to the vertical part of the step. To glue laminate to the riser, you will need a toothed spatula. Applying the glue to the riser, evenly distribute it over the surface with a spatula. Start laying the laminate with the first step. Subsequent slats must be of such size that there is a gap between the slats (the gap must be as thick as the laminate used).
  4. Paste laminate to the horizontal plane. Distribute the glue over the step with a spatula in a thin layer and press the prepared slat.
  5. Install the threshold. Wooden thresholds can be fixed with glue and screws. You should fasten the plastic thresholds only with glue, as they will just break from the impact of screw, while the metal ones must be fastened to the special mounting holes with bolts.
  6. Repeat the same actions for all subsequent steps. If there is a stairwell on the flight, you should lay laminate in a common way: fix them with the locks.

After finishing the installation works, you should refrain from walking up the stairs within a day. And if the edge elements are fastened only by gluing, it will last two days.

Use of specialized thresholds: stepwise instructions

This method of finishing the porch or staircase is more time-consuming, but your work shall be rewarded with aesthetics and higher strength compared to the previous method.

  1. Make the preparations. Remove everything that may impede the installation. Seal the chips, holes and cracks in the staircase. Putty the wooden staircase. Check the wooden staircase for creaks and hangings. If any, you’ll have to check the whole structure and reinstall it.
  2. Measure the length and height of steps, and then transfer the measurements to laminate.
  3. Start laying the laminate from the first step to avoid the movement of laminate, fixed with glue that hasn’t dried yet. As well as in the previous method, you should observe the gap between the slats of horizontal and vertical plane. Apply the glue on the vertical surface and evenly distribute it with spatula.
  4. Install the specialized guiding girder. For this, you should apply glue to the reverse side of the metal profile and press it tightly against the top of the step. As the structure of metal profile with the guide is much larger than L-shaped threshold, glue is not enough. You should fix the profile to the riser with the screws every 15 cm.
  5. Even apply the glue to the tread and lay laminate. Try to connect the first slat to the laminate laid on the floor of the second story. Push the following slats under the slat, lying on the vertical surface. That’s why we have left the gaps in the previous steps. You can make a gap by means of bars or cut the small pieces of laminate out of the rests.
  6. Install the rubber pad into the edge profile.
  7. Fill the grooves of laminated profile with glue and put it tightly on the metal guide.
    Repeat the procedure step by step until you finish the facing of stairwell or steps for the porch. You shouldn’t walk the stairs as much as in the previous method.

As you can see, everything is very simple, and (as the time will tell you) also very effective. How do you decorate the porch? Tell us about it in the comments!