Starting to decorate the steps, porch and terrace of a house on a suburban area, many are faced with the choice of street tiles. At this moment, there is a desire to save money, since significant capital investments have already been made. But, on the other hand, this territory is the main element that works on the appearance of a private house. In addition, you can regret that a few years ago they did not dare to purchase clinker tiles instead of cheaper materials.
Why is it better to pay extra
Agree, the spectacle will be even that dull when the steps on the porch are covered with a cobweb of cracks and begin to gradually fall off from the base. To avoid this, as well as many other problems, it would be good to understand what factors affect outdoor finishing materials and how to minimize their consequences.
You will also learn about the advantages of clinker, among which the reliability and durability of the material stands out. Materials made using this technology surprise with their versatility.
Features of clinker tiles
It should be recognized that this choice is justified and completely objective. The use of products for finishing stairs is associated with their excellent technical characteristics, which makes it possible for them to work in conditions of high traffic and high loads. Main advantages clinker tiles for street steps:
| Appearance | The material has an excellent appearance and allows you to choose an option that will organically look in any interior. |
| Frost resistance | Able to withstand over 50 extreme freeze cycles, which corresponds to approximately 300 such cycles under normal conditions, it can therefore be self-assembled on outdoor staircases in areas where the harsh winter climate is very common. |
| Surface | Due to the anti-slip outer surface, the material can be used as a floor and staircase covering that does not pose a threat to health. If necessary, longitudinal anti-slip grooves are additionally made on it. |
| Moisture absorption | The structure of the tiles is characterized by low moisture absorption. This significantly increases the reliability of laying and with the correct installation technology, its service life is significantly increased. |
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Product characteristics
- For the manufacture of clinker tiles, shale clay is used, which contains a minimum of impurities, which is why, after firing, it receives a dense, homogeneous structure.
- This also affects the weight of one running meter of the product, which reaches 10 kg or more with a material thickness of 8-12 mm.
Advice: install only on a secure and sturdy base. One of these is concrete.
- The overall dimensions of clinker tiles for steps are determined by the comfortable tread width. The standard length of one element is usually 300 mm, while the width can vary from 200 to 350 mm. You can also buy an entire tread that looks like a monolithic stair tread.
The choice of the option depends on the taste of the buyer, there are no fundamental technical differences in this case. The manufacturer offers consumers stair clinker tiles of various shapes. We recommend purchasing a kit that will allow you to clad the stairs in the same style.
It consists of:
- tread, which can be in the form of a simple flat tile or an angle overlapping the joint with the riser;
- risercovering the vertical part of the step;
- corner or straight skirting board, able to decorate the bowstring of the stairs.
Usually, safety furrows are made on the tread, which prevent possible slipping of the foot during frosts. There are corner and ordinary elements, the former are chamfered on both sides, making it possible to make the steps installed on the stringers more attractive.
Mounting
Installation work must be carried out in strict accordance with the technology. This is what guarantees the quality and long service life of the cladding.
The instruction is as follows:
- Pre-level the surface of the step using special mixtures.
- Use deep penetrating compounds for the primer, which ensure high adhesion of the materials.
- Use only a special adhesive solution for tiles for laying, cement is not suitable in this case. Cover the outer spans only with frost-resistant compounds.
Advice: do not allow the formation of voids under the tiles, as this will reduce the strength and shorten the life of the cladding.
- Leave seams between the tiles 7-12 mm in size, use a special grout to fill them.
Output
Clinker tiles are not a cheap building material, but their use is economically viable. The high price is fully compensated for by the long service life, during which the material does not lose its appearance and characteristics.
With a little skill, you can easily mount it on your porch steps yourself. The video in this article will provide an opportunity to find additional information on the above topic.
