ᐅ Tiles on a quarter-turn staircase – Does anyone have experience with this?

Created on: 15 Oct 2018 18:02
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sco0ter
Hello,

we had a half-turn concrete staircase tiled. Beforehand, the tiler told us he would need 42 tiles sized 60x60cm (24x24 inches) for 15 steps. He explained that usually there would be only one joint, and on the long stair treads in the corners (about max. 140cm (55 inches) long) there would typically be one more joint.

Since I wanted to avoid this extra joint (or the small triangular pieces that would then appear in the corner), I suggested using 40x80cm (16x31 inches) tiles there instead.

So one half with 60x60cm (24x24 inches) tiles, the other half with 40x80cm (16x31 inches) tiles. That would add up to 140cm (55 inches). If necessary, two times 40x80cm (16x31 inches) tiles could be used, which would be more than enough (160cm (63 inches)).

He said that was possible, and even the tile supplier agreed that it was a good solution.

Accordingly, only 36 of the 60cm (24 inches) tiles and 8 of the 40x80cm (16x31 inches) tiles were ordered.

We also went over everything again on site. He seemed to have understood everything.

Now I come to the construction site and there are two joints on the long steps.
He said it couldn’t be done any other way, which I can’t really understand.

Are there any tilers here who can explain this to me? Mathematically, I can’t make sense of it.
Two tiles in these sizes should easily fit on one stair tread.

I am a bit disappointed. I wonder why you put so much thought into it, discuss everything, buy accordingly, and in the end it’s done differently.
11ant18 Oct 2018 13:33
chand1986 schrieb:
Simple and would have looked natural. Now it's a mess.

This would have also been a mess with this tiler because he would have started alternately on the right and left sides, causing severe misalignment at the corner steps compared to the previous/following ones.

That’s why I suggested laying a 60cm (24 inches) track along the walking line, meaning consistently on the spindle side with a 20cm (8 inches) "remainder" on the tread steps, and applying the same (or offset by about 30cm (12 inches)) for the riser steps.

And to be safe, marking this out in advance (so you’re not surprised that a spacing of 18cm (7 inches) or 22cm (9 inches) on the spindle side would have avoided an additional joint).
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Lumpi_LE
18 Oct 2018 13:45
Oh dear, that looks terrible... he probably tiled a staircase for the first time in his life.
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chand1986
18 Oct 2018 13:58
11ant schrieb:
That would have been botched by this tiler as well, because they would have started alternately on the right and left sides, resulting in severe misalignment on the steps that go into the corners compared to the previous or next ones.
One shouldn't be completely clueless.
11ant schrieb:
That’s why I suggested: a 60cm (24 inch) strip in the walking line, meaning consistently on the spindle side with a 20cm (8 inch) “remainder” on the treads, and to do the same on the risers (or offset by 30cm (12 inch)).
And that’s easier, if mine is supposedly not an option??
11ant18 Oct 2018 14:16
chand1986 schrieb:
And that is easier, if mine isn’t supposed to work??

Why should your suggestion not work? I only said that this tiler would probably have messed it up as well.
Offsetting – using a common reference line – works and looks good. How this tiler probably would have done it (starting alternately on the left and right, but without considering the different step widths) would not have looked good.

Your suggestion is more universal, mine is specifically designed for large formats.
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sco0ter
18 Oct 2018 20:22
OK. There’s probably no way to change anything unless you invest money, which I don’t want to do. I hope it will look better once it’s grouted in a similar color.
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sco0ter
18 Oct 2018 20:39
chand1986 schrieb:
Very unaesthetic. Sorry.

I wouldn’t try to align the joints of the tread surfaces (it doesn’t work anyway), nor the joints of the risers with those of the treads.

Always staggered relative to each other.

In hindsight, I would have done it this way: always 60 cm (24 inches) inside, just like with the straight steps. And the joint on the riser flush with the joint of the tread above.