ᐅ Exposed concrete wall and staircase

Hello everyone,

We are currently in the detailed planning phase of our house and have the following question: In the living/dining area, we plan a concrete wall approximately 2m (6.6 feet) wide, 0.35m (14 inches) deep, and 8.5m (28 feet) high. Next to this is our staircase leading to the upper floor. The idea was to have both elements made with exposed concrete. However, visually we prefer a smooth plaster finish, as the rustic look of true exposed concrete doesn’t quite suit us and that option is more expensive. A plaster finish on the staircase is probably more difficult to achieve. The exposed concrete wall and the staircase should look exactly the same.

So, the question is what would be the most sensible approach considering costs and design aspects?

We also thought about integrating a surface heating/cooling system into the exposed concrete wall. From your perspective, is this a good idea technically, aesthetically, and financially?

Thank you very much for your help.

Best regards,
Andreas

I would like to help, but I don’t fully understand the question yet. You mention you want exposed concrete, but you don’t like the look? Is there a plan? I’d be happy to assist, but I need more details...

Thank you for your reply. It’s quite simple. Assuming the same appearance for the concrete wall and stairs and aiming for the lowest cost: exposed concrete or standard concrete finishing followed by skim coating. From my point of view, everything speaks in favor of skim coating; I just don’t know if it will hold up on the stairs (wear and tear).

That is possible and will be sealed. In my experience, concrete cire is more expensive than exposed concrete and is essentially a fake. But tastes vary.

Thank you for your assessment. I will get two quotes from structural contractors and compare the prices; I’m looking forward to it. Regarding appearance, there are definitely some very attractive real concrete options, so I need to see those as well.

Have you made any progress with your decision?
I am also considering making the staircase a exposed concrete staircase, but since you can’t always be sure how it will look in the end, I have also thought about a coating with microcement or something similar. But that will probably end up being more expensive than just putting tiles on it, right? At least that’s what I was told when I was thinking about not covering the floor but having the screed polished instead...