Hello everyone,
I need your advice regarding our planned exposed concrete staircase.
We are having the formwork and pouring done on site. The plan is to afterwards treat the staircase with “béton ciré” to coat or finish it. Our staircase builder pointed out that there are two ways to do the formwork and that usually wood is avoided for exposed concrete because of the texture it leaves behind. In other words, the choice of formwork material depends on how the staircase will be treated afterward.
Special formwork means extra work and, accordingly, extra costs. I don’t want to cut corners in the wrong place but also want to avoid wasting money. So my question is:
Do you have experience with béton ciré and its coverage? How thick is the material applied and skim-coated? Can wood grain marks from the formwork be covered by it?
Alternatively, how do results look when the staircase is cast with special exposed concrete formwork? Does that create a comfortable, homey quality? The problem here is that the staircase will still be heavily used during the entire remaining construction phase.
I would really appreciate any experiences you can share. I will also reach out to the manufacturer of the béton ciré.
Thanks in advance!
Pfadfinder87
I need your advice regarding our planned exposed concrete staircase.
We are having the formwork and pouring done on site. The plan is to afterwards treat the staircase with “béton ciré” to coat or finish it. Our staircase builder pointed out that there are two ways to do the formwork and that usually wood is avoided for exposed concrete because of the texture it leaves behind. In other words, the choice of formwork material depends on how the staircase will be treated afterward.
Special formwork means extra work and, accordingly, extra costs. I don’t want to cut corners in the wrong place but also want to avoid wasting money. So my question is:
Do you have experience with béton ciré and its coverage? How thick is the material applied and skim-coated? Can wood grain marks from the formwork be covered by it?
Alternatively, how do results look when the staircase is cast with special exposed concrete formwork? Does that create a comfortable, homey quality? The problem here is that the staircase will still be heavily used during the entire remaining construction phase.
I would really appreciate any experiences you can share. I will also reach out to the manufacturer of the béton ciré.
Thanks in advance!
Pfadfinder87
P
Pfadfinder8721 Mar 2020 18:31I agree with you, we definitely want to chamfer the edges; we should have arranged for the concrete pour right away. My father thinks he can handle it, so we'll see.
The construction could now become problematic due to COVID-19. I also want the new infection rates to go down, no question about that, but if the building site is shut down for 4 weeks, it will cost me 4000€ and there is a risk that everything will get soaked… even if we cover it.
We have already bought tarpaulins just in case, but how well they will hold up, I don’t know.
The shell builders are supposed to start the upper floor on Monday in theory. Their supplier already said, “We decide day by day.” The roofer ordered the timber last week—I don’t know where exactly since he is based in Bavaria (we are building in the Main Kinzig district, not far from Bavaria).
But there’s nothing to do except wait.
I wish strong nerves to everyone in a similar situation. And of course, I hope everyone stays healthy!
The construction could now become problematic due to COVID-19. I also want the new infection rates to go down, no question about that, but if the building site is shut down for 4 weeks, it will cost me 4000€ and there is a risk that everything will get soaked… even if we cover it.
We have already bought tarpaulins just in case, but how well they will hold up, I don’t know.
The shell builders are supposed to start the upper floor on Monday in theory. Their supplier already said, “We decide day by day.” The roofer ordered the timber last week—I don’t know where exactly since he is based in Bavaria (we are building in the Main Kinzig district, not far from Bavaria).
But there’s nothing to do except wait.
I wish strong nerves to everyone in a similar situation. And of course, I hope everyone stays healthy!
P
Pfadfinder8713 Oct 2020 22:34Hey,
I should be able to show you some results in about 3-4 weeks. Concrete Ciré will be applied and then sealed. I’m curious myself and a bit worried that it might not meet our expectations.
If you still have enough time, get a quote from a concrete plant for a built-in staircase. Our risers or vertical steps turned out really well with on-site concrete, exactly what we wanted. But unfortunately, the treads are not good at all… sometimes there’s a dip in the back fifth, sometimes a bulge. Then there’s a half footprint on the landing…
I’m attaching some photos. Unfortunately, I don’t have any detailed or recent ones; these are from August. Maybe I’ll remember to take some tomorrow.
I should be able to show you some results in about 3-4 weeks. Concrete Ciré will be applied and then sealed. I’m curious myself and a bit worried that it might not meet our expectations.
If you still have enough time, get a quote from a concrete plant for a built-in staircase. Our risers or vertical steps turned out really well with on-site concrete, exactly what we wanted. But unfortunately, the treads are not good at all… sometimes there’s a dip in the back fifth, sometimes a bulge. Then there’s a half footprint on the landing…
I’m attaching some photos. Unfortunately, I don’t have any detailed or recent ones; these are from August. Maybe I’ll remember to take some tomorrow.
Thanks for the information. Yes, I will ask whether my staircase will be delivered as a prefabricated element or cast on-site.
My basement staircase is only going to be painted anyway, and I have already seen it like that in a finished house by the company.
Is the Beton Ciré applied by a professional company, or do you do it yourselves, or is it something you can do on your own?
I have seen exposed concrete staircases before, but I didn’t like how they looked. I would like the option to "improve" the appearance later on.
My basement staircase is only going to be painted anyway, and I have already seen it like that in a finished house by the company.
Is the Beton Ciré applied by a professional company, or do you do it yourselves, or is it something you can do on your own?
I have seen exposed concrete staircases before, but I didn’t like how they looked. I would like the option to "improve" the appearance later on.
So my staircase will be delivered as a prefabricated element. My supplier mentions it "will only be filled, sanded, and sealed." However, it is generally recommended to prepare it in a way that allows for adding a covering later if you no longer want to see the exposed concrete. How is that supposed to work? The staircase is flush with the finished floor at the top, meaning it meets the covered floor surface. How could there still be space left to add a covering later? Can someone explain this to me? My supplier says I either cover the staircase now or leave it as is, but I can’t tile the exposed concrete staircase later on!?
Hi,
That’s right, retrofitting is difficult. The only way is that the top step, where the staircase rests, is integrated into the floor surface on the slab.
However, I believe that FT stairs are not that great. Is your formwork negative? Otherwise, you would have a formed and a troweled surface on the top side, as shown above. I think this is where the problem with the DIY result and expectations comes from.
That’s right, retrofitting is difficult. The only way is that the top step, where the staircase rests, is integrated into the floor surface on the slab.
However, I believe that FT stairs are not that great. Is your formwork negative? Otherwise, you would have a formed and a troweled surface on the top side, as shown above. I think this is where the problem with the DIY result and expectations comes from.