What to do with an interior concrete step?

6 years ago

Can anyone help with ideas of what to do with this step? It is an interior concrete step that leads from the original house into the addition (It cannot be removed because the exterior basement stairwell is below it).

We are leaning towards tiling it with either a decorative tile or a distressed/vintage tile. But we are open for other ideas.

TIA

Featured Answer

littlebug zone 5 Missouri

6 years ago

Build a shallow wooden box over it, making it flush with the door sill. Then you can finish the new surface any way you like - hardwood, vinyl, tile, carpet, whatever.

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Comments (14)

shwshw
6 years ago
Sorry, I'm no help, but I would like to follow along...
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Tiling seems like a good idea
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Saypoint zone 6 CT
6 years ago
Is raising the rest of the floor to meet the step out of the question? Depend on ceiling height, budget, diy skills, etc. you could then put the same flooring throughout the space.
miss lindsey (She/Her)
6 years ago
Is there another small lip between the step and the original house? It's hard to tell from the photo. If so, whatever you do should make the floor flush with the step, and I would match the wood floors in tone but DO NOT use a wood-look tile or vinyl. If not, the only thing I would suggest is staining the cement to match the floors.

Optimally the floor would have been built at the same level as the step; why didn't you do that? I know I know, too late now. I'm simply curious.
PRO
Beth H. :
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Cement tile would be perfect here. cement tile is 3/4" or more, thick. by the time you put your mortar base and the tile, you should be up by 1" or so.

this company is in Dallas, but there are others in Florida and AZ,,,otherwise you'll have to get them shipped.

these guys are the cheapest I've found for cement tiles. $4 a tile (8x8)

https://www.instagram.com/riadtile/

the black and white ones would be perfect next to the wood. if you have any move the wood, do the cement sides in those.

https://www.riadtile.com/product/estrella-tile/
tatts
6 years ago
How high is the step now? I'd raise the level of that pad to be even with the kitchen floor, as long as that doesn't make the resulting step too high.
PRO
Beth H. :
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
if by raise you mean adding more concrete, you can't add another inch or two of cement on top of that.
Rawketgrl
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Hi M F I have a few questions...

Are these two surfaces (indicated by the blue line) the same height as each other?

What is the height of the step indicated by the red line?

What is the height of the step indicated by the white line?
houssaon
6 years ago
I'd stain it. You could get it to almost match the floor. Hire a professional to do it.
Mrs. S
6 years ago
I would match the wood floor. I wouldn’t want to emphasize it, except by the stair nosing, for safety.
Mike F
Original Author
6 years ago
Raising the floor can’t be done. The room the step leads to has an exterior door.

We were not the one’s who designed/constructed this step. We moved into this house last year...the addition was most likely built some 20 years ago.

The issue with matching the wood floor is the two wood floors you see in the picture are different types, styles and colors. Plus, the flooring that is actually touching the step (in the forefront in the picture) is an old flooring that we can’t find a match for anywhere.
hatetoshop
6 years ago
Tile is a great idea. One of the benefits would be safety as visitors would see the height difference. That would be difficult if the step was a similar colour to the floor.
Mike F
Original Author
6 years ago
Hi Rawket Grl,
The transition step and kitchen floor are not the same height (blue line). That step is roughly 1/2” higher than the wood kitchen floor.

The step height (red line) is 3.5”.

The step height (white line) is 5 7/8”.

Thanks.