Hi, I’m tiling my kitchen floor (well, someone is for me), but he seems to be confused when it comes to staircase. Could someone enlighten me: old house, the bottom of wooden staircase is sitting on top of old tiles. I removed all old tiles but he told me to leave the bits that the staircase is sitting on and he will tile around it. I think that will look crappy, I want the tiles to run smoothly under it(stage staircase is kinda exposed), but when I remove old tiles now, the bottom will be hanging in the air a bit (probably around 1-2 cm, the thickness of current tiles with all crap attached to it). What is the professional protocol in this case? I would greatly appreciate some advice before he commences with the job, thanks
Tiles under bottom of staircase
- Thread starter Atweedie
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- May 15, 2021
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As the staircase is presently relaxed on the existing old tiles, I would not remove them. As you said, removing them would mean the staircase would have to be temporarily supported by hanging tension lines. While a temp support is easy to do, your staircase would need to relax upon the new tiles. By way of structural movement, squeaks and "loose feeling" stairs could be the unfortunate result.
If the tiler is good, he/she will remove any existing tile they can with (flush with the stairwell's toe-kick). I would suggest an angle grinder with a diamond cutting wheel be used. This way, the existing tile can be cut absolute flush with stairs, and the existing cement/glue/tile is NOT DISTURBED. Basically, the stairwell wouldn't even "know" the floor all around it was re-surfaced, and it will remain in it's present mechanical state.
If the tiler is good, he/she will remove any existing tile they can with (flush with the stairwell's toe-kick). I would suggest an angle grinder with a diamond cutting wheel be used. This way, the existing tile can be cut absolute flush with stairs, and the existing cement/glue/tile is NOT DISTURBED. Basically, the stairwell wouldn't even "know" the floor all around it was re-surfaced, and it will remain in it's present mechanical state.