Can tile be installed on stairs?

Yes, but four criteria must be met: They need to be solid, flat, level, and able to withstand the weight of people and pets running up and down them all day. Tile is heavy, so while wooden stairs can be tiled, ensure they are adequately reinforced; you may also want to select tiles with texture to avoid slips and falls.

Ensure any cracks or holes are repaired, any past flooring remnants and tacks removed, and if the stairs still aren't flat and level, our installers at our tile store place a cement board to stabilize and create a “subfloor.”

Pay attention to the tile's class or category level; the Porcelain and Enamel Institute developed a numbering system. The best would be C4, ideal for heavily trafficked rooms and even light commercial applications, so it would undoubtedly withstand the punishment stairs take.

Porcelain: The best choice for stairs

Porcelain would be an ideal floor tile for this kind of installation. It's a type of ceramic that includes clay, glass, and sand in its composition and, as a result, is heavier, denser, and ideal for busy areas and can stand up to stains and dents; porcelain, whether or not it's glazed, is utterly impenetrable to water.

A large format tile comes in countless colors and patterns and can be made to look like anything, from fabric and leather to stone and wood; in fact, many consider wood look tile an ideal choice for stairs. Porcelain is easy to care for and, since it has a through-body color that goes all the way through the bisque, chips and scratches won't be noticeable.

Your local tile shop

Whether you’re thinking of tile flooring for the stairs, kitchen, or living room, our professionals will help you find the right type. The Floor Show Inc. showroom is in Ponderay, ID, convenient to Sagle, Hope, Clark Fork, Sandpoint, Bonners Ferry, Priest River, Noxon, Troy, and Athol. Be sure to ask about our free quotes.