Special
Stair renovation
RESTORATION IS THE NEW NORMAL In this article we consider various traders in professional staircase renovation. There are several of them and, moreover, they cover just about all the materials available on the market, including solid wood, PVC, laminate, aluminium, and vinyl. We won’t limit ourselves to just one type of basic material. Our only criterion is that it must be used for either renovation or restoration. Obviously, we have to give the full picture, so that also means paying attention to the accessories. As you might suppose, there are several degrees in staircase renovation. The first of them is by far the easiest. The staircase has done many years of service and is looking rather ‘weary’. In that case a few simple operations will suffice. You sandpaper the surface all over (at least in the case of wood), carry out any small repairs as necessary, and then, for instance, apply a finish lacquer and that’s it. With a renovation (just to be absolutely clear, this is an operation to ensure that the staircase is preserved and retains all its bearing strength and stability), however, the job is not quite so simple. That’s logical. After all, with a renovation, it will almost certainly be time to freshen up the rest of the surrounds, so the staircase is merely part of a comprehensive renovation. How the staircase is renovated depends in the latter case on the choice of style for the total interior renovation. If, for instance, you opt for a minimalist style all over, it is logical that the staircase fits in with that. In this case there are no frills and no ornamental gems, but rather a finished whole which fits in seamlessly with the rest with a highlight in a contrasting colour at the most.
How does it work out in practice?
Photo – MEISTER
A staircase has seen better days, so we face a big decision. What do we do about it? The solution which most people automatically seem to consider is to demolish that staircase and replace it with a new one. However, when they give the matter some further thought, they realise that demolition is no easy matter and that restoration might just be a better option.
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If we consider the various players, what stands out mainly is that the range is very wide and that many players strive to offer a comprehensive picture. That applies not only in the area of style, but also in terms of types of materials. A number of trends do stand out. For instance, it is clear that the combination of wood and metal is still trendy and that wooden staircase steps are often fitted with stainless steel or even aluminium banisters. Another trend is that people are clearly paying more attention to safety. This means that professionals are looking first and foremost for ways to make the staircase anti-slip. However, safety also means lighting and in that respect we are not only seeing an advance in sidelights, but we can also say that the use of led lights is gradually becoming standard.
