Special Staircase renovation

THE MANY BENEFITS OF THE STAIR COVER

GENERATE EXTRA INCOME – DON’T FORGET TO CONSIDER STAIRCASE RENOVATION

Mano Demmers (Business director of VICstairs - NL)

‘Strong points of PVC stand out more on a staircase.’

Some ten years ago, Mano Demmers, business director of the Dutch firm VICstairs, saw how PVC floors were conquering the market. And so, he thought, why not use that same PVC to make a stair cover. We bring out the strengths of PVC to the full, but not just on the floor, but also on the stairs.

‘PVC floors are quiet, certainly more so than laminate, and much tougher, so they’re super safe. PVC planks have also offered even more options in recent years such as herringbone or concrete-look pattern,’ Mano Demmers explains. ‘We at VICstairs are now working on PVC decors from the biggest European manufacturers, such as Forbo, Tarkett, and IVC. We have a full programme underway, even one where open stairs can be furnished all round and edges or jowls can be part of the same design.’

Innovation in one piece

‘Where we make the difference with VICstairs is with our expertise and innovative solutions, carried out by dedicated fitters. VICstairs was the brainchild of real staircase lovers and you notice that in our unique PVC stair covers in one piece. They’re sturdy and seamless, have no profile, and fit perfectly with the right staircase, step for step. To make sure that all staircase lovers can have top quality stair covers, we distribute our licensed PVC stair covers throughout Europe.’

Unique to VICstairs stair covers is that they are in one piece. And so, they are sturdier and seamless and have no profile, so they are lifelike steps which professionals can fit quickly and easily. VICstairs leads the field in design and home fashion due to the realistic relief, the matt top layer, and the many looks and colours of the most prominent vinyl manufacturers. The programme is complete with steps, risers, and jowls and offers the most attractive solution for furnishing around open staircases.

Stylish, strong, sound insulating, waterproof, and safe

‘It will surprise no one to hear that leading floor manufacturers are heavily committed to PVC,’ Mano Demmers explains. ‘The material has rapidly ousted laminate, wood, or tiles because it literally takes you in all directions, from the living room to the kitchen and from modern wood to rigid concrete design. Moreover, the material is easy to maintain and is ideal for combination with floor heating.’

‘You also get exactly the same look with VICstairs on the stairs. The PVC on the stairs is stylish, strong, sound insulating, waterproof, and, in particular, safe. We give a 15-year guarantee on it. Moreover, the VICstairs stairs system is developed in such a way that you can furnish both closed and open staircases easily with a high finish level. For the various decors of the stair covers we work together with companies such as Tarkett, Forbo, and IVC.’

‘What I find so nice about all this is that you can deliver perfect work because you literally see the finish on all sides. Unsightly strips and aluminium edges not only form an eyesore, but also they are extremely dangerous for bare feet. With VICstairs, the staircase shines from top to bottom and from the front to the back because everything is finished down to the last detail.’

Ready in one day

Perhaps we haven’t yet mentioned the biggest benefit. VICstairs stair covers are fitted very quickly. You fix everything in a single day. ‘That’s right,’ Mr Demmers continues. ‘Whereas a stair fitter often needs two days with other systems, with VICstairs you’re ready in a single day, even with adhesive residue and old stairs. Does the client not have a stair fitter? No problem! We have experienced professionals in each region who can be hired. We also offer the possibility for both advanced and less experienced professionals to take some training.’

New dealers wanted

VICstairs now covers the Dutch market completely and has its sights set on Belgium. They are expanding their structure there and looking for extra dealers.

‘I call interested people not to hesitate to join us. Further development in Belgium is a top priority, so we can certainly use motivated partners,’ Mano Demmers concludes.

More information: mano@vicstairs.nl or (Mano Demmers’ mobile phone): +31-681-288790

MANUFACTURER OF LVT STAIR FURNISHING AND STAIR RENOVATION

Photo – VICstairs

STRONGEST, SAFEST, AND FINEST STAIR COVER

The LVT which VICstairs uses for its stair furnishing is suitable for contracts. The material is fitted with a thick, transparent, and durable protective layer for easy maintenance and a longer lifespan.

vicstairs.nl

Photo –VICstairs Importance of the professional

As is the case with that customised work, you can explain why it is better to have the job done by a professional. Sawing steps is anything but easy and it gets even harder if you have to take account of different shapes and sizes. The necessary precision simply requires certain skills.

In addition, make sure that you explain the importance of cleaning the staircase surface. It is vitally important to be able to work on the cleanest possible substrate, certainly with a staircase. That is logical because in many cases you will be using adhesive onto which the covers are fitted. Finally, be sure to mention that a good renovation also comprises sealing the joints and that, if you use wood, you think it’s a good idea to give the staircase stairs some extra protection by applying a coat of oil, which may or may not be transparent. Protected wood lasts longer, and with the use of wood you shouldn’t hesitate to say that a lifespan of 40 years is more the rule than the exception.

A growing interest in renovation also helps you as a parquet floor fitter. Obviously, you think at once of the floor, but there are some ‘forgotten’ jobs which can give professionals extra opportunities. One of them is staircase renovation. Rarely is a staircase completely demolished during a renovation, so in most cases your clients would be delighted to have the added value of your professional expertise.

What we specifically want to consider here is how you can help clients in a relatively affordable manner with a renovation by fitting stair covers. Fitting stair covers, which literally means fitting new steps over the old ones, is done with both open and closed staircases and diverse materials are used for that purpose. Apart from wood, you should not only think of laminate, but also we’re seeing the emergence of more and more synthetics like PVC or vinyl, as well as the classic carpet, of course.

Various benefits

Fitting stair covers has a number of benefits, as we will see. Actually, we’ve already mentioned the first benefit. There is a considerably extensive choice of materials, so that there’s almost always a material to suit any taste or interior. In addition, you have an undeniable price argument. Fitting steps over steps enables you to carry out a staircase renovation quickly and in many cases you can finish the work in a single day. Moreover, the staircase is soon ready for use again because the adhesive dries quickly. If you know this, you don’t have to be a genius to suppose that renovation will almost always be cheaper than fitting a completely new staircase. If clients ask for a price estimate, you can tell them that wood will obviously be somewhat more expensive than other furnishings (with laminate usually being the cheapest), but the difference in price is probably less than they think.

Another argument to put to clients is that this form of staircase renovation requires no demolition work. Moreover, the staircase can be further refined after the renovation. Think here of things such as fitting strips to prevent slipping. What you certainly shouldn’t forget is to give an overview of the works which will be carried out so that clients can make various estimations. Say that you always start by taking the required measurements and that this is necessary to establish the dimensions of the new steps. In addition, you should mention that stair covers have to be customised because the finish has to be extremely precise and fit perfectly onto the old staircase.

Küberit

With its rounded stair nose profiles, the German company Küberit is stressing safety on stairs and is doing so in an elegant manner. It’s also showing that the original beauty of a staircase is preserved for as long as possible. That’s why it has extended its range with the new Best Profiles 876 and 879. Just like the popular product series 870-875, these profiles have rounded edges and corners and are designed for the fitting of hard floor coverings with a thickness of up

to 11 or 15mm. The new profiles 876 and 879 for Rigid Core, laminate, and parquet are highly elegant due to their rounded, delicate, and visible edge. This effect is reinforced since they are integrated equally with the floor covering and thereby prevent the risk of stumbling. At the same time, they can be installed in an ingenious and time-saving manner: The floor covering is fastened to the rounded staircase profile both from the walking surface and from the vertical edge of the riser. The standard lengths of 2.5 and especially 5 metres mean the waste can be optimised for complete staircases. Corner solutions for open staircases are also available on request. This avoids time-consuming mitre sawing and annoying and possibly sharp bumpers and a treacherous risk of stumbling. The new stair nose profiles 876 and 879 are available in the colours stainless steel look (F2), silver (F4), and in the trend colour powder coat black matt RAL9005 (F16). Küberit aims to offer complete solutions with its products and services. They also attach great importance to the look of their products and operating sustainably. We also mention that Küberit supplies profile solutions for stair noses regardless of the floor covering. The range is very extensive and includes both visually discreet solutions and solutions which highlight safety. The models for use in public places are TÜV tested.

Progress Profiles

In order to protect the stairs, it is essential to choose high quality profiles that can preserve the steps for a long time. Progress Profiles offers a wide range of extremely versatile stair nosing profiles, which represent the perfect solution for all applications. PROSTAIR ACC is a step protecting technical profile designed and conceived to make nonskid and non-slip the steps made of ceramic, porcelain stoneware and other materials. PROSTAIR GRIP ACC, instead, is a shaped satinised stainless-steel stair profile consisting of a punched flange, which ensures perfect anchorage to the substrate, a horizontal visually exposed surface with the carborundum stripe insert and a vertical visually exposed flat surface. To ensure safety on stairs in public and private environments, the most important accessory is PROGRIP, a self-adhesive carborundum strip consisting in a plastic film plus abrasive granules with high resistance to wear.

NEW!

with rounded edges

STAIR NOSING PROFILE 845

· easy to install · insertion for floors and carpets up to 3 mm · decor matching or contrast on stair nosings with the same or different coverings · suitable for advertisement or indications on stairs with our digital-printing technology Floor Forum International 126 www.kueberit.com 13