This invention relates to staircases, and particularly to a new method for the surfacing of staircases.
Staircases in new buildings are in the main constructed from pre-cast concrete beams or of concrete cast in situ. The surfaces of staircases constructed by either method are rough and uneven, and have to be screeded on both the riser and tread by the builder, to provide a dimensionally correct and level structure, with a smooth surface for the ultimate acceptance of a floor covering.
To ensure the stairs are level and dimensionally acceptable it is necessary for the builder to level and fix wooden battens on each step edge and infill with a screeding compound. After screeding each step, the staircase is closed to pedestrians for some hours, until the screed is set; imposing a restraint on further building activity, the wooden battens being left in position to act as a step edge protector against construction damage. The recesses left on ultimately removing the battens are filled in by the flooring contractor, with more screeding compound, when the building is virtually completed.
It has been proposed to cover staircases with a type of cladding as for example as disclosed in German published Patent Applications 1,629,291 and 2,500,693. These disclosures do not, however provide systems which can readily be built up on site, and accommodate either of the two different tread/riser angles in common use (90° and 81°). US Patent No. 3197934 discloses an interlocking sectional floor or wall construction which provides a smooth surface using interlocking extruded sections. This particular construction is however not used to clad staircases and furthermore is unsuitable for completely covering a staircase.
We have now devised a means of overcoming the present building restraints using a prefabricated staircase cladding.
According to the present invention there is provided a staircase cladding for an unfinished preformed staircase which comprises cladding for the treads and risers of the staircase and which is characterised in that the cladding comprises panels of metal or plastic which are adapted to fit together to completely surface the staircase and have supporting legs to support them on the unfinished staircase.
Concrete staircases are provided with either a 90° angle or an 81° angle between the tread and riser. In the present invention a riser cladding panel is provided which can preferably also be used as part of the tread cladding panel. The remainder of the tread cladding panel can then be a piece to clad the nose of the tread, and which can be provided in different widths and configurations to suit the different staircase types.
Preferably the cladding panels comprise metal or plastics facings and support legs, and the latter are preferably integral with the facings.
The support legs may usefully extend transversely relative to the stair for which the cladding is intended, and preferably substantially the whole width of the stair. In this way the cladding panels may be metal or plastics extrusions.
The invention also provides a method for the surfacing of a staircase which comprises applying to said staircase a cladding described above.
The cladding panels are preferably bonded to the staircase, for example by bedding the supports into screeding or an adhesive composition, but may, if desired, be attached to the staircase by other means e.g. screws.
The invention will now be more particularly described by means of the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings in which
As shown in Figure 1 a staircase cladding consists of a riser cladding panel 1 and a tread cladding panel 2 in two parts A and B. Part A of the tread cladding panels is identical with the riser cladding panel 1.
All parts of the cladding panels are metal or plastics extrusions with facings 3 having grooves 4 profiled to take self-tapping screws 7 for the attachment of fittings such as carpet grippers 5, 6, or staircase nosings 8 (see Figure 2).
Support legs 9, which are an integral part of the extrusions, extend across the transverse width of the cladding panels, and during laying are bedded in adhesive or screeding compound.
Type A panels have a beaded head end 10, and a grooved depressed tail end 11, arranged so that it will allow the head end 10 to overly it. The groove in the tail end 11 accepts the bead of the head end when two type A panels are laid head to tail as in Figure 3 to cover a landing or when the two type A panels are at 81° or 90° as at positions X and Y in Figure 1.
Part B of the head cladding panel is intended to cover the nose of the stair. It has a flat head portion 12 which will overly the tail of the part A, and a tail portion 13 dimensioned to overhang the concrete step edge and having a slot 14 into which the beaded head portion 10 of a type A riser cladding panel will fit. Part B may be provided in different widths to allow for different step depths.
Figure 2, illustrates a variation of part B of the tread cladding panel which has a step 15 up to a high facing 16 and an extra overhanging portion 17 both of which are to allow a carpet edge to be fitted up to it, the intention being to stick the carpet onto the other parts of the cladding, or fit it to grippers located as shown in Figure 2.
Some of the many advantages of the invention are
a. The stairs do not require to have wood screed levelling battens fitted.
b. Eliminates the necessity for the builder to screed and level the stairs and landings.
c. The staircase does not have to be closed when building is in progress.
d. The flooring contractor does not have to remove the wooden battens and make good with screeding compound.
e. The longitudinal grooves between the support legs on part A type cladding panels can be used as electric wiring ducts.
f. The upper surface of the cladded staircase provides a clean surface for the fitting of the flooring material.