Outdoor Concrete Stair Treads

Outdoor Non Slip Stair Treads For Concrete Steps

Exterior concrete stair treads can be used in a number of applications, including wet area use, when properly configured. In fact, precast concrete becomes the ideal material for most submerged stair applications, where the non-slip surface is not only wet, but is actually underwater for most or all of its life cycle.

When looking at exterior applications, it is important to recognize to what degree the flight of stairs will be exposed to the elements and how slippery the surface is likely to be. The concrete can be treated in a few different ways to produce a non-slip surface regardless of how wet the concrete becomes and to do so with minimal or beneficial effect to the looks and finish. This is in contrast to many other surfaces, which must be treated with a coating or grip-tape to achieve the same safety effect and in the process significantly alter their appearance.

To create outdoor non slip stair treads for concrete steps, a few different methods are used:

The non slip surface can be cast in from the start, in the form of a textured mold. This can be anything from a pattern, to a logo, to simply casting on a rough surface. Similar to patterned concrete, the surface reveals the minute texture of the surface on which it is cast and results in a non-slip surface once it is removed from the mold.

The surface can be etched into the concrete using acid to reveal the fine aggregates and sand underneath. This can somewhat alter the color as the aggregates are often a slightly different color than the surrounding concrete. However, provided this is done in a controlled manner, these sands create the ideal surface for outdoor non slip stair treads for concrete steps.

The sands and aggregates can also be exposed by sandblasting. This reveals quite a bit more aggregate and is growing less common as OSHA has released new regulations surrounding silica dust.

Often an abrasive nosing can be used to satisfy the requirements for a non-slip surface. Made by a few companies, such as Balco, Nystrom and American Safety Tread, these are typically inserted while the concrete is being cast. This allows the rest of the tread surface to be more polished and possibly better fit the aesthetic of the rest of the space but still meet the requirements for outdoor non slip stair treads for concrete steps.

Unlike other materials, outdoor non slip stair treads for concrete steps can be expected to withstand years of use and abuse and still maintain not only strength but color and surface finish as well. Stairs concentrate the traffic as they are one of the only ways to travel between floors…more than that, they concentrate the traffic at the center of the tread. Very few areas will have the wear levels that exist in stairs. Precast concrete stair treads and risers have a much higher compressive strength and abrasion resistance, ensuring that even in these high traffic zones, they will hold up better than these other options.

In addition, precast concrete step treads are typically made to even higher strength than site-cast concrete, as it needs to not only service the client for years, but also must survive transport to the jobsite. Site-cast concrete is usually formulated in the 3000-4000psi range. When fabricating Precast concrete step treads for this same purpose, the precast concrete stairs manufacturers will frequently formulate in the 5000-8000psi range. While concrete made at 3000psi is far stronger than it needs to be to support a human in compression, such a concrete may not survive the tensile forces experience during transport. The added strength that precast concrete stair treads and risers need to have, also have the added benefit of increasing the wear resistance.

Another challenge facing site-cast concrete stairs is wear-and-tear during the construction of the rest of the building. As buildings are being constructed, concrete is one of the first steps in the process, and in multistory buildings, the rough stairs are subject to months or years of damage, dirt and staining as the only access to upper floors for construction crews and all their equipment. In sharp contrast, precast concrete stair treads are typically installed with all the other finishes, often as one of the very last things prior to furnishing the space. This ensures that they are clean, undamaged and photo-ready when the property is ready for use.

Making other surfaces non slip requires either a coating, grip tape or some other sort of topical treatment that in such high-traffic areas with eventually wear off and need to be replaced. This not only significantly alters their appearance, but creates a maintenance issue for the life of the product.

This is in contrast to many other surfaces, which must be treated with a coating or grip-tape to achieve the same safety effect and in the process significantly alter their appearance.