Period Step

[malcolm]

The kitchen is coming along slowly and I want to figure out how to finish the step into the utility room. The walls currently have a levelling coat of plaster and insulation will add a further 75mm thickness (15mm further than the red bricks in the photo).

I'm considering removing the top course of brick and replacing it with a York stone slap, perhaps overhanging the slab into the room by a further 25mm. The door frame above will be an internal frame so the bottom of the door will sit directly above the stone.

Does that sound sensible - and how were steps like this finished in the past?

 

[plasticpigeon]

I'm afraid I don't know how they were finished, perhaps the floors would have been level? The step to the outside from the quarry tiled kitchen floor to the blue brick pavours outside has blue bricks on their sides making a step, it could be an option? Yorkstone would be nice too especially when a bit worn and polished. I think you're pretty good at this renovation lark, go with what you think will be best!

 

[Zebra]

a York stone slap

That does sound painful.

I have a small step from one room to another just finished with the original bricks. Like yours the bricks are part of the wall rather than especially constructed as a step. However, mine is not original and I think a stone step would have been a more likely method.

 

[a twig]

Having tripped on many a slightly overhung step, I personally wouldn't overhang it Other than that I think a good chunk of stone will look great. Go with whatever fits in with any other stone you have in your house.

 

[malcolm]

The lead time for a chunk of stone turned out to be excessive so I'm going to try the local paving suppliers to see if they have anything that will look nice. I ought to have had a look around here for inspiration. I have counted 10 different internal steps each finished in a different way. I most like the one made from a big lump of oak which has been worn away over the last 170 years. Sadly the rest have modern finishes.

On a completely different and more exciting note today we found parts of the Bedfordshire Times and Independent newspaper dating from November 25th 1893. They were hiding under some bricks forming the hearth for an upstairs fire. The bricks were removed to reduce weight and allow structure to support the ceiling below which I think is much older.

 

[Feltwell]

I love the look of old worn steps! You have my sympathy Malcolm, trying to put something in that will look right is difficult. Worth trying salvage yards, they quite often have old stone window cills that could be adapted?

A nice discovery with the newspapers. We've not really found anything here yet - apart from some 1970's British Leyland car keys behind a radiator! - but the previous owners did leave us the collection of finds they had discovered, including quite a few Victorian postcards & coins that had found their way beneath the floorboards.

 

[malcolm]

I managed to reduce the lead time of the Yorkstone step and we installed it this morning. The bricks underneath match the level of the insulation and were intended to be plastered, but I like the look of them and am tempted to leave them exposed.

The doorway is from the kitchen to a utility room which is currently an unheated shed. The wall leans a lot and the door will be mounted vertically. I had prepared an internal timber lining for the opening, but think I have changed my mind and an thinking about an external style lining with plastered reveals. I am reluctant to add a strip to seal the bottom of the door as it will create a trip hazard, and try to achieve a tight fit at the bottom to avoid drafts.

Does any of that seem sensible or have I missed anything obvious?

 

[paulc]

I am reluctant to add a strip to seal the bottom of the door as it will create a trip hazard, and try to achieve a tight fit at the bottom to avoid drafts.

I fitted a new door between a utility room and the adjoining garage - This has a difference in floor levels of some 75mm, so not quite as much as yours. The door frame has a 15mm high lip that incorporates a sealing strip, and to be honest, it is not noticeable nor do I find it a trip hazard. If your door fit is very good, you could get away with a lower profile, and if it is beveled on one side, the trip hazard would be reduced even further.

The stone step looks pretty good btw.

 

[a twig]

Stone step looks excellent.

You could route in a groove in the bottom of the door and install a dropdown seal along the lines of the Stormguard MS20 - they look a bit naff and are meant for external doors, but they do work rather well.

Alternatively a routed in brush or heavy felt seal - along the lines of Weatherpile? This chap offers a handy guide:
http://www.idostuff.co.uk/sections/DIY/Draught proofing 1.html

 

[Feltwell]

Looks great. I agree with "a twig" on draughtproofing - if you can keep the gap tight then a brush underneath would be totally unobtrusive and would work well if the step is the highest point. Reddiseal do a carrier with a 8.5mm weatherpile, meant for 3 to 5.5mm gaps:-

https://www.reddiseals.com/product/centre-leg-pile-carrier/

You can get a 11.5mm pile but then you have to buy a 50m roll - not that expensive though, about £12

There's a self adhesive version to that doesn't require the extra routing for the leg. Personally I prefer the leg version, but I have used this one, though I painted over it before installing the pile so the paint would definitely anchor it permanently into it's groove.

https://www.reddiseals.com/product/flat-carrier/

 

[malcolm]

Thanks, a brush seal is an excellent solution. The step slopes very slightly in the direction of door opening which ought to make a brush seal work well.

I've been looking at a big heavy old door for the opening so I think I'll change the lining to an external frame to match the front door.