We’re having some stone steps to the mancave carpeted (at partner’s instruction) and the carpet fitters have suggested I ought to ‘fill in’ the odd step where there a ‘sunken hollow section’ has been caused by a hundred years of day to day wear.

Has anyone got any experience or advice as to what to do? It won’t be visible but ‘mates in the trade’ have suggested simply using a mortar cement mix but the hollows aren’t deep or wide so I can’t see being able to use any decent sized aggregate and worry it’ll fail to bond or break up under the carpet as that will be worse than the carpet sinking a little which is what I’m trying to avoid.

If you want to do a more sympathetic ‘posh’ repair job, you can get stuff called lithomex for surface stone repairs. Otherwise, you could just use a mortar (i.e. just sand as the aggregate and nothing bigger). Main thing is to ensure a good bond, so giving the surface a good clean and then a damp down, if using cement then using some watered down SBR can help.

We’re having some stone steps to the mancave carpeted (at partner’s instruction)

Are you sure it’s a mancave?

Will the steps take a full-width wooden “top deck” fixed with suitable screws?

SBR in the mix or maybe even epoxy cement http://www.screwfix.com/p/cementone-waterproof-cement-grey-10kg/58196?kpid=58196&cm_mmc=Google-_-Product%20Listing%20Ads-_-Sales%20Tracking-_-sales%20tracking%20url&kpid=58196&cm_mmc=Google-_-Shopping%20-%20Building-_-Shopping%20-%20Building&gclid=CO-t3_OnlscCFbQatAodHA0EgQ

But personally I would not want to loose the warn step.

Thanks all. I’d rather leave them bare but you know how these things go.

suburbanreuben – Member
We’re having some stone steps to the mancave carpeted (at partner’s instruction)

Are you sure it’s a mancave?
My partner says it is.

What about turning the steps over?

lesgrandepotato – Member
What about turning the steps over?

They seem pretty solid so I’m not keen on trying to release one.

If there going to be fully covered by carpet can you not overboard them with some Ply with battens screwed to the underside where the depression in the step is to prevent flexing/movement then just get the carpet laid on top.

Should only add about 10/15mm to the height of the step if done right.

Self leveling compound on them?
That seems to bond well and sets pretty hard.

Put a slide in?

Put a slide in?

Worked nicely at Cliveden!

johndoh – Member

Put a slide in?

That’s something I hadn’t thought of. Maybe in parallel with an escalator. Much better ‘do it tomorrow’ option over a 1kg of mortar 🙂

I had thought of boarding it but it’s only a few steps involved and I wouldn’t want to board just one or two.

Not sure what it’s called but I specified a self levelling resin for a similar application. It was to fill and level a really small discrepancy at the bottom of some stairs. Worked really well and looks as good now as it did 5 years ago when it was done.

I think would be a shame to level up worn steps. I’d go with boarding them.

Personally, I think it’s criminal to cover up these aged and worn steps. Looks like you do too. Have you chosen a colour for the carpet yet or is that also not part of the deal? 😉

I’m obviously not privy to how your relationship functions and the subtle nuances and currencies when negotiating everyday stuff, like interior decor and soft furnishings. I do hope you’ve bargained well and made a few gains along the way? 😉

On a more serious and thread title note, I feel that anything other than an epoxy cement will not bond particularly well to the shallow depressions. Anything that does will make it more tricky to restore once it’s been decided and ‘agreed’ that carpeting them wasn’t such a cool thing to do, despite the H&S risk assessment. Ply and batten possibly chemically fixed, rather than mechanically.