Monday 14 April 2008

The worn stone staircase

One of the properties we visited when we were looking for a house was the old boulangerie in Preuilly, which is opposite the Maison Renaissance.

We loved the 11th century cellar and small section of colombage (half-timbered) balcony, but the lack of garden was a problem. As was the one semi-underground room of 110m² - we had no idea how we would use such a space.

Another problem was the communal staircase. The house has no stairs of it's own, but shares a very worn spiral stone staircase with the semi-derilect building next door. The stones were so worn that they would requre boxing in using wood.

The photo really doesn't do the stairs justice - we are sure theys were more worn than this, so maybe I just couldn't get the most worn stairs into a sensible photo.

Simon

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Worn stone stairs are quite a problem. If they are otherwise sound it would take courage to cover them over in any way, I think. I believe oak treads put over the top of the stone tread are resorted to sometimes. We do not have that problem/opportunity; but we do have circa 1970 concrete stairs, painted yellow! We think oak over the top will be our solution, perhaps as an edge strip with tile behind. Whatever is done will cause much cursing and swearing, that is for sure.
Jill & John

Simon said...

Next time you are at L'Image, check out the staircase on your way out to the toilets - they have completely boxed in their stairs with oak.

These days oak is far too expensive to use for this kind of thing - much as we would love to use oak, it is at least twice as expensive as exotic timbers.

Simon

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