Rooftop Stairway & Landing Renovation
Revamping our rooftop stairway landing was our first in-home renovation project that brought an exciting challenge and many decisions. Amongst finding the perfect tile material and pattern, stair tread style and stain, to paint color, we navigated through decision paralysis to bring our rooftop stairway landing to life. Learn from me what I wish I knew going into this process as well as the materials we used.
Before & After
Final landing
Final stairway & landing
Process Overview
Deciding on Stairway Threads
The stairway threads played one of the crucial roles in defining the overall style of the rooftop landing. It’s attached to the kitchen and I knew I wanted it to be minimal and feel light. We landed on red oak for the material, minimalistic style with no nosing, stained in Duraseal - Weathered Oak.
Sourcing and Selecting Tiles
The tile selection process was a long journey that involved purchasing dozens of tile swatches to find the perfect match. From color, material, and pattern, to texture, each detail was scrutinized to ensure a seamless blend with the rooftop surroundings. The commitment to quality and style led me to source the ideal tiles that would elevate the visual appeal of the landing.
Experimenting with Paint Colors
This process took a lot of trial and error. One lesson I learned from this - choose the paint color after the tile and floor. The flooring is a financial decision that involves thorough research on the material, options, cost, and long-term commitment. It can’t be undone, unlike paint. There’s flexibility with paint choices and a wide range to choose from, it’s easier to color match with the flooring.
Final Touches
The final touches -installing the moulding, trim, hardware, decor, and of course plants.
The Detailed Process
Set a budget. Understand how much you’re willing to spend and research the typical cost for the renovation.
Gather inspiration and a moodboard. Source inspiration from Pinterest, social media, and Google.
Create a plan - develop the plan and timeline into manageable steps
Materials
Don’t forget to buy samples - tiles, paint, hardware so you can get a holistic view in person. This was a process with a vast number of sources and options available. Be aware of the delivery time.
Hire contractors of DIY if possible
When sourcing reliable general contractors - reach out to friends, family, and colleagues in the area. Search on Google and Yelp, check their ratings and reviews, ask for sample work, and look at their social media. Long story short - thoroughly vet their work.
Get contractor quotes
When scheduling contractors, be clear with visuals and descriptions, explicitly stating what you’re looking for and the detail you expect.
Prepare the space
Install the stairs - we knew we needed to hire an expert here, so we found a credible floor contractor who did an amazing job and checked in throughout the installation, which I appreciated.
Install the tile - since this was our first tile installation, we also hired a contractor to quicken the process and ensure flawless execution. It seems like an easy DIY, I just knew I would have had to do more research if we did it ourselves. At this point - we wanted to get this over with and so happy we did. Our tiler did an amazing job as well.
Paint and finish - we DIY’d painting the walls and cabinets ourselves, as well as the moulding and trim. When it came to the corners for the moulding, we needed a miter saw so we outsourced this via Task Rabbit.
Clean up
Decorate and furnish
Enjoy your new space!
Materials
Stairway Threads
Style: minimalistic style with no nosing
Material: red oak wood
Stain: Duraseal - weathered oak
Tiles
Style: harlequin pattern
Material: Wow tiles from their Gea collection in Linen and Calacatta
Paint Color
Brand: Benjamin Moore
Color: Royal Flax in Eggshell
Moulding
Style: 5/8 in. x 7-1/4 in. Primed Fiberboard Baseboard Moulding
Hardware
Brushed Brass Knobs
Decor
Sourced/collected