Treads and Veneer
Treads are the flat stones you step on; a thermal finish gives bluestone an even, textured surface. Veneer is the thinner stone on the risers and the sides of the stoop.
New Steps, or New Stone on Old Steps
Where the concrete of your steps is sound, we set stone treads and stone veneer over the steps you have.
We also pour new concrete steps and stoops. New steps can be finished in stone, or left as broom-finished concrete to match a new concrete walk.
Thermal Bluestone Treads
Thermal-finished bluestone is our tread of choice for front steps: a flat, even surface with a fine texture, in the blue-gray color that suits brick and white houses alike.
How We Set Stone Steps
Sound Concrete
The stoop and steps start from solid concrete, existing or new.
Mortar Setting Bed
Treads and veneer are bonded with Portland cement mortar.
Mortar Joints
Mortar fills the joints for a finished, weather-tight look.
With a New Walkway
Stone steps often go in with a new stone walkway, paver walkway or concrete walkway, and sometimes a new driveway, so the whole entry is finished at once.
A Tread That Overhangs the Riser
Each bluestone tread overhangs the riser by about 1”. The small lip casts a shadow line that makes every step easy to see, and it gives the steps a finished, built look.
Options and Upgrades
Thicker treads and caps are an upgrade, with options for every stone. Low-voltage lights can go in the risers or beside the steps, and handrails are arranged through trusted subcontractors.
How Tall Should Front Steps Be?
Comfortable front steps have risers of about 6 to 7 inches and treads deep enough for a whole foot, at least 10 to 11 inches. Residential building codes cap a step at 7 3/4 inches high and call for a tread of at least 10 inches.
Every step in a run should be the same height. A single step that is taller or shorter than the rest is the one people trip on.
Why Stone Steps Change the Front of a House
Front steps are the first thing a visitor touches. Plain concrete steps that have weathered gray make a house look older than it is; bluestone treads and stone risers give the entry the same finished look as the rest of the house.
What Is a Stoop?
A stoop is the landing at the top of the front steps, right outside the door. It should be deep enough to stand on while a storm door swings open, so no one has to step back down to open it.
Stoop veneer covers that landing with stone treads on top and stone on its sides, the same as the steps below it.
When Old Concrete Steps Need Replacing
Steps that have pulled away from the house, sunk at one corner or cracked through are not sound enough for stone; the new stone would crack with them. Those steps come out, and new concrete steps are poured before any stone is set.
Lighting the Steps at Night
Low-voltage lights set in the risers or beside the steps light each tread without shining in the eyes of someone walking up. They make the steps safer after dark and show off the stone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you put stone on my existing concrete stoop?
Yes, where its concrete is sound. Stoop veneer means stone treads on top and stone veneer on the risers and sides of the stoop you have.
Do you build new concrete steps?
Yes. We pour new concrete steps and stoops, and they can be finished in stone or left as concrete.
What is a thermal finish?
A heat treatment that gives bluestone an even, slightly textured surface, a good choice for steps.
How long does a stone front step job take?
A JP Companies stone front step job usually takes one to two days on site.
Do you install handrails?
No. JP Companies does not install handrails itself; it arranges them through trusted subcontractors.
How high should each front step be?
About 6 to 7 inches is comfortable; residential codes cap risers at 7 3/4 inches. Every step in a run should match.
What is a stoop?
A stoop is the landing at the top of the front steps, right outside the door.
Time for New Front Steps?
Tell us about the steps you have now, and we will come look at whether they can take stone or should be poured new.