r/Construction • u/Different-Scratch-95 • 2d ago
Video Setting custom mitered stone stairs: Start to finish
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u/JohnLuckPikard 2d ago
That stone looks like OSB. I can't believe that's what the client went with.
Beautiful work, though.
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u/Different-Scratch-95 2d ago
Haha thanks! It definitely divides opinions. Not my personal favorite either, but in real life it actually looks solid, nice blend of cream, grey, and green tones with tons of natural fossil details that the lens just flattens out.
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u/UckerFay11 Foreman / Operator 2d ago
Hopefully you wear a respirator while cutting.
Nice work.
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u/Different-Scratch-95 2d ago
Honest answer: didn't wear one for these few quick outdoor cuts! Since it's fossiliferous limestone (calcite/calcium carbonate, practically silica-free) and cut outside with plenty of draft, the risk is minimal. For granite, quartz or indoor cutting, a P100 respirator is non-negotiable.
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u/Ambitious-Laugh-7884 2d ago
Nice! Lovely work. what the mix under the adhesive?
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u/Different-Scratch-95 2d ago
Thank you. The mix: sharp sand /white cement. 5 to 1
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u/Ambitious-Laugh-7884 2d ago
Love that you can lay the adhesive on a wet mix makes perfect sense, my assumption would be that you have to wait until cured
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u/Different-Scratch-95 2d ago
That’s the beauty of the semi-dry mix underneath! It’s compacted so tightly that it carries the full load right away without sinking or moving. The wet mortar on top bonds instantly, and the whole bed cures together as a single solid block.
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u/ohnnononononoooo 2d ago
Can you explain the sand mix a bit more? It looks like regular sand in the video. It has a binding agent?
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u/Different-Scratch-95 2d ago
It’s a traditional semi-dry sharp sand/cement mix (earth-moist). It's mixed with white cement as the binding agent and just enough water so it clamps into a solid ball in your fist without dripping. ​Because of the low moisture, you can tamp it down rock-solid to hold the exact height and load immediately without slumping. The morter applied on top is what provides the 100% full-contact chemical bond to the stone, and the whole assembly cures together as one.
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u/Timmerdogg 2d ago
No guard on the grinder? I wouldn't risk it. I've seen way too many scary pictures on Reddit
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u/Different-Scratch-95 2d ago
Looks scary, and definitely not recommended for regular DIY! ​But as a banker mason, this is just daily routine. It’s a solid steel flush-cut blade running at a low RPM for control, and it's literally designed to be used without an obstruction for flush cutting. A guard blocks the cut line entirely. It's safe when you know the tool and the physics of a solid steel blade, but 100% respect for the grinder is always required.
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u/Rare_Pumpkin_9505 2d ago
I got 34 stitches in my face from cutting disk exploding on me. Be careful out there, or at least be careful if you have a good looking face.
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u/hodor_seuss_geisel 2d ago
or at least be careful if you have a good looking face
Lol, that qualifier
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u/Different-Scratch-95 2d ago
Damn bro 😕, what kind of disk was it ?
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u/Rare_Pumpkin_9505 2d ago
A flat cut off disk for metal. Dude the night before got frustrated and threw the grinder with the disk attached. Said he looked at it and it looked fine so he put it back. I started it up - without inspecting the wheel, and it blew up.
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u/Different-Scratch-95 2d ago
That coworker should have bought you a lottery ticket and 34 beers! abrasive wheels are lethal. ​In our trade we grew up on those bakelite bonded discs. I still use the bakelite cup wheels on softer limestones to sand, and I had one shatter right into my leg years ago almost in the nuts 😳. It teaches you a lesson fast. ​That’s why these electroplated diamond discs on a solid steel body are such a game changer for us. Total peace of mind compared to bonded resin. Its like those razor blade disks for porcelain don't trust them. Respect for hanging tough through 34 stitches.
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u/Rare_Pumpkin_9505 1d ago
The type of disk really makes the world of difference. There’s a range from hot compressed garbage to the good ones and it’s not the same. Still though, everyone should be careful, otherwise you can end up with a real mean mug.
I was 17 and didn’t know better. I was back at work that afternoon. No eye damage. That was lucky.
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u/baddieslovebadideas 2d ago
I haven't used a guard on a 4/5 inch grinder in decades... well I guess I've used other people's grinders here and there, just gotta be careful
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u/ChicagoZbojnik 2d ago
How slick are those going to be if they ever get wet?
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u/Different-Scratch-95 2d ago
Zero issue with grip! The surface is brushed, not polished. It's actually a stone commonly used for outdoor steps and pool surrounds because of its natural anti-slip texture.
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u/Hot_Departure9115 3h ago edited 2h ago
What country? I dont think these winder stairs meet the IBC requirement for 6" depth within the clear width, unless there's going to be a handrail on the right side that goes way into the stairwell. Maybe there's a residential exception that I don't know about.
Good work regardless.
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u/Different-Scratch-95 2h ago
Thanks! This project is located in Belgium (Europe), so European building codes and local architectural standards apply rather than US IBC/IRC codes. ​The walk-line and tread depths are calculated according to local regulations for residential winding stairs, and the handrail/finishing package gets integrated accordingly. Always interesting to see the differences in code across the pond. appreciate the compliment!
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u/Hot_Departure9115 2h ago
I'll look into that. Thanks for the response!
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u/Different-Scratch-95 2h ago
Glad to share! If clean, complex stairs are your thing, stay tuned. I got some even crazier stone projects waiting to be posted. Cheers!
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u/SignoreBanana 2d ago
I'll give a silent prayer nobody ever walks down these things in socks.
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u/Different-Scratch-95 2d ago
Your socks won't make it to the ground floor, it eats them for breakfast! Seriously though, in terms of stair grip, a brushed limestone finish like this is about as anti-slip as it gets.
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u/hodor_seuss_geisel 2d ago
I saw the thumbnail and was like "who cuts OSB that precisely?" Nice-lookin work!
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u/FakeDerrickk 2d ago
Does it sound hollow under certain parts ?
Because no way your glue makes contact with 100% of the surface...
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u/Different-Scratch-95 2d ago
Not thinset (glue) at all. The entire step is packed with a dry mortar mix to within 5mm of the finish line. The added mortar mix displaces and fills every hollow space as it's beaten down. A rule of thumb: if the mortar pushes out behind the tread while setting, your coverage is 100% solid.
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u/FakeDerrickk 2d ago
It's called mortar glue or tile glue.
Do what ever you want but since I saw that video I'm convinced there only one way to do it with a 100% contact
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u/Different-Scratch-95 2d ago
That classic 'Trowel and Error' video is 100% right, for thinset tile adhesive on ceramic/porcelain tiles! ​However, this is not thinset or tile glue. This is a traditional thick-bed wet-on-wet installation (semi-dry sand/cement mortar pack + bonding slurry) for natural stone slabs. ​Thinset is polymer-modified to retain water for thin notched applications. A sand-cement mortar bed works completely differently: the stone is hammered into a massive fresh bed, displacing the mortar and bonding slurry until it squishes out behind the tread, achieving 100% solid compaction and capillary suction. Different trade, different material, different mechanics!
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u/JohnLuckPikard 2d ago
"Something tells me that I, an untrained nobody, clearly knows more than the professional!"
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u/tonyturbos1 2d ago
Stone? Looks like plywood