Guide · West Sussex · PO19
Chichester Microcement staircases and risers: what actually goes on the wall
Refurb briefs in Chichester for microcement staircases and risers typically arrive at the point the client has already ruled out tile. The reason is almost always the same — one of the goodwood estate ecosystem drives high-spec garage and showroom floor demand, a continuous the goodwood estate ecosystem drives high-spec garage and showroom floor demand — and microcement staircases and risers is the finish that answers it. The Chichester catchment we work across covers PO19, PO20 — reached via the A27 / A286, 1 hr from brighton via the a27. Nearby coverage includes Fishbourne (2 mi), Bosham (4 mi), Selsey (8 mi). Site conditions matter here: harbour-adjacent salt exposure in the western catchment. That shapes the primer and sealer specification below, not just the visible finish.
System specification
Substrate and preparation
A microcement staircase covers treads, risers and stringers in one continuous finish. The substrate must be squeak-free — moving timber under a rigid mineral finish is what causes crack lines at the nose. Screw-and-glue the treads and risers, dust off, then a proprietary bonding primer.
Detailing notes for your designer
A single-colour staircase from tread to stringer reads as sculpted rather than assembled. Contrast the wall paint 2 tones lighter than the microcement so the stair holds the eye. A brass or oak handrail against a warm-grey microcement stair is a signature detail.
The local considerations for Chichester
How the install actually runs
- Structural prepDay 1
Timber staircase screw-and-glued; noses radiused; substrate dust-free and primed.
- Base and meshDay 2
Reinforced base coat with fibreglass mesh at every junction.
- ColourDay 3–4
Two 1 mm colour coats, hand-trowelled — the trickiest surface in the whole system to trowel evenly.
- Sealer + nosingDay 5–6
3 coats floor-grade polyurethane; anti-slip aggregate broadcast on the nosing.
Where installs go wrong
- ✕Ignoring squeak — the crack line appears the first month.
- ✕Sharp 90° tread nose — chips on first use; radius 5 mm minimum.
- ✕Missing anti-slip broadcast on the nose — the sealer alone is a slip hazard.
- ✕Standard 3-coat sealer without floor-grade PU — wears through in a year on a busy stair.
- ✕Attempting a stair as a first-time DIY — the failure rate is close to 100%.
Chichester — frequently asked
Other guides for Chichester
Microcement staircases and risers — other Sussex towns
Related products & services
The short version
The short answer for Chichester: staircases is a designed alternative to tile-and-grout, priced at £2,800–£6,500 per installation, installed in about 3–5 working days, and carries a 10-year materials-and-workmanship warranty when we install it ourselves.