He Transforms Old Brick Stairs With Stone Aggregate For A Sleek Upgrade

Bricks offer tremendous durability. There are examples of brick-built houses across the country that have stood for centuries. Even when it starts to look a bit tired, cleaning exterior brickwork can be almost effortless. When it comes to stairs, though, it's a bit different story; the impact of weather and foot traffic can eventually take its toll. Over on TikTok, the American DIY Fix channel suggests that rather than demolish brick stairs and start over, though, they can be given new life with stone aggregates.

The concept is a fairly simple one and uses resin as the bonding agent to fix small stone aggregates (gravel, rock fragments, etc.) to the brick surfaces. In fact, resin-bound aggregates have been used for driveways, paths, and patios for some time. There are numerous types of gravel and other stone products, allowing texture and color to be matched to the style of the home.

The key issue is the type of resin. It should be aliphatic, which is UV-resistant and, therefore, won't yellow or crack up over time. It also has to be suitable for vertical binding, or the weight of the aggregate will drag the mix down off the upright part of the stairs structure, forming a gloopy mess at the bottom. It's worth just checking that it is suitable for brick, too.

The short video doesn't go into much visual detail and the important preparation steps are skipped over. To be fair, they're more fully explained in the text. The stairs need to be thoroughly cleaned and cleared of debris and any substantial damage repaired. Then, check if your chosen resin needs a primer, and if it does (most do), apply as instructed.

Once the primer is dry, the resin and aggregate can be applied. There are two ways to do this. The description talks about applying the resin to the surfaces and then sticking the aggregate to it. That's straightforward on horizontal sections but more challenging to do on vertical ones. However, the video clearly shows a liquid being poured into a mixer, which is at odds with the words.

@diymasterusa

This staircase transformation looks completely INSANE. 😳 Instead of demolition, he uses resin and stone aggregate to give these old brick steps a durable, textured new finish. The final result is unbelievable. #staircaserenovation #homeimprovement #homerenovation #diyproject #usa

♬ original sound – American Diy Fix🇺🇸

What it appears to be showing is the second method, where the aggregate is thoroughly coated with resin and then troweled on as a combination, thus adhering easily to the brickwork. It seems the more common approach and is recommended for a uniform finish. Once the surfaces are all level, leave to cure.

Note that with the first method, the exposed faces of the aggregates will be bare, so a sealer coat is required. With the latter, thorough mixing of material and resin should result in complete coverage that makes this unnecessary. Depending on the resin chosen, the same technique could be used as one of the ways to give boring concrete steps an upgrade, too.