Cladding concrete stairs with tiles, vinyl, or parquet?

Do we have to use such a thick stair covering with parquet/wood? Can't we just lay the normal parquet (or vinyl) directly on the concrete stairs, since the concrete stairs are already stable by themselves?

Was it just normal parquet or do you also need a carrier material? The consultant at the specialist retailer told us that you need some kind of carrier material to increase the thickness.
I didn’t really understand why you need this carrier material. [...] They also looked thick, so I thought it was the same as with solid wood block steps.

The sales consultants at the specialist retailers have meanwhile perfectly adapted to the fact that customers get their material knowledge from the feuilleton section of the Apothekenumschau and are trained to focus on closing sales. If the customer perceives and calls laminate "normal parquet," the specialist trade adapts accordingly. The solid wood that amateurs call "solid wood" would be insufficiently suitable as a covering for stair construction itself. And it is also far away from anything your general contractor (GU) with three thousand extra per floor could mean – that would have another digit in front.

Do you seriously mean that in a house built by a GU you want, first, to have parquet laid and, second, have a staircase with folded structure optics where the tread and riser are identical on the surface?

You will spend nine grand for three staircases if you want to have the picture from post #9 reproduced. Do yourself a big favor and do not specify details that require handcrafted quality in a house built by a GU if you don’t want them to look miserably wannabe. Match the stair covering to the floor covering at the entry and especially at the exit. Keep in mind that the very best top craftsmen do not work as subcontractors for a GU and transfer my stone mantra to the staircase as well: please ask the GU for nothing that he would still need practice with, because with special requests you would be his guinea pig. Only approve what he demonstrably can do and of which he can show you detailed drawings.

if we use wood, the stair covering would be 5 cm thick; with tiles it would be about 1 cm.

In any case, no wood is meant there that could look as if the same parquet (or "parquet") was laid flowing continuously over the stairs from top to bottom. As I said, it’s best to take whatever the GU has as "default" in the program.

Where are you in your construction? Is the concrete staircase already there?
Or are you still in the planning phase and can still adjust everything?

We are still in the planning phase. Construction is supposed to start soon, so I want to make the right choice for the step height of the staircase.

The sales consultants in specialist stores have meanwhile perfectly adapted to the fact that customers get their material knowledge from the arts section of the Apotheken Umschau and are trained with a focus on closing the deal. If the customer perceives and calls laminate "normal parquet," the specialist trade adapts accordingly.

Ahh, ok, thanks for the tip

Do you seriously mean that in a house built by a general contractor you first want to have parquet laid

Yes, that is our top preference so far.

you want a staircase with folding optics where tread and riser are surface-equal?

I’m not sure yet. We would probably prefer a white riser.

In any case, no wood is meant here that could look as if the same parquet (or "parquet") were laid continuously over the staircase in one piece from top to bottom. As I said, it’s best to take what the general contractor has as a "default" in the program.

This is the safest option but not our favorite. I might still try to find another craftsman on my own for this task.

Yes, that is our first preference so far.

I would not recommend parquet in construction with a general contractor (GU). "Parquet" (laminate) is much more common with GUs; they or their subcontractors are familiar with it.

I am not yet sure about that. We would probably prefer a white riser.

With a visual contrast, the question of the miter or edge profile is also resolved. I would also let the tread overhang by 1 cm. And then we are presumably usually talking about the mentioned 5 cm buildup height of the tread on the concrete.

This is the safest option, but not our favorite. I might still try to find another craftsman for this task on my own.

I do not think that is wise (and it confirms my suspicion that not only building but also planning is being done here with the GU). Then the insured responsible detailed planner is missing, and botched work and disputes over fault for poor fitting threaten. With a GU (especially with a GU and inclusive planner), you should refrain from such detours for quality and warranty reasons.

No, it has not been implemented yet, unfortunately we are not that far along. But apparently that is not uncommon, as the specialist dealer told us. I wanted it without overhangs, whether with or without parquet. It will look like in the picture.

That surprises me a little now and I have to ask. You were offered a miter cut with parquet as stair covering? For the front edge? Our parquet installer did not even want to do that for one step, because the edge would not withstand the loads. The edges would look "as if eaten by a goat" in no time. His words, not mine. We then agreed on solid wood in parquet thickness so that the transition from the parquet fits. But I am still waiting for the quote and am curious what this will cost us. Somehow the details are always the most expensive, is that possible?

I'm a bit surprised by this and have to ask. You were offered a miter cut for parquet as stair covering? For the front edge? Our parquet fitter wouldn't even do that for a step, as the edge wouldn't withstand the stresses. The edges would look "like they had been nibbled by a goat" in no time. His words, not mine.

Yes, exactly. That was a renowned specialist timber dealer who says skilled carpenters can do that. Our carpenter has experience with this, so we let him do it; he also showed us examples. I wouldn’t have wanted the parquet layer who installs the floor to do it; he has never done it before.
I trust him, it’s also not unusual, there are numerous examples online; it’s probably just not the most common (and probably not the cheapest in terms of work steps) method.

I’ll be happy to report back when we finally get that far.

I would not recommend parquet when building with a general contractor. "Parquet" (laminate) is much more common with general contractors; they or their subcontractors can handle it.

Isn't that a bit exaggerated? I don't think installing prefinished parquet is very difficult. Even for a non-top craftsman.

And then we are probably usually talking about the mentioned 5 cm build-up height of the stair tread on the concrete.

Is this parquet on a carrier material like the one I posted in #10?

With a visual offset, the question of the miter joint or edge profile is also resolved.

I have seen something that uses an aluminum stair edge profile (like in the attached photos). That should work with low thickness and without miter joints, I think. Do you know if that is stable and easy to install?