Wooden staircase stands on tiles and the area is to be retiled

Hello everyone,

we have just bought a little house and are currently planning the renovation work that we want to carry out immediately after moving in.

We would like to retile the entrance area. Problem: The staircase stands on the current tiles and the area underneath the first steps is also tiled. Since I am not a craftsman myself, I would appreciate your assessment.

I have already asked 2 craftsmen and received different opinions, which is why I now want to try to understand the issue myself.

1) Since the staircase was installed after the tiles, I assume that all heights were adjusted according to the current tile height (nothing creaks and everything is great). Replacing the tiles and a resulting minimal height difference compared to before would lead to the staircase needing adjustment, right? Do I understand correctly that this approach should be avoided?

2) Possible solution: Cut off the existing tiles at the posts and simply tile around them. My question here is whether the remaining small piece of tile is sufficient to bear the point load or if it would crumble after tiling (-> No idea what a wooden staircase weighs and what weight is actually borne pointwise on the lower posts).

3) Tile on tile unfortunately doesn’t work, as it would create a step edge to the entrance door.

4) Are there any other possibilities?

Thank you in advance!

Lift the stair, remove the old tile, and put a new tile underneath. Please upload a picture of the situation.

We do not know how the base of the stairs was installed or possibly anchored back then. The suggestion from "hanghaus2000" seems to me to be the most sensible and also the safest way. If the first stair step is supported underneath (so that the staircase cannot settle in the worst case) and a small area of the landing surface has been cleared up to the screed, the construction can already be recognized and the further measures can be adjusted accordingly. That the base of the stairs AUF the screed (with ceramic tiles) is more than just "likely" to me. Other possibilities can be discussed once the actual condition is known! Regards: KlaRa

Thank you for the initial assessment. I will try to get a photo. Since we are not living there yet, this may take a few days. As the answers read, it sounds like this would be everyday business for a tiler. Then it would probably be more sensible not to even consider "DIY" there myself, right?

Then it would probably make more sense not to even consider "botching" it myself there, right?

Yes, that is how I want to see it too. Especially since a proper and professional solution is always the better alternative (to "botching") ...

One should know what one is doing. So it's not quite as simple as described. The staircase should still be stable during and after the tiling work. ;)