Custom concrete stairs

'They have it in them to be the eye-catcher of a building'

Concrete stairs with or without a platform. Poured in tough, smooth gray concrete or just polished concrete. With and without displaced steps or in color. The undisputed specialist in this field is Betesco. The stairs are fully customized and delivered ultra-fast.

Betesco has been around for twelve years now. That is relatively short for a company with a core business that requires pronounced expertise and specialized equipment. But a conversation with Tom Vermeersch, production manager at Betesco, makes it clear that the company's knowledge is based on that of its parent company Declercq Stortbeton in Waregem (B). This gave the company a wealth of experience from the very first moment and allowed it to develop at lightning speed into what it is today: market leader in customized concrete stairs.

Beautiful, durable, low maintenance
"Concrete has wonderful qualities," Vermeersch says. "It is a beautiful and durable material with diverse appearances. You can choose its robust, rough appearance. But concrete also lends itself to being the eye-catcher of a building. Polished concrete provides interiors with aesthetic added value."

Polished concrete
In order to polish the concrete, Betesco has a fully automated polishing department. Here, the surface of the concrete steps is finished to the millimeter. The combination of various cement types, pigments and natural stone aggregates gives the concrete steps a contemporary look. The smooth surface makes the concrete maintenance-friendly and durable. A fine example is the concrete staircase at the Bekaert headquarters. It is made of smooth gray concrete with a stepped underside. The steps have a recess for carpet covering. "The staircase here is so much more than the connecting element between the floors of the building," Vermeersch believes. "It's the eye-catcher that adds cachet to the entire office space."

The concrete staircase at Bekaert adds cachet to the entire office space (Arch. Sileghem & Partners).

Easy maintenance
Betesco will soon launch a new line: Easy Maintenance by Betesco. This staircase combines the best of both worlds. The majority of the staircase is produced in classic concrete gray with a formwork smooth finish. The treads, on the other hand, are polished, making precisely the intensively used parts of the staircase smooth and dirt-resistant. This makes the low maintenance concrete stairs the attractive alternative to the classic, double-sided concrete stairs. The price is also attractive. "The concrete staircase has been reinvented, so to speak."

"We make any staircase," Vermeersch summarizes. "With or without a landing, straight or round, double-sided smooth or polished. With our own design department and a wide range of formwork, all stairs meet the highest quality standards. And thanks to our excellent engineers and fully automated production process, we can also deliver quickly and at highly competitive prices."  

Text | Liliane Verwoolde    Image | Betesco