There are different types of outdoor stair treads available in the market today; the most common is the rubber type. This type of product is very similar to a doormat and is available with simple, plain rubber or plastic strip with textured design on top. You can buy them in long strips and can be cut depending on the size of the stair step. They are also lightweight and may fall or easily moved if not fixed especially if the stairs doesn’t have a skirt. A separate contact adhesive which can be bought separately is used for bonding them to the floor or stair. This type of product is the cheapest outdoor stair tread you can buy. If you need a grit-strip you can use the rubber type with grit-strip. Made of vinyl materials which are commonly used in tiles, it has a textured pattern design on top and has a colorful grit strip at the edge of the step.
The other kind of stair tread has a decorative graphics grid that looks cool and keeps the dirt and slippery water away from the surface making it safer to use outdoor even in rainy season. It allows the accumulated small materials and liquid to fall and trap underneath it and can be easily cleaned by lifting and sweeping it. Other brands offer them in self sticking rubber which can be easily lifted if you need to remove the dirt underneath it. Unlike ordinary rubber treads they don’t easily moved because of the strong grip quality of the rubber plus the heavy weight characteristics of the high dense rubber material used. They are weather resistant which are good for outdoor use and are ideal for concrete and marble stone stairs. You can choose from many graphics grid designs and sizes, unlike common outdoor stair treads which can be cut to size, these units has a fixed size. So, you must measure your stair first and make sure it will fit before purchasing.
In some countries in Asia they are making rubber doormats out of recycled rubber tire and worn slippers. They do it by cutting the worn tire into long square strip and sew them by hands using a steel wire forming a graphics grid stair strip. An automotive tire is hard to cut though and requires special cutter and skills to do them. And since these tires are abundant and not being recycled in some countries some people took advantage of it and made them as a business and sells them for a very cheap price. Lot of people buys them not only because they are inexpensive but also because they are very tough and last for many years of use even in heavy traffic places. This is actually the cheapest alternative you can buy but you can only have them in some countries in Asia and the shipping cost is probably more expensive than the price of the unit itself.
There is also special outdoor tread made for use when it is snowing. It is called heated stair tread and it uses electricity to constantly melt the snow that lands on top of it. Even if there’s a heavy snow pouring it can clear and make a safe passage way to your doorstep. No need to call for a professional to install them, just lay them in series and plug it in to any electrical outlet and you’re done. The built in circuit breaker protects it from short circuit in case accident occur. And because they are portable you can easily carry them anywhere and place them in areas where you need them.
