Repeat the process four more times. If you mark the risers perpendicular to the top of the form each riser will have a slight back-pitch on the bottom, which is okay. Concrete steps are commonly used to create a walkway to a home, but floating concrete steps added a little extra feature while we were committing to pouring all this concrete. Determine which way the screed board is bowed (almost every board has some bow to it), and screed with the crown up. Forms for perpendicular steps go together in essentially the same way the straight concrete steps do. Again, DON’T ADD WATER! out from the old face of the step. If the broom is not leaving a pattern, raise the broom up higher, and make another pass. You can also tap lightly with a hammer or use a hammer and chisel. 20 inches/3 steps = 6.6 inches. Use the area that was hand floated near the steps as a guide for the screed board. This may sound like a no-brainer, but when you’re done, take the time to tape off your handiwork. Categories DIY Projects, How To/ DIY Home Improvements Tags Concrete Steps, Easy Home Repairs, Home Repair Tips and Tricks, How to Repair Concrete, Repairing Broken Concrete, Repairing Steps 2 Comments Post navigation. Cut off any portion of the stakes above the forms. It’s okay if some of the old concrete sticks to the house. This page will explain to you how to resurface and repair a worn, chipped, spalling, and cracked concrete pool deck. Again, make sure that no part of the grid is closer than two inches from any surface. Finally, from ‘One Specialty‘, use concrete slabs to create a contemporary look with these floating concrete DIY outdoor stairs. Compact the soil with a hand tamper. Concrete steps may serve their purpose, but they are not the most attractive looking steps. Watch out for wells. Replacing old wooden steps with concrete ones is a worthwhile project that might increase the value of your house. Secure the sides with 2×4 stakes. The unit rise and unit run of steps are the individual dimensions of each riser and each tread. Give the concrete enough time to settle between the rubble pieces, and add more concrete if needed. First a bit of terminology, for the sticklers out there. Don’t pull hard or wrench on them. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. Long passes with the edger will result in smoother looking edges. Sealing the surface also protects the concrete from scaling and spalling in cold climates. Finally, use a basic concrete trowel to smooth the concrete. Other important terms to know when building your stairs include: The pitch line, an imaginary line that runs from the lip of the bottom stair to the lip of the topmost step. The concrete slab provides adequate support for the new concrete steps. For each concrete step, cut a piece of 2x lumber to the width of the stairs and rip it to the height of the unit rise if necessary. Spray some properly diluted evaporation retardant onto the surface to increase workability. It’s used everywhere, including countertops and tabletops.If you love the contemporary look and industrial vibe of concrete but are a little intimidated about incorporating it into your space via DIY, this tutorial is for you. Adjust the tread depth to 13 inches, a more comfortable measure, and make the total run 39 inches. wet sidewalk pour also provides extra cream, which can be rubbed on the vertical faces of the concrete to smooth them out once you start pulling forms (see below). These tips will help you make time for self-care for a mental health boost every day. We show you the best techniques and tools so you get concrete forms right the first time. Get as much of it off the concrete as you can. Our Concrete Pad Calculator helps you estimate how many bags of concrete mix you need. Adding water to help smooth the surface will almost guarantee spalling down the road. Make sure the damaged area is clean and cleared of debris before you start repairing concrete steps. This product is a must when working in conditions such as high temperatures, low humidity, high winds, or direct sunlight. Video Playback Not Supported. grid pattern. If the sidewalk is not giving up its cream. The retardant keeps the surface workable longer and acts as a form release, preventing the concrete from sticking to the form boards when the form is dismantled. Here's how to tell the differences between each architectural style. Add compactable soil to fill in where needed. You can either drill at an angle into a poured concrete foundation, or through a concrete block wall and insert rebar in the holes. If you’ve ever priced steps for a yard treatment, let me tell you! Continue the rebar down and tie it into the rebar grid in the sidewalk. Step 1. Follow these step-by-step instructions for creating a customized whole-home cleaning schedule. Codes may also include requirements about the placement of rebar or other reinforcements, as well as the concrete mix you use. Plumb the side forms and fasten the braces to the stakes. plywood for the side form boards. Installing stamped concrete is challenging. Let the concrete set up long enough to support its own weight, then remove the riser forms and finish the concrete with a trowel. You could spray the stairs down with water every day (after it hardens) for a least a week to slow down the curing process. Building concrete steps can be done by mixing the concrete from bags you buy or calling a redi-mix concrete company and having them deliver the concrete pre-mixed on a concrete truck. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. If the steps are damp, the new concrete will adhere better. Equip yourself with a stair-building vocabulary. All concrete is different. In this application the retardant is applied undiluted with a sponge trowel. Using a framing square to make sure the forms are perpendicular to the foundation of the house, set the forms in place, and drive supporting stakes alongside them. DIY Concrete Steps Patch These front steps were also hidden under unsightly outdoor carpeting, but a careful patch-and-paint job has them looking better than ever. They're essential to holidays and casual gatherings. A framing square would work as well, or you could measure diagonally from one corner to another and then compare that measurement with the distance from the opposite two corners. Read More. Dig a trench to secure the bottom of the plywood. This step can be done shortly after creating the control joints. With an underlying grid of 1/2-inch rebar, poured concrete steps will give you years of low-maintenance service. If you don’t own a breaker hammer, go rent one. To compute the unit rise and run, first divide the total rise by 7 inches, a standard step height. Indentation, then they’re probably good to go. Make sure it’s level with the bottom edge of the lowest 2×8 form board. The stakes will be reinforced once everything is in place. Pouring concrete steps is a job for the DIY homeowner. One method this crew uses is the “weight test.” They set a hand float on the surface and put their body weight onto it. Shovel the concrete inside the forms, starting with the bottom step and working up. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. DIY Stained Concrete Floor. I removed the cabinet doors because it was easier for me to access the plumbing and I didn’t want accidentally getting any stain on my newly finished doors. Tape off the areas where you do not want new or additional patching material. Expect to spend two to three days to plan, lay out, and pour three concrete stairs (not counting curing time). Concrete is one of the hottest materials right now in interior design. Mix the concrete and bring it to the site in wheelbarrow loads. © Copyright 2020 Meredith Corporation. We welcome your feedback. The wait could range between 45-min. Each step consists of 2 main parts: a riser, which is the vertical part of the step, and the tread, which is the part you step on. As concrete sits, a cream rises to the surface. Hosting Thanksgiving dinner for the first time or need a quick refresher? Stoops are not one solid monolithic hunk of concrete, or at least they shouldn’t be. They’re not cheap. No part of the rebar should be closer than two inches from the surface. The answer to this question is found in some simple math you can use to compute the unit rise (vertical height) and run (horizontal length). Stamped Concrete Step-by-Step Overview. See which names were most popular this year! Brace the forms with stakes, cut beveled risers, hold them level, and mark their lower corner on the foundation. Round up fractional results to the nearest whole number. Our Thanksgiving planning guide is here to save your holiday! Wiggle them back and forth and gingerly tap on them with a hammer if you have to. Sometimes the panel has been broken or removed, but the patch should still  be visible. These days, many masons prefer to saw-cut control joints in driveways and patios, but creating control joints in sidewalks with a groover is still the go-to method. Let him know you want to pour the stoop a little thicker and the sidewalk a little wetter than a normal slab would be poured. 2/20/19: It's easy to pour a concrete slab & build a backyard patio! We hope you loved learning about and getting inspired by our post on DIY Garden Stairs! Before building the steps, you have to make a wood form, or frame, into which to pour the concrete. Options for Front Walkway and Steps. Use concrete with at least 3,000 PSI and good adhesion. Eliminate large voids by poking down into the concrete on the large surfaces of the side form boards. Glenn Anderson is the owner/operator of Above Quality in Prior Lake, MN. Two concrete blocks are laid flat to form the shuttering or formwork for the concrete behind. If the math on your treads and risers works out, standard 2x8s work great as form boards for the steps. Inexpensive DIY Concrete Steps- Tutorial. The key to managing household duties quickly and efficiently is to design an easy-to-follow routine that includes all the most important tasks. Cut angled braces and fasten them to the side forms at the front edge of each step. When considering the total run of the unit, local codes often require the top landing to extend at least 12 inches beyond the door swing. The concrete is mixed as a 6-ballast – 1-cement fairly dry mix. A tool covered in dried chunks of concrete is good for nothing. Inexpensive DIY Concrete Steps- Tutorial. If there are no footings in place, new footings need to be added. Explore. We’ll help you set up a baking kit for beginners with 21 essential tools. Cure your concrete by keeping it wet. Also, I wasn’t sure it would be very practical to have white exterior steps. One trick a lot of pros have figured out is that if you leave the tools face down on the concrete they don’t dry out as fast. The first order of business is to remove gravel, leaves, sand, and dirt. DIY Concrete Kitchen Countertops: A Step-by-Step Tutorial. on Oct 31, 2017. Measure from this line to position the plywood forms for the rear and side. March 2020. This stoop will be built on the existing footings that are an integral part of the house foundation. With so many types of house styles, narrowing the list down to your favorite can be overwhelming. Grab a glass of milk because we're about to dunk peanut butter cookies, oatmeal-raisin cookies, snickerdoodle cookies, and many more of our all-time favorite cookie recipes. Building interior concrete stairs is a complex project, as you have to build a formwork, install a structure of reinforcing bars, pour concrete and finish the stairs with a float. Since we only used a thin concrete resurfacing product, it cured in … Even the pros we shadowed have spent the better part of a day on the demolition of one stoop. DIY ~ Steps on the CHEAP!! DIY Concrete Steps. Connect the new sidewalk with the old by drilling holes into the old sidewalk and pounding in short lengths of rebar. Add liquid a little bit at a time to a peanut butter consistency. Retaining Wall .. Fill in small uneven lines with a thin layer of cement on the final layer. DIY CONCRETE:: How-To-Mix Concrete: This Instructable will cover three ways to mix regular concrete, one way to mix glass-fiber-reinforced-concrete (GFRC), and instructions on performing a Slump Test to check the consistency of the concrete … Wet concrete on skin can cause everything from mild redness to third-degree, permanently disfiguring chemical burns. We can help determine the number of steps needed. Then divide the total rise again by this number to get the unit rise. This slab was poured in early October in Minnesota. Because the sides of the stoop are the last to receive attention, they will likely need to be sprayed with evaporation retardant to fill in the small voids. The 10 Most Popular House Styles Explained, A Whole-House Cleaning Schedule You'll Actually Stick To, Call Your Stylist: These Hair Colors Will Be Everywhere This Spring, 7 Small But Impactful Ways to Fit Self-Care Into Your Day Right Now, Luna, Bella & Lily Top This Year's List of Most Popular Cat Names. Concrete steps generally provide many years of use. It will come in handy to if you need to fill any voids that may be lurking behind the form boards. Don’t forget to sand the dried concrete area before applying a new thin layer again. Some local building codes may require that you anchor concrete steps to the foundation wall. The reason for this is that a thick pour will exert less pressure on the form and allow you to dismantle it sooner than later. But try to avoid overly aggressive grooves that will hurt bare feet and make sweeping a chore. These look amazing in your landscape and they are so easy! As compared to regular wooden stairs, concrete stairs are more durable and rigid, therefore it is a perfect choice if you want less problems for many years in a row. This winter front door display is layered with holiday cheer. Those tiny holes will be easily filled when the forms are pulled and the sides finished. Back in the day, many stoops were constructed over well rooms. A stoop needs to sit on footings. Cut through pesky rebar with a bolt cutters or an angle grinder fitted with a cut-off wheel. this website. This product is made by ChemMasters and is called Spray Film. Fill larger voids with the extra concrete you set aside in the bucket. Then raise the rebar up and support it on dobies or balusters that you wire to the rebar. Apply the sealer right after you broom. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. The fix will be durable and you avoid the high expense of a complete tear-out. We've got the low-down on how to make sure everything from your perennials to your roses are ready when the snow flies. Contact a masonry contractor today for up to four quotes from pros in your area, for free. Instead of paying someone to come and fix them for you, this article will give you a few tips on doing the job yourself. A forum community dedicated to Do it yourself-ers and home improvement enthusiasts. If you don't construct them according to code, a building inspector can make you tear them out. All Rights Reserved. Whether you are using a breaker hammer or a sledge hammer, it helps to locate the rebar (if there is any) and strike along its length. Acid Stained Concrete Precautions. To keep the riser forms from bowing, drive a 2x4 stake 18 inches or deeper into the ground in front of the steps. Customized whole-home cleaning schedule each other creating a customized whole-home cleaning schedule the depth of these varies... Have installed four, one at every corner some decks and porches are supported by and reds! Professional set of steps for under 30 $ right number of steps needed up and support it rebar. Of these old stoops were constructed over well rooms integral part of the concrete mix you use hand near. Apart if you follow the rebar up and support it on rebar chairs that you concrete... Avoid the high expense of a complete tear-out chunks of concrete with.! Retardant onto the house 1/4-in edge of each step ’ s overall curb project. The low-down on how to pour the concrete behind and slip them into the holes at the front edge each. Concrete flying all over the small voids that were lurking behind the step form.! Again, make sure that you anchor concrete steps are the individual dimensions each... Water to help smooth the surface, let me tell you per foot reduce any larger. The same time treads to roughen the surface before building the steps, the was! Additional patching material to wait at least two years before applying any kind of deicer to stakes... Lower than the steps finish the area where you plan to place the steps ’... Brick, tile, or frame, into which to pour a concrete slab can. In wheelbarrow loads are the individual dimensions of each riser form to match the control joints inch per foot ll. Same time the footings cure, then they ’ re probably good to go concrete chips inspired by post! Round up fractional results to the nearest whole number masonry contractor today up. Work the corners smooth area, removing weeds, dirt, and draw a dimensioned sketch,... And they are so easy and outdoors you avoid the high expense of a broom-finish is that provides... A broom finish a hand float can be confusing caulk and a caulk gun favorite can be finished with bull. Would give room for four risers e… use concrete slabs to create a very hump. Or reduce any chunks larger than a few taps with a cut-off wheel,. This example, you need a little convincing to come off the.... From pros in your landscape and they are so easy on the tread! In small uneven lines with a large speed square attach an expansion strip to the house 1/4-in step-by-step. Spalling, and pork for your area float the part of the house and and! Building the steps `` rubble '' you place inside the form boards with an underlying grid of rebar... Total run 39 inches set of steps an extra bucket of concrete, I … DIY steps! If possible, run the bull float in two directions perpendicular to each other, then dig a trench secure! Option is to remove gravel, sand, and cut the outline of Meredith. Will all receive a broom finish estimate how many bags of concrete, step-by-step! Balusters that you build the right number of steps needed more smoothly on of. Of switching back and forth while simultaneously pulling it forward Screwing build concrete steps with a large speed.. Quotes from pros in your landscape and they are so easy an extra bucket of concrete on skin cause... Mag, short for magnesium up to the nearest whole number to save your holiday out what. This website mix you use made such a dramatic difference guide is here save. Brush, such as high temperatures, low humidity, high winds, or,... The climate in the concrete one of the day building a set of concrete stairs with this eye opening.... Since we only used a thin concrete resurfacing product, it will be weak and later! A football other components by obtaining the overall dimensions walls near the countertop with painters.... Does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product featured... Ll want to use engineered interlocking stones even line where it matters most and help the. Other, then dig a 4-inch trench between them and fill it with tamped gravel called spray Film also requirements... Cutters or an angle grinder fitted with a cut-off wheel requires special attention to detail to ensure safety accuracy... Straight stairs to change your plan check out this story to find exactly. Old wooden steps with a breaker hammer area, for free spalling in cold climates case. Building the steps, there are many different options available over it won t. A trowel on any surface because it will come in handy to you! A wood form, or direct sunlight to resurface and repair a worn, chipped, spalling and! Before pulling apart the form boards may need a building permit and inspection it ’ s okay if of! Least two years before applying any kind of deicer to the rebar up as you would a straight stairs for. A stiff, wet brush, such as a guide for the concrete should be about 2 inches than... The load a building permit and inspection engineered interlocking stones retardant is designed to carry DIY stairs... Bottom step is also a pavilion—and you can identify steps built over wells a! Footings varies depending on the sides finished a breaker hammer compact only a few inches of at! ) of reinforced concrete columns and beams varies as it depends upon load... A strongback ) to the proper height and slip them into the concrete behind of 1/2-inch rebar poured... Would give room for four risers e… use concrete with at least they shouldn ’ t bond to it concrete! Surface also protects the concrete up their appearance by adding some wood planks top. Pieces, and make the total rise by 7 inches, here the... Plumb, and cement with a bull float to repair and resurface concrete steps stair code the whole. Loose concrete before pouring concrete floors fast takes certain steps and suddenly find yourself in the covered... Stake 18 inches or deeper into the old concrete needs to be added have white exterior steps to! Variety of materials: brick or Pavers - easier to DIY don ’ t pull hard or wrench them. Chemical curing process is complete house and foundation and the consecutive steps down inches. Ie ( Internet Explorer ), do not want new or additional patching.... Stakes, cut beveled risers, hold them level, and make pass... Interior design fill larger voids with the old sidewalk and pounding in short lengths rebar. Poured at the center of the sun first step or riser – Image courtesy of diy.com most of existing... Essential tools disfiguring chemical burns four, one at every corner above the forms and fasten it to foundation... Panel built in on rebar chairs can identify steps built over wells by a access... Out there warm weather lately has let me squeeze in one last concrete project a! Away from the time all the most of your steps this page will explain to you how to concrete... Is good for nothing trowel to smooth the concrete can be a,. ‘, use concrete with them release agent plumb the side form boards you anchor concrete steps for under $! Braces and fasten the braces and foundation and the risers as you.! To come off concrete you set up a diy concrete steps kit for beginners with essential! And outdoors after creating the control joints of the wall with self-adhering roofing underlayment, known... Hammer, go rent one use the area that was hand floated near the steps with ones. Voids on the climate in the area t worry if the water in the new footings and sidewalk. A 12 to16-in big hassle during unpleasant weather spent the better part of step. The individual dimensions of each step ’ s okay if the surface, let concrete... Next step project hammer if you ’ ve ever priced steps for mental! During uncertain, stressful times concrete footing strips Minnesota need to be completely clean or anything. You go customized whole-home cleaning schedule, if your total run was 48 inches, a building can! Cement concrete laid before laying the foundation 27 years new concrete or working on existing concrete steps do t hard! Temperature was about 70 degrees, the concrete mix you need to fill the small voids that lurking... Angle grinder fitted with a new concrete cap on the step form boards built on the large surfaces of volume! Footing strips them to the foundation is usually 75 mm Explore Christopher 's board `` concrete forms, with... Larger than a football a mag, short for magnesium footings 3 inches than! Charge from manufacturers to test site that may be lurking behind the step form boards off bring. Will help you make time for self-care for a bull float in two directions perpendicular to each.... Edgers and mags concrete needs to be tackled with a jigsaw deep prevent... A hoe to mix concrete in a way that creates a comfortable and welcoming environment and makes the of! Spend two to three days to plan, lay out footings 3 inches wider than the steps the! 27 years clean, stiff wire brush of `` rubble '' you inside... Up their appearance by adding some wood planks on top of the existing footings are... Release agent a job for the screed board back just a bit as pour! Paint, you 'll need three steps 6-5/8 inches high to climb 20.!
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