How to Build Stairs using Concrete
If you are looking for a way to create a staircase look in your backyard, using concrete for the stairs can provide you with an answer that will last for years without decay. There are several ways to build stairs by using concrete, but the easiest way is detailed below.
The first thing you need to do to build stairs using concrete is to calculate the height of the stairs that you want to build and where they are leading to. If the “staircase” weight is not supported, it will fall and look horrible.
You need to realize that the concrete blocks or the wet concrete that you will pour is heavier than most materials that are used to make stairs, so be cautious when deciding upon your support materials.
Second, you should know how many stairs you will need for this project. If you believe that you can simply guess at how many you will need, you most likely will end up without enough stairs to complete the project.
Know the length of the stairs and where they will go before you buy them so that you can estimate how many you will need. A good rule of thumb here is to buy 10 percent more of what you need incase you measured incorrectly or some of them break.
Third, choose the type of tread that you will cover the concrete with. Because concrete can be slippery, the decision to cover it with a tread that will aid in a person’s traction up the stairs is a wise idea.
This will also help you when you are deciding what décor you would like the stairs to have because there are many designs in the tread department so one is certain to fit your decorating tastes. The lengths of these treads also vary from covering the middle of the concrete block to covering the entire block, if you need or want it to be covered.
Fourth, you will need to determine how steep of a slope you want the stairs to rise. If you have small children or older people living in the home with you, a steep slope would cause them great trouble when they attempted to climb the stairs.
If you have stairs in the home, using that slope could keep everyone in their comfort zones because they are already used to the slope that is inside the home, as opposed to having to adjust to a steeper or smaller slope in the backyard.
Remember that the concrete blocks themselves will give you a slope, so you will need to take that measurement into consideration when determining the slope of your stairs. Marking the spots will help you on the next step so that you do not have to guess where everything should go.
Fifth, when you have made all your calculations and know where everything should go, put the stairs into place. Build the stairs with the concrete blocks or mix as you have planned.
The last thing you will need to do to build stairs using concrete is to adjust when necessary. You may need to cut a block to make it fit into the hole that you have for it.
You may also need a bit of wet cement to fill in any holes in the blocks themselves. Do not plan on the tread to do this, as the hole can get bigger and cause an accident.
