How to Build Concrete Steps Outside

Please note: Building concrete steps is not a good starter project for a concrete newbie. If you're not solid with concrete, have a professional build them for you.

The nice thing about building concrete steps is that they fit-in nearly anywhere, will go with any decor, and may actually increase the value of your property as they offer some curb appeal for it.

By the way, did you know that you can get prefabricated concrete steps instead of pouring porch steps on your own? Prefab concrete steps are low in cost and of very high quality.

Ok, let's get back to how to build concrete steps by pouring them.

Tools & Materials for Building Concrete Steps

• Hand tools, rakes, shovels, and perhaps an old broom or two
• Level, ruler, hammer, saw, tape ruler, saw, hammer
• wheelbarrow or portable concrete mixer, mixer trowels
• Sand or gravel
• Double headed nails
• Plywood
• Some type of oil
• Lumber for forms and stakes

Getting Started

The next thing is to get rid of your old steps.

Make sure that you're also wearing or using the right safety gear when you do this.

With concrete work, you do want to wear gloves if you can work with them and don't expose your skin to the concrete for long periods of time.

How to Layout Concrete Stairs

Depending on what you're looking for, you will want to pre-design three different aspects before building concrete steps.

You want to keep the height of all steps uniform, and depth, or the wideness of the step should also be the same, and there should be at least three feet of steps in place before you arrive at a landing area.

Once you have that laid out in your head, you're ready to design and to prepare the base area of your concrete steps.

Site Prep

Go below the surface by about 6 extra inches and then using sand or gravel, give yourself about four or five inches of surface to work with.

The idea of this is that you're going to get a relatively level surface that is hard but flexible and with no extra debris around it.

Build Step Forms

Cut it according to the dimensions you specified in your design for how to build concrete steps for this area.

Drive in stakes that will allow only a half inch between the sides of your steps and the stake. That leaves you room for the form.

Nail the side forms to your stakes. Brace the stakes.

Coat the form with oil so that it will release from the concrete that will be poured.

How to Pour and Finish Concrete Steps

Then comes the part of the process called floating or striking off. Once the form is all the way full of concrete you'll take a board and draw it backwards and forwards across the top of the concrete. Using it like a saw smooths the top of the concrete surface.

Level off the ridges and make sure that you have no open areas.

Curing Concrete Steps Correctly

You can do that by covering the steps with burlap wetting the burlap, or you can tightly cover the concrete using plastic.

Moreover, spray your steps with curing compound. This task is essential in order to keep the relative humidity of the concrete above 80% so that curing does not cease.

You will need to permit your concrete to cure for about seven days before exposing it to traffic.

In about one month the concrete stairs will be near peak strength and you can stain or dye them, but up until that time it's best that you wait.

Armed with these tips on how to build concrete steps, some concrete pouring and finishing practice and the proper tools, you can build concrete steps like an expert in no time.

How To Build Concrete Steps Further Reading

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