Adding a Concrete Step
Mr. C decided to add a concrete step leading to our backyard. Luckily, this past weekend our neighbors were gracious enough to help him do this. It made pouring the heavy concrete into the form much easier for him. We are so grateful for helpful and kind neighbors. Our backyard is now on it's way to looking great!
Off the back porch of our house, we had a twelve inch drop. It proved to be a dangerous place for visitors, especially young children whose legs were not quite long enough to scale the drop off. So, we decided to add step and only one was needed. We decided to make that step 6 inches which would be half the distance of the drop.
First, you have to build a frame. We wanted our step to be 108 1/2" long and 12" wide. We chose a width of 12" because that works best with our future plan for patio pavers. Since the step is supposed to be 6" tall, we used a 2 x 6 to create the frame. Our trusty friends at Home Depot cut the dimensions we needed. We had it cut into three pieces, one 108 1/2 inches long and two 14 inches. We did 14 inches to account for a complete 12 inches on both ends of the frame. When finished, the frame should look like this.
To attach the ends of the frame, drill three pilot holes and secure with screws.
Once the frame is built, place it over the area where you would like to pour the step. Begin mixing the concrete, following the instructions on the package. At this point, you have two options: (1) you can pour the concrete into the form over the grass, or (2) you can dig out the grass and pour the concrete onto leveled dirt. Whichever option you choose, use small pieces of wood, such as 1 x 2's to keep the frame firmly in place while pour.
After the concrete is poured, allow it to dry and your step is done.
Off the back porch of our house, we had a twelve inch drop. It proved to be a dangerous place for visitors, especially young children whose legs were not quite long enough to scale the drop off. So, we decided to add step and only one was needed. We decided to make that step 6 inches which would be half the distance of the drop.
First, you have to build a frame. We wanted our step to be 108 1/2" long and 12" wide. We chose a width of 12" because that works best with our future plan for patio pavers. Since the step is supposed to be 6" tall, we used a 2 x 6 to create the frame. Our trusty friends at Home Depot cut the dimensions we needed. We had it cut into three pieces, one 108 1/2 inches long and two 14 inches. We did 14 inches to account for a complete 12 inches on both ends of the frame. When finished, the frame should look like this.
To attach the ends of the frame, drill three pilot holes and secure with screws.
Once the frame is built, place it over the area where you would like to pour the step. Begin mixing the concrete, following the instructions on the package. At this point, you have two options: (1) you can pour the concrete into the form over the grass, or (2) you can dig out the grass and pour the concrete onto leveled dirt. Whichever option you choose, use small pieces of wood, such as 1 x 2's to keep the frame firmly in place while pour.
After the concrete is poured, allow it to dry and your step is done.
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