Creating cement stairs is a great DIY project that doesn’t require much specialized knowledge. In fact, it is almost entirely manual work, which means it is easily repeatable on a mass scale. This DIY guide will help you build durable steps with minimal outlay of money and time. Building a cement stairway is both time-consuming and expensive. Building Cement Stairs shows you how to build a cement stair without having to hire a contractor, how to make the most of your money and materials, and how to make sure that every step is level and safe.
If you’re building your own set of stairs, it’s important to follow the directions and make certain safety considerations. These include choosing the right materials, determining a safe step height and finding sufficient space for the steps to land and turn. Concrete can be used as a strong material for building indoor or outdoor stairs because it is not flammable, easy to maintain and durable if mixed properly. Here’s how you build them:
Measure the height of your stairs.
Measure the height of your stairs.
Measure the height of your stairs at the top and bottom, as well as for every step. The total width should be twice that measurement, plus 1/8 inch extra space on each side. For example, if you have a 7-foot staircase (the distance from one floor to another), it will be 11 feet wide by 12 inches high for each step or 4 feet wide by 6 inches high per tread.
Calculate the number of steps needed to safely reach the designated height.
You’ll need to calculate the number of steps needed to safely reach the designated height. This is a simple equation; you want each step to be one-third of your own height. That way, if you’re 6 feet tall and your stairs are 10 inches high, that means you’ll need 20 steps down (6 divided by 3 = 2) and then 22 steps up (20 plus 2).
You’ll also want to make sure that there’s no chance of bumping into the wall while climbing up or down the stairs should have at least 40 inches of width in total so people can walk comfortably without having to move closer together than they would normally do in public spaces like offices or restaurants. The last thing anyone wants is an awkward moment while entering or exiting through a doorway! Finally, keep in mind how steeply pitched these will be: if they’re too shallow or flat-topped then users might trip on them regularly; however if too steep then users may fall off altogether.
Pour 4 inches of gravel into a concrete form to act as a base for your cement.
Before you can begin pouring cement to create your stairway, you’ll need to create a base for your stairs. You can do this by placing 4 inches of gravel in the form and leveling it with a rake. The gravel will act as an anchor for the cement, preventing it from sticking to the form and making it easier to remove once you’re finished building your staircase.
Gravel is also much easier and cheaper than concrete when it comes time to clean up after construction or repair work has been completed on a structure that may have contained asbestos-containing materials such as insulation or other contaminants like lead paint.
Form your stairs using 2-by-12 wood as building guides on each side of the cement.
The most important thing is to make sure that your stairs are level and straight. You can use a level or a straight edge to check for this.
- To form the steps of your stairs, use 2-by-12 wood as building guides on each side of the cement. Make sure they’re level, straight and parallel before continuing with the next step.
Set up a cement mixer or wheelbarrow and mix your cement in small quantities, adding enough water for it to flow.
Now you’re ready to start building your stairs. Before you begin, make sure that the area is clean and free of debris, then set up a cement mixer or wheelbarrow nearby. Mix up a batch of concrete in small quantities, adding just enough water for it to flow easily; this will ensure that you don’t end up with extra-sloppy concrete that’s hard to work with. If you’re using a wheelbarrow or mixer, carefully transfer the mixture into forms made out of metal mesh wire (available at most hardware stores). If possible, make sure these forms are slightly larger than how wide your finished steps will be–this way they’ll be wider than necessary but still allow room for expansion when drying.
Pour the cement into the form and make sure it is level by holding a level against the wood forming guides.
- Pour the cement into the form and make sure it is level by holding a level against the wood forming guides.
- Do not pour too much at once, as this will cause the cement to spill over your form and may cause you to lose some of your work.
- Do not mix the cement for too long, as it will begin to harden in your mixing container quickly and become impossible to work with if you’re trying to add water or more cement later on.
- Do not mix the cement for too little time either, since this can result in uneven mixture throughout each layer of bricks or stones being laid out during construction (you’ll need even layers so they don’t end up catching on one another).
Cover each step with plastic sheets and mist with water if you want them to cure slowly and more completely.
If you want your stairs to cure slowly and more completely, cover each step with plastic sheets and mist with water.
Plastic sheeting will keep the cement from drying out too quickly as it dries. It also helps prevent the cement from drying out too quickly.
The plastic sheeting will keep the cement from drying out too quickly.
Build your own concrete steps to save money.
If you have a small deck, or need to build a few steps for an existing deck, the cost of hiring a contractor can be steep.
Instead of hiring someone else to do the work for you, consider doing it yourself. You’ll save time and money.
A DIY concrete step project isn’t as complicated as many people think; in fact, with the right tools and materials on hand, building your own concrete steps is relatively easy.
Final words
Building your own concrete steps is a great way to save money. The DIY homeowner can complete this job in just one or two days, saving hundreds of dollars on labor costs not to mention the pride of having done it yourself. Now that you have some idea how to build cement stairs, you’ll be able to create a sturdy, long-lasting set of stairs at an affordable price.
