Hey friends. Today I’m sharing the process of how to build a deck over concrete steps. I hope this helps you with your own project and be sure to use our #DIHProject hashtag so we can see what you have going on in your space
Remove any old decking or steps, and clean the surface of the landing.
Removing any old decking or steps, and cleaning the surface of the landing is an essential first step. Make sure that your landing is level and free of debris, mold and mildew.
Assemble your new stairs by screwing treads onto stringers.
- Assemble your new stairs by screwing treads onto stringers.
- Use a power drill to make this easier, and use a screwdriver bit if you don’t have access to a power drill.
- Make sure the treads are level by using a level or measuring tool as you go along, and then check them again after every 2 or 3 steps when you’re done with one side of the staircase and move on to the other side, being sure that all sides are even before moving on!
Cut 2x6s for the stair skirt, making sure to cut a notch for the skirt board to rest in.
Cut 2x6s for the stair skirt, making sure to cut a notch for the skirt board to rest in.
- Cut the 2x6s to length and use a circular saw to cut them.
- Use a jigsaw to cut the notch.
Secure the 2x6s using 3-inch construction screws.
- Using a drill bit that is the same size as the screw will ensure you don’t damage your 2X6s with a protruding head.
- Using a drill bit that’s slightly bigger than the screw will allow for some wiggle room in case your screws aren’t perfectly aligned with each other or if you’re not able to completely penetrate one of your 2X6s.
- Using a drill bit that’s slightly smaller than the screw will make it easier to get into crevices and corners, but can also result in misalignment and splitting of wood fibers if done too close to an edge (which can be avoided by using countersink bits).
You may choose to use all three methods depending on how detailed your steps are or how much visibility you want between boards—just remember never use anything sharper than what’s recommended by its manufacturer.
Cut 6×6 posts to length, remembering to account for the stairs rising 38 inches above the landing.
- Use a laser level to ensure the post is plumb and level in all directions. If you don’t have a laser level, you can use a string line to mark the post location or just eyeball it by lining up the edge of your 4×4 with the side of your 6×6 post and making sure they’re straight.
- Drill holes through your concrete using a spade bit (a round-pointed bit). The size of these holes should match the diameter of your lag screws that will join each plank with its neighbors as well as supporting posts for stairs or railings later on down the road. You’ll need about seven holes per board foot of aggregate, so if your walkway is 100 square feet (50 square meters), for example, then you’ll need about 35 holes total—10 per board foot—with one extra hole per board foot at both ends where there’s no overhang from planks because otherwise those planks could be unstable and collapse under their own weight if unsupported by anything else (like another plank).
- After drilling all necessary screw locations into concrete slabs [and] posts], remove any excess bits leftover from drilling procedure using rotary tool with grinding head attachment or wire brush attachment until smooth surface results; then apply sealer/primer coat over entire area before proceeding further work steps below:
Attach each post to the side of the stairs with joist hangers, then nail them in place.
You will need:
- a screwdriver
- a drill and bit that’s large enough for your screws, but not so large it will split the wood
- a hammer or mallet
- joist hangers (the kind you use when attaching posts to beams)
Add another row of joist hangers to strengthen the posts and create a base for your deck floorboards.
Add another row of joist hangers to strengthen the posts and create a base for your deck floorboards.
Use a chalk line to mark a straight line across all of the joists where you want your decking boards to end. Use joist hangers that are appropriate for concrete, like these ones from Home Depot, and follow their directions on how deep they should be set into the wood (it’s usually around 3/8″).
Use a chalk line to mark a straight line across all of the joists where you want your decking boards to end.
Measure the distance between the outside edge of your decking board and the inside edge of each joist where you want them to end. Use a chalk line to mark the end of these boards on all of those joists at once, making sure they’re straight with one another. Don’t mark inside any joists—this will only confuse you later when it’s time to cut lengthwise through them all
Building over concrete steps can be a tough challenge, but I’ve got some suggestions that will help
The first step is to remove any old decking or steps, and clean the surface of the landing. Next, assemble your new stairs by screwing treads onto stringers.
Next, cut 2x6s for the stair skirt, making sure to cut a notch for the skirt board to rest in. Secure your 2x6s using 3-inch construction screws.
Cut 6×6 posts to length; remember that you want them long enough so that they stick out beyond where your stairs will be going (38 inches above where they’ll be sitting on the landing). Attach each post to the side of your steps with joist hangers before nailing them securely into place.
Conclusion
Building over concrete steps is hard enough, but the job can be made much more difficult if you try to do it with just one person. Remember that you’re not only building a new deck, but also taking down an old one and trying to stabilize an existing structure. This means there’s a lot of heavy lifting involved, so don’t hesitate to ask for help! You might even want to hire someone to help out if it’s within your budget. Finally, remember that this type of project takes a lot of time. If you try to rush through any part of the process or skip steps (pun intended), you could end up damaging both your new deck and your home’s foundation—which would cost more than hiring professional help in the first place! Just take it slow and steady, and make sure everything gets done right before moving on.