fix front steps

[Silvan]

Hi all.

My front step and stairs leading down from it are needing repaired. They are 50 ish years old and the cement (if that is what it is) has dissolved and many of the bricks are loose. The whole thing is solid enough just now, it doesn't wobble, but needs work to keep it that way.

I was thinking of starting at the bottom and working my way up? I would remove loose bricks, clean up the bricks and area, then lay the bricks on a layer of cement. I'd let that dry, then push in another layer of cement between the top of the brick and the step above and let that dry. And continue doing that as I worked my way to the top. Does that sound reasonable?

Would appreciate and tips or tricks that might help.

Silvan

 

[endecotp]

I guess the question is, what would the top step (platform) do if you removed the lower steps? How well supported is it on the other sides and in the middle?

 

[ree]

OP,
Carry on with your proposal it will work fine - slow & steady, cleaning up as you go. A 3:1 sand & cement mix.

 

[Silvan]

Half way through the job and I could do with a bit of help.

I have done the bottom step. The middle two bricks on the next step have been fixed in place using the repair mortar on the underside of the bricks. I now need to fill the gap between them and the underside of the step above. But that gap is about 35mm. What should I fill it with, is it too big for the repair mortar? Photos below show what I have on hand to do the job.

I also have some unused bathroom tiles, maybe they could fill the gap somehow?

 

[endecotp]

I would have tried to get equal mortar beds above and below.

 

[robinbanks]

Take out the two low bricks and put some more mortar under them to bed them up to be level with the side bricks, then proceed as you would. If the mortar is too sloppy it would probably be easier to just add some more dry component to it to make it stiffer, but you can put a thin layer, then a tile, then a thin layer if you want. Set the tile back a bit so you can cover its edge with mortar when neatening the job up.