Pouring Concrete Steps - Rebar?

[maverickone]

Just finished the shuttering for some steps I'm making in the garden. Its just a small flight measuring 1mtr wide x 70cm high. They consist of 3 steps with a 13" tread. MOT1 Base nice and solid.

Won't be pouring the concrete now until the spring but my question is do I need to add any rebar.

It's not cheap but is it essential for a small flight of steps such as these?

 

[noseall]

No need for rebar, no. Your biggest challenge will be future protection of the 'toe' edge of the step and getting a decent finish on the conc' surface. Are you intending cladding the treads in brick/slab and rendering the risers?

 

[^woody^]

My policy is to only specify re-bar for dams and bridges, not garden steps.

For the toe issue mentioned by noseall, if the concrete is exposed and will be walked on, use a finer and stronger mix for the top 30mm or so - "granno" or fine washed stone, and trowel and pat the surface hard to give it the strength it will need.

Again, if exposed, brush the surface with a bass broom after trowelling.

 

[maverickone]

Thanks for the replies lads. Have bought a trowel to give a rounded edge on the front edge of the steps and planning on doing a brush finish to the treads, wont be cladding them at all just pull the shuttering away and hope for a perfect finish lol. Got a feeling I will have to render the risers and sides.

 

[StephenOak]

just pull the shuttering away and hope for a perfect finish

I rebuilt some steps in my garden a bit more than three years ago, where the concrete is the riser and the front third to a quarter of the tread. I used plywood shuttering and coated it with concrete mould oil (from Travis Perkins) and everything came away fine.

I am far from an expert and I don't know if this was really necessary. I regarded it as insurance. The garden is very steep and the steps were over half way down. So all the materials had to be carried down and I wanted it to be okay at the first attempt.