Step on the ****!

[Mattatooi]

I put side door back into my garage door last year after previous owner had blocked it up for some reason..

Untill now I have just had some loose bricks as a tempory step. So Now I am sorting my garden out and I need to address this step. Currently there is a concrete slab that looks completely on the ****!








So I have a load of bricks I was going to use to make couple steps. I also have 2 very large flagstones that were under my old oiltank, which I was thinking of using as the tops of each step. Not sure whats the best way here to get it all level. Not sure if one step or two will work. I will be laying some topsoil and then turf on top of this soil so it should come up a bit in height.

Anyone any advice as to whats best plan of action?

Thanks

 

[vinn]

As a safe min. your risers should be 175mm - 185mm and the treads approx. 250mm.
I presume that there is an in-situ roof sheltering the steps and doorway?
If not you will need a canopy of some sort.

Determine your dimensions & then dig out for a min 150mm concrete foundation and build up the steps from that platform.

 

[Mattatooi]

Its a side door on a garage. There is no canopy.

So are you saying I need to remove existing? Is there no way I can build on top to level it out?

 

[vinn]

I've suggested above how to do it properly.

Your door and frame are incorrectly installed, and will soon start to perish in that exposed position.

 

[Mattatooi]

You must have some garages. I have never in my life seen a canopy roof on a garage side door. How exactly is it incorrectly installed? Its just a single brick wall.

Want I want to work out is how this concrete slab is on the ****. Its obv been there for many years. But still not sure how it can be so badly out of whack. There are signs that there was bricks on top at one point as you can see cement on the top.

 

[geraldthehamster]

Is that slab cast in situ, or has it just been dropped onto the sloping ground? I wonder if it's the latter, going by the gap. How deep is it? If it's just a loose chunk of concrete you could probably do with starting again.

 

[Mattatooi]

I can only imagine its being cast and has sunk over the years. House built in 1975, not sure when Garage. But when we moved in, prev owner blocked up the side door for some bizarre reason. She did have a forrest in the back garden so maybe she wanted more bushes or something...

I can dig under at the sides and I get get it to move a bit in one go with my pick axe, but its much to heavy to move in one piece. Think I will have to break it up.

 

[nuzuki]

If you can get underneath the step and pry it out then id do so and start again.

If its firmly in place I would dig around the edge and add a concrete ring as level as you can get it at either ground level or very slightly below. Then using that existing step as a template add a course or two of bricks around the edge. You should be left with a void in the middle which you would fill with concrete till it is flush with the top of the bricks. Wait for that to go off then mix up some mortar and add your paving slabs to the top so they slightly overlap the edge. Then dry grout the paving slab join.

If you are doing a double step then its a case of doing one waiting for it to set then placing another on top (paying attentions to vinns numbers in his post above). You may need a grinder to cut the paving slabs though. If you can get away with one step then its less cutting.

 

[Mattatooi]

So I got at it today with some spare time. Manage to break it up with heavy chisel and hammer. It was just breezeblocks that looks like layed on a bed of cement.




Also middle back the cement was on top of "rubble" as couple of bricks stuck under it.




So now that thats out, whats best approach. Just lay a 6" bed of concrete and build from there? Whats the ratio for concrete for this?


Cheers