Steps

[gerryb]

My Victorian red brick terrace has had an extension and a set of steps added to the full width of the rear and im rebuilding them and would appreciate advice.

the steps are formed of Indian stone slabs laid (badly) on MOT and now very rotten wooden joists - which im replacing with blocks.

the top step is well below the air bricks on the extension.

the MOT is in contact with the exterior of the redbricks of the extension and those bricks are very wet.

Should i introduce some sort of DPC between bricks and MOT or even build in some sort of air gap/ cavity or is this not necessary?

thanks in advance for any thoughts or advice

 

[noseall]

My Victorian red brick terrace has had an extension and a set of steps added to the full width of the rear and im rebuilding them and would appreciate advice.

the steps are formed of Indian stone slabs laid (badly) on MOT and now very rotten wooden joists - which im replacing with blocks.

the top step is well below the air bricks on the extension.

the MOT is in contact with the exterior of the redbricks of the extension and those bricks are very wet.

Should i introduce some sort of DPC between bricks and MOT or even build in some sort of air gap/ cavity or is this not necessary?

thanks in advance for any thoughts or advice

Brick walls don't mind being wet, it's part of the deal for all sub-DPC and garden walling. If you can prevent a wall getting rained on, it does no harm to do so.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Anything waterproof is two-way. While trying to keep water out, it's very possible that you may be instead trapping water in. The rain may blow against the wall and run down it, your waterproof membrane would stop it getting away from the wall and draining away into the surrounding ground.

It's best to let it flow where it wants to. Just ensure that the surfaces are pitched away from walls, to direct the vast majority of rainfall away from the building.