No matter how beautiful your concrete steps may appear to be, it would be best to have them checked. They may become a chipped step or get worn out. Don’t worry as damages are inevitable since there is constant foot traffic.
Fortunately, using innovative, rapid-setting repair products or solutions that simplify and expedite concrete repairs, you can restore damaged steps and keep them looking like new for years to come.
This blog will be your ultimate guide on how to repair and replace your concrete steps!
Skip to Section
How to Repair Concrete Steps
Repairing concrete steps may require quick-setting cement, wire brush, margin trowel, hammer, a masonry chisel, shop vacuum, spray water, 5-gallon bucket, acrylic fortifier, liquid concrete, and asphalt cleaner.
Your concrete might also get stained, and discoloration would not harm you in any way. However, if any imperfections compromise the appearance of your stair, you may give the concrete a new look.
However, if structural repairs are needed, make sure to attend to it as soon as possible as it may pose a tripping hazard. You can fix this using a rapid set of cement, but it could also require more effort, significantly if badly damaged.
Follow these simple steps to repair your concrete!
Read More: How to Make Concrete Steps
Step 1: Prep the concrete
You should never skip this step as this is the most important. Start with cleaning the concrete with a broom, sweep the debris away! And then, you might want to use a wire brush when scrubbing it. After all the scrubbing, you will remove or chip away all the hanging pieces of concrete using a hammer and chisel.
Moreover, you can remove oil stains with a concrete cleaner. Further, you can use bleach to remove a mold and a zinc-based moss-killer (or kitchen detergent) to remove the moss.
Lastly, pressure wash the concrete. Make sure to control as too much pressure can cause more damage.
Step 2: Mix the concrete.
Before starting this step, make sure that you have prepared and cleaned your concrete steps well. In this step, you will mix the concrete with water. Mix them in a gallon bucket, make sure to add the recommended quantity of water. In this case, use a ratio of 4:1 for the concrete fortifier. Mix until peanut butter-like.
Step 3: Wet the surface
On this part, you will be spraying or damping over on the area that needs repair. Make sure to spray water only on the repair area, not on the entire surface.
Step 4: Fill the broken area
To begin, use the margin trowel to press concrete into the cracked area. At this point, your goal is just to increase the section’s bulk, not its overall shape.
Step 5: Sculpt the concrete fill.
Add extra concrete using the margin trowel while the mass fill is still wet and pat it in place. Use the trowel to carve off every corner or outer edge. Recycle any extra concrete by placing it back in the bucket where it came from. Lastly, make the concrete fill flush with the rest of the step by smoothing it out.
Tip: This portion requires a little more concrete than the rest of the project.
Step 6: Allow the concrete to cure
Use the spray bottle to moisten the concrete patch material and leave it that way for 24 hours. Before allowing any traffic on the steps again, be sure the patch has had time to cure completely. If someone steps on the surface, it may leave a mark.
How to Replace Concrete Steps
If you want to do the replacing by yourself, here are some steps you can follow:
Step 1: Remove the previous concrete steps
The first thing you will do is get rid of the old concrete steps with a pry bar and sledgehammer. It will become loose concrete steps to remove the pieces from the work area and clean the site where you will place the new steps.
Step 2: Measure the area for the new steps
After that, you will measure the area from the ground up. Measuring is essential because you want to know how many stairs there will be in your home. Make sure to order and arrange the delivery of those precast concrete steps that meet the specifications.
Step 3: Prep the base
Prepare your base once your new steps arrive. And then, prepare the soil by digging six inches down and leveling it. To provide drainage and a stable base to the precast base slabs for the stairs, fill the bottom with crushed stones to a depth of four inches.
Step 4: Lay the precast base slab.
After that, you are now ready to lay the precast base slab. Place it on top of crushed stones, and tamp it down using a concrete tamper. Moreover, you can prevent your stairs from tilting by using a carpenter’s level to ensure the concrete base is smooth and securely leveled. With that procedure, you’d be eliminating tripping hazards.
Step 5: Install the precast concrete steps
You should be able to place precast concrete steps flush against your walls under the existing door sill. Make sure they fit precisely under the door sill and rest on the precast concrete slab. A shallow set of steps of four or fewer steps should be possible for you.
Step 6: Level and seal the edges.
Lastly, level the top and bottom using a carpenter’s level. Make sure every step is steady.
Optionally, you can seal the edges of the concrete steps. In a big metal bucket, combine grout and water until porridge-like. Distribute grout along the steps’ vertical back border, as well as their base. A brickwork jointer will precisely complete all correct angles. Allow two days for the grout to harden.
Call a Professional
After a tiring day, you notice that your concrete steps require repair. You know how to do things, but you don’t have the time for it. Or maybe you don’t have enough materials for the job. Or you are not confident with your skills.
An ordinary person cannot do every repair job, so there is a specific professional for the job. Hiring the best and most trusted contractor in town guarantees a job well done. You won’t have to worry about the materials, expertise, and skills as they have all those.
Ask for a free estimate now.
