A beautiful porch and staircase are an integral part of a country house, and many private house owners are interested in how to make beautiful and tidy concrete stair steps themselves.
Stair flights from concrete serve not one year and do not require repair, therefore many choose for themselves concrete products.
Concrete is a very strong material, its products are durable and expressive.
Manufacture of concrete steps with their own hands can save not only money, but also time, it is important only to understand how the whole process is going on.
Making steps with your own hands on the photo.
Contents:
- Features of
- concrete stairs We select the suitable
- design Future product planning
- Construction of
- steps Finishing of the concrete ladder
- How to repair concrete steps?
Features of concrete stairs
Concrete is used for stairs both inside the building and for outdoor products. Reasons for choosing concrete staircases:
Monolithic concrete products, even after many years of use, are not loosened from the constant moving load, and repairs are very rarely required.
During the use of the stairs you will not be threatened with unpleasant creaking sounds, even if you decide to trim the whole structure with a tree.
Concrete structures can be of any size and shape, from the simplest march to the most complex helical configuration.
The cladding of concrete steps can be very diverse.
Video:
Specialists trim concrete with tiles, wood, artificial stone using overhead steps.
The risk of ignition of a concrete structure is minimal.
Staircase products are monolithic or type-setting, when overhead steps are installed on the strings.
The set variants do not have risers, so they will be easier both technically and visually, but this design is undesirable to be installed above the family resting place, since the staircase will have gaps.
If you decide to make a concrete product with your own hands, it should be borne in mind that a concrete ladder can be made only at the construction site in its process.
Choosing a suitable design
The process of manufacturing steps of concrete specialists are divided into several stages. First of all, the formwork of the entire concrete structure is assembled.
Then lay the reinforcement and connect it with each other. Lastly, the frame is poured with concrete.
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Formwork collection is the most difficult stage of work, especially if you have a complex shape product.
The easiest way to make a formwork for a single-staircase ladder of simple shape, which is located between two parallel walls.
To make the design of a simple flight staircase more interesting, the bottom step can be made round in shape.
If the single-ladder ladder adjoins the wall only on one side, then the end part of the formwork is made for it and placed on the supports.
The hardest thing to do is formwork for a two-mast ladder that does not fit its sides to the walls.
However, if you measure out all dimensions correctly and calculate everything, the concrete product will turn out to be beautiful and strong, and finishing with tiles or stone will give it uniqueness.
Various designs of concrete products in the photo.
Photo:
Planning a future product
As with any construction, the manufacture of concrete steps starts with calculations and a detailed plan.
Dimensions of the ladder in width should be 80-90 cm, the width of the stage itself - 29-30 cm, and height - 17 cm. A convenient angle of inclination of the ladder from 30 to 45 degrees.
The project should also include data on fencing, various details, number of spans, type of construction.
The weight of future products can be from 1.5 to 2.5 tons, based on what will be the design.
Therefore, the foundation of steps must be carefully thought out. Most often, the foundation of the staircase is the foundation and reinforced concrete beams.
If you plan to install the steps on the screed on the ground, then it should also be sealed so that the pressure of the steps is not more than 1 kg per square centimeter.
It should also take into account the size of the decorative finish, which often also has considerable weight.
Optimum ladder diagram and angle of inclination in the photo.
Construction of steps
If you decide to make concrete steps with your own hands, you will need to work:
- board or waterproof plywood for step sizes;
- building beam for supports;
- narrow boards or plywood up to 9 mm for the formation of indirect shapes.
Of the building materials you will need:
- cement grade 500;
- sand;
- fine and medium gravel;
- rebar.
First prepare the surface, align it and make a markup. By marking, choose the soil to a depth of 25-30 cm or more, pour a sand pillow and ram it.
Formwork must be made so that it is one-piece, without crevices and gaps. Connect the formwork parts with self-tapping screws, and the ends can be reinforced with corners of steel.
When the mold is ready, rods of reinforcement are laid inside it, which are joined together by welding or viscous wire.
For pouring use both finished cement mixtures, and made by own hands. Begin to pour the ladder with concrete from the bottom step, taking breaks to dry.
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When pouring concrete, make sure that the solution does not tear the formwork with its pressure. Another important point is the vibration of concrete.
If you ignore this procedure, the steps can turn out to be curves, have different defects, small and large holes due to air balls.
Specialists do this with a deep vibrator, but if you make a ladder with your own hands, use a fitting or a pin.
Finishing the concrete ladder
When the concrete solidifies and the formwork is removed, the question is how to finish the product?
The method of finishing depends primarily on where the staircase will be located - on the street or in the house, on its shape, and also on your personal preferences.
Finishing steps with overlaid elements in the photo.
If the staircase is located in the house, one of the simplest ways of finishing is laminate. Choose wear-resistant panels.
Laminate is attached to the ladder using a metal guide.
Likewise, ready-made wooden overhead steps are also used, but do not use a metal profile.
Laminate and overhead wooden steps make the staircase not only more beautiful and refined, but also protect the steps from abrasion.
Decor is also used with concrete overhead steps, as well as overhead steps made of stone, marble, granite.
Such overhead elements will give a boring concrete staircase a twist and will make the brightest detail of both interior and exterior decoration of your house.
Decorating with ceramic tiles is another most common form of decor of concrete steps both inside the house and on the street.
Tile finishing requires the implementation of a number of rules, so that the work is of high quality and reliable.
First of all, before finishing with tiles, it is necessary to clean the steps well of plaque, dust and dirt, washing them with water with a brush.
If the ladder has already been used before, then degrease it by adding any detergent to the water.
When decorating with tiles, place the finishing material on the steps to determine which tile needs to be trimmed and trimmed.
When the tile is adjusted, the surface is primed and dried for several hours.
The adhesive is applied to the tile and to the surface of the step so that the joint is complete. At the edge of the steps attach a profile of metal, which is inserted into the edges of the tile.
This profile performs not only a decorative function, but also prevents slipping.
Tile finishing on the photo.
How to repair concrete steps?
Despite the fact that concrete is a very strong and hardy material, over the edge of the steps, chips and cracks can form, especially on street steps.
In this case it is necessary to repair the steps.
Repair of concrete stairs - the work is not difficult. To repair concrete products, in the first place, you will need a drill and a drill bit for concrete.
Begin the repair by making several holes in the cleave and inserting the screws of the desired diameter.
It is better to make holes at different angles, and screw the screws as deep as possible.
Continue to repair the construction of the formwork of straight boards, which secure very tightly.
Before pouring the mold with concrete, it is moistened with water so that the moisture from the solution does not go into the wood.
Now pour the formwork with mortar, tamp the mixture to get out the excess air and leave to dry.
When the solution dries, remove the molds and, if necessary, rub the irregularities with a spatula or a metal brush.
Repair of concrete steps with your hands on the photo.
