Steps
What are the important elements of concrete steps? Structurally speaking a good set of steps will have rebar reinforcement running continuously through them. Rebar is the backbone of any concrete structure and steps are no exception. The forms should be well braced and step face forms should be secure but removable for finish work. In most cases all the form boards will be removed to allow for the final finish. This has to be done at the right time and carefully as not to damage the integrity or shape of the concrete. It has to be hard enough to stand up but still soft enough to trowel and texture. Sometimes design restrictions require the forms to remain throughout the curing process. In these situations it is very important to use clean forms and make sure the concrete is thoroughly consolidated.
Design work involves laying out the steps and placing just enough slope on the treads so that water doesn’t puddle. The steps should be equal and the rise should be no more than 7 ¼” per tread. We usually stay with dimension lumber for step boards ranging from 3 1/2” to a 7 1/4”. The rise per step will vary with the overall rise from the lower to the higher levels. Sometimes this means that the dimension lumber has to be ripped down to another size to keep the steps even. This is especially true if the landing level and upper level are set and can’t be changed.
The last element is finish quality. Finishing refers to the smoothing, shaping and texturing of the still wet cement paste. All the form and steel work can be perfect but the real beauty comes from the skill level of the concrete finishers.