Garden steps

[Borr 6,934]

Looking to build a permanent concrete slab block type steps in the garden , will eventually tie in to a patio lower than the current decking , any pointers or tutorial links from those that do a bit Tia....

 

[Stavross 16,779]

Frame them out like this to the depth you want them, don’t use postcrete like this tw*t, mix concrete and pour them all as one lump also make your steps deeper than this tw*t because what he has done will just break up, it was just the quickest video I could find to give you the gist of it 

[Borr 6,934]

3 minutes ago, Stavross said:

Frame them out like this to the depth you want them, don’t use postcrete like this tw*t, mix concrete and pour them all as one lump also make your steps deeper than this tw*t because what he has done will just break up, it was just the quickest video I could find to give you the gist of it 

Cheers appreciated 

[Borr 6,934]

Looks like a decent mixer will be next on the list then....

[Borr 6,934]

11 minutes ago, Stavross said:

Frame them out like this to the depth you want them, don’t use postcrete like this tw*t, mix concrete and pour them all as one lump also make your steps deeper than this tw*t because what he has done will just break up, it was just the quickest video I could find to give you the gist of it 

I guess if I make then wide enough I could add a small wall either side too

[Stavross 16,779]

A good thing to use is old scaffolding boards or old roof joists, I’ve just watched that video back and he puts his stakes on the inside of the step, don’t do that, put them on the outside, I probably couldn’t have put a worse video up of how not to do concrete steps 

another quick tip is once your concrete is in your forms tap the side of the timber with a hammer, it will give you a smooth finish once you remove the timber 

[Borr 6,934]

49 minutes ago, Stavross said:

A good thing to use is old scaffolding boards or old roof joists, I’ve just watched that video back and he puts his stakes on the inside of the step, don’t do that, put them on the outside, I probably couldn’t have put a worse video up of how not to do concrete steps 

another quick tip is once your concrete is in your forms tap the side of the timber with a hammer, it will give you a smooth finish once you remove the timber 

Picking some boards tomorrow at least enough to get stringers in a rough frame, not sure if I'll get a mixer this week , there's a few jobs to do with it , probably get a decent size electric one?....

[Stavross 16,779]

Have a look for a Belle 150, there’s loads of second hand ones for sale for between £100 and £200, you can fill them unlike the cheap ones 

[gnipper 6,626]

Would you not run some reinforcing mesh underneath it? 

[Stavross 16,779]

If you have some mesh or rebar put it in but if they are only a smalll step you’d be ok without it, if you were doing big steps or high traffic I’d definitely put lengths of rebar along the bottom, full length of the steps 

[Borr 6,934]

Well after a measure and a bit of a realisation of cost , I'm eventually looking to tier the back garden , get rid of the vast decking area, comfortably get another year or so out of deck so I could start lower tier footings, wall and steps , I've done a rough sketch , also lowest point was dug out by digger by previous owner so should be straight on firm ground minus turf .... Gonna be a steep learning curve I think...

[Welsh_red 4,831]

On 07/04/2025 at 19:42, Stavross said:

another quick tip is once your concrete is in your forms tap the side of the timber with a hammer, it will give you a smooth finish once you remove the timber 

Or run a orbital sander all along the outside of the shuttering.  That should do the trick 

Company I used to work for had one of those concrete vibrators for our underpinning and it was great at completing the concrete.  Might be able to hire on somewhere 

 

[Welsh_red 4,831]

As sad as I am I used to watch lots of these guys videos.  Some of the work they do with concrete is very impressive 

 

 

[mushroom 13,525]

On 07/04/2025 at 20:19, Borr said:

Looks like a decent mixer will be next on the list then....

Just borrow or hire one mate. Lay the frame out and it’ll take a morning to mix and pour. Don’t leave the finish too smooth or you’ll neck yourself when it rains  

Personally, I’d just go with a decking style steps. Easier and probably look better imo  

[Welsh_red 4,831]

9 minutes ago, mushroom said:

Just borrow or hire one mate. Lay the frame out and it’ll take a morning to mix and pour. Don’t leave the finish too smooth or you’ll neck yourself when it rains  

Personally, I’d just go with a decking style steps. Easier and probably look better imo  

Yeah definitely hire or borrow a mixer . Price on them these days is crazy