While building concrete steps can be a challenging project it is usually one of those project you will be glad you did. It is important to do the job of building concrete steps correctly. Anyone who has struggled to climb steps that were uneven or cracked can attest to that.

The following instructions are a beginning guide for building concrete porch steps, which is a good project for a beginner. The first thing you need to do is determine the building codes for your area that relate to entry steps. Each city or town has rules which need to follow. Some areas will also regulate the use of handrails with entry steps.

When looking at required dimensions it helps to know that risers are the vertical front of the step while the tread is the horizontal surface. You want to figure out the total rise and run for your new entry steps. The rise is the distance between the ground on the bottom and the edge of the porch on the top. The run is the horizontal length from the foundation to the area where the first step will begin.

Usually a step riser will be around 7.25 inches high. You can determine how many steps you will need if you divide your total rise by this number. Most often you will see treads that are around eleven inches in width. By multiplying your tread width by the total number of steps you will know you far from the house the steps will protrude. You will need to know these measurements to lay the gravel and concrete footings.

You will need to check your local building code to learn the required depth for footings in your area. You will then need to build forms for the stairs using plywood guided by your previous measurements. Place the forms on top of the footings ensuring that they are level. Use stakes to hold them in place.

Always start with your bottom step when it comes to pouring your concrete. The concrete should be mixed per the manufacturer

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