DIY Concrete Steps Build Finished! (For The Most Part)

I’ll go forward and present y’all of the steps as they’re proper now, and I’ll get these final remaining 5 pavers in place as we speak. We’ll faux like these final 5 pavers aren’t lacking, and we’ll name this completed for now. To be clear, the constructing course of is (virtually) completed, however this received’t be the completed look of the steps. I nonetheless have some sealing and tweaking that I need to do earlier than they’re completed completed. However that is what they appear like with the constructing course of (virtually) completed.

In that final put up about this challenge, I had solely constructed step one, which regarded like this. Once more, the entire particulars are within the put up linked simply above.

As a aspect notice, Tiger just isn’t a DIY cat. He doesn’t perceive the idea of watching from afar. 😀 Each time I’m outdoors engaged on one thing, he’s proper there, rubbing up in opposition to me, begging for scratches, headbutting my leg or arm, wanting to smell each product I open, strolling throughout my challenge, and so forth. He’s cute, however my goodness, he slows me down! 😀

However again to the challenge. Earlier than I constructed the subsequent two steps, I needed to resolve what to do to cowl or seal the uncovered OSB the place the siding had been eliminated. That siding was eliminated some time again when the plan was the construct wooden steps to match the entrance porch. I didn’t need to add siding, although, as a result of I didn’t need to add extra thickness the place these steps would sit in opposition to the home. As a substitute, I made a decision to make use of Semco waterproof membrane. This is similar product I used to waterproof our bathe earlier than tiling. It’s a product which you can actually use to seal swimming swimming pools earlier than filling them with water. So I made a decision this could be a terrific choice to seal the OSB with out including the thickness of siding.

This product is available in completely different colours, however this one goes on milky white and dries clear. I did three coats of it, and it’s such a terrific sealer and waterproofer that it even fills these cracks the place the OSB items meet.

Whereas that was drying, I reduce the retaining wall blocks for the subsequent step, after which acquired the perimeter blocks in place.

Earlier than placing the blocks in place, I measured 11 inches from the entrance of step one to find out the place to place these blocks, after which I used my plywood template to mark the curve in order that I’d remember to comply with the identical curve with this step as I did with step one.

Utilizing these retaining wall stones took a number of the guesswork out of the method. For the underside step, I used three full retaining wall blocks after which one mitered stone for both sides. For the second step, I used two full blocks and one mitered block. And for the highest step (which you’ll see later on this put up), I used one full block and one mitered block.

As soon as I acquired these perimeter blocks excellent, I adhered them to step one utilizing the identical Loctite PL500 polyurethane adhesive that I used all through this challenge.

After which I crammed within the house contained in the perimeter blocks with extra blocks, filling in with scraps from the reduce blocks the place I wanted them. Then I adhered these into place.

After which I adopted the identical steps I used for step one — filling within the voids with pea gravel to provide the concrete pavers a strong floor, after which adhering the concrete pavers into place.

After which I adopted that actual course of yet another time for the highest step. I measured again 11 inches from the entrance of the second step, used my plywood sample to hint the curve, after which positioned the perimeter blocks, the within blocks, the pea gravel, after which the concrete pavers.

I’m so upset that I used to be 5 pavers brief. I hoped to get this construct utterly completed by the point I went to mattress final night time, however that’s okay. A minimum of the majority of it’s completed, and I’m actually happy with how this turned out.

I snapped a number of photos final night time, in the dead of night, as a result of I used to be totally anticipating it to begin pouring down rain quickly after I went inside and I assumed the rain would make every little thing look messy. So I needed to get photos of the steps whereas every little thing was dry.

However in spite of everything of that wind, lighting, and thunder, It doesn’t appear like we acquired a single drop of rain aside from the sunshine sprinkles I felt on my arms for about two minutes whereas I used to be ending up final night time.

So I used to be additionally in a position to get photos this morning within the early morning daylight.

Like I discussed earlier than, even after I get these final 5 pavers on the highest step in place, these steps nonetheless aren’t utterly completed. I nonetheless have a few issues I need to do to take them to the subsequent stage. However earlier than I get to these steps, I’ll want an assurance that we’ll have a number of consecutive days with no risk of rain in any respect. It is perhaps per week or so earlier than we get to that time.

I’m actually so happy with how these have turned out to date, although. Let me remind you ways this aspect door has regarded for the previous couple of years with my scary cinder block steps. That is the image I took proper after our driveway was poured. All I had was three cinder blocks as a step down outdoors that door. Not solely did it not look good, however it wasn’t precisely protected, both.

And right here’s what I’ve now.

That is fairly the improve from cinder block steps!