How to Make Stairs Outside
If you need a few stairs outside your home and they must be sturdy, strong and able to handle the elements, consider making concrete stairs. Once finished, they should last for years, requiring only occasional painting or staining to keep them attractive in your outdoor setting. This step-by-step guide shows you how to make your own concrete stairs. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Concrete
- Water
- 2 x 6s (or 2 x 8s) for creating your frames
- Nails
- Hammer
- Saw
- Concrete trowel
- Mixing tub
- Concrete stain or paint (optional)
Instructions
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Making Concrete, Outdoor Stairs
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1
Measure the complete height required for your steps and divide by the height of the desired step to determine the number of steps (i.e. levels) required. For example, if you need stairs to reach three feet in height and you want each step to rise six inches, divide 36 by six (converting feet to inches) for a total of six steps. In this case, you would need six concrete slabs stacked on top of each other.
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2
Prepare the ground. Clear out grass and other plants. Dig out the area for the base, bottom-most step/slab to a depth of four inches. Make sure the ground is level--so fill in any holes. NOTE: This first slab will be 10 inches in thickness--4 inches below ground and 6 inches above.
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3
Construct a frame around the base where you want your steps.
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4
Mix the concrete and fill in the frame to the desired depth. In the given example, that would be 10 inches for the base slab--6 of the inches above ground. Follow all instructions on the concrete bag for mixing and setting time.
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5
After the base step has completely hardened, remove the frame and cut the wood down to make the next sized step. NOTE: You are only cutting down the side lengths as the back and front of the step will be the same length as the base step.
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6
Construct the next frame on top of the base step, lining up the back and sides. Then mix and fill with concrete, as done in a previous step. Always allow each step to completely harden before proceeding to the next step.
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7
Repeat the above process--i.e. cutting down the side boards to make the next smallest slab, then filling with concrete. Repeat until you have the desired number of slabs.
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8
For the finishing touch, either paint or stain your concrete steps. If you opt for stain, use a sealant afterwards. Follow all directions on applying stain, paint and/or sealant to your finished steps.
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Tips & Warnings
Typically steps rise anywhere from 4 to 7 inches. Whatever height you use, try to make each slab the same height, as people can easily trip on irregular steps.
Be aware that the weight on the back of the stairs will accumulate with the number of slabs stacked on it. Make sure the ground is solid enough and capable of handling a lot of weight.
