Help With Installing Brick Steps

I would like to add brick steps to a house that I am having built and would like to do it myself but I need some assistance.

The house has a concrete porch that the brick steps will lead to.

I do not want to do complete brick steps I would like the riser part to be brick but the top and sides to be concrete.

I plan to make the footing pad wider than the steps so that I can add railings down both sides of the steps and then attach them to the concrete footing on each side of the steps.

My questions are;

If the mold is built as if you were doing concrete steps can the bricks be placed in to the mold and then pour the concrete on top of and behind the bricks ans then trowel to fill any gaps between the bricks. Do I have to do anything special to make sure that the bricks stay adhered to the concrete?

How do I attach the concrete part of the steps to the existing concrete porch?

What should the thickness of the footer be and how deep in the ground?

Thanks for any assisance

ChaseGiz

 

Much of what you can do, will depend on where you live and the local codes. Without the location, you can only get general answers.

The type of foundation will also control your options.

Your footing should be as deep as is required by the building codes and preferably as deep as your house foundation.

The preferred method would be to build the steps at the same time as the foundation is built, using the same footings. This insures continuity and eliminates settlement problems.

You can attach the steps to the house, but it would take a major effort with drilling, patching and epoxy.

One of the problems with attaching the steps to the foundation wall (and not the footing) is the effects of frost and settlement. Depending on the size of the step structure, you can put very large loads on the wall due to any settlement or frost heaving.

Often, the steps are built independantly on a well compacted base. If it is well compacted, settlement will be minimal and uniform.

I would suggest building the concrete portion of the steps, leaving an allowance for the brick, whever you want them. It will take planning. After the concrete is poured, you can lay the brick on the concrete. Trying to mix pouring concrete into and through brick will result poor concrete and a mess to clean up (if possible).

Dick

 

Thank you for the info.

The house has a full pre-cast basement and it is not possible to attach the steps to the footings since they are over 9 feet in the ground. The only part that is exposed is the pre-cast walls front of the porch.

Is there some way to bolt them together.

What about composite steps, would that be a better choice?

If I was to go ahead an do all brick steps would I have the same problem of them possible pulling away from the house if the foundation should settle.

Thanks for assistance

 

Since you have a precast basement system, you may not be able to attach the steps to the basement. Systems, like precast, are often designed "on the edge" and do not have the flexability and reserve of strength that conventional materials offer. You may or may not have footings under the panels.

By attaching to the foundation, you could be voiding all guarantees offered by the concrete panel suppliers and/or contractors. If you have a good system supplier, he should have WRITTEN directions on how to handle the attachments, loads and waterproofing details for the panels.

Independent steps can pull away from the house becasue of poor soil or poor preparation of the base material under the steps. This allows settlement of the oute portion and the top puls away. Integrally constructed steps do not have this problem.

If you set the steps on a soil base, make sure you have good soil down to the footings (not local "junk" soil or dirt) and a well compacted base under the steps. Also, make sure the bottom of the steps are well below the THROERETICAL frost depth. Lack of snow and exposure can alter the frost depth. The code is no guarantee the frost will not go deeper.

Good luck!!!

Dick