Extending Porch Step. New Concrete over old. Should I split it up? Pictures.

Hi,

I am extending the first step outward because I need to regrade my driveway away from the house. Instead of making an extra step, which is not allowed because of the 6 inch minimum, I thought I could extend the bottom step out to where the lowest concrete is. (See pictures).

Now, I was planning on pouring over it and installing anchors and rebar in both the step as well as the other concrete slab. However, I read somewhere that:

1) I should make sure not to attach the concrete to the bottom slab as this would induce cracking when something moved.

2) I should maintain the split between the steps and the concrete slab

this slab has been here for 30 years and I do not believe it has moved much. Do I still need to maintain that joint (There is nothing in the joint... there was some sand but I blasted it out.

What do you guys suggest? Use the anchors everywhere? Maintain the split?




Happy 4th of July!

 

How about a picture of the entire stoop? What are the measurements of the risers & treads? How much do you want to extend the bottom tread?

 

The steps are 7 1/2 inch high. I want to extend the bottom step over the whole slap depicted in the picture. That slab measures 34.5*99.5 inch.

My main questions are.

1) Do I need to form it so the break that is already showing remains there (break between that small slab and the steps.

2) If I do not have to keep that break, can i put anchors in the steps (horizontal anchor) and the slab (vertical anchor) to keep it attached to everything.

3) since the poor will extend the bottom step, do i need to poor it over that step also or just run it against it. If I run it against it it will not overlap obviously. Do i then just resurface? Otherwise I think there might be a vertical crack where the first step now ends.

The reason I am doing this is because the water is pooling there as of now. this is part of bringing up the ground around the porch so that the water flows away.

 

I would keep the break. It was probably put there for expansion. The reason that I asked for a picture of the entire stoop was to see if there was enough room on the top to add a step on the bottom by raising the others.

 

I do not think I want to do that because it would make the project a lot harder.

Pouring the new steps and keeping the joint will make this a lot harder also.

Now i will have a slab on a slab and then another 7.5*7.5*80 inch block lying between the first step and a new slab.

 

If you pour a new step, the joint can be changed. It doesn't have to be in the same spot.