Stepping out
Yesterday, the big project was to replace the crumbling concrete steps to the front porch. They were in bad shape when we moved in, but the last freeze/thaw cycle (i.e., winter/spring) and the act of scraping snow off them really made them worse. I'd hoped to just clean them up and cover them with the kind of super concrete patches often used in restoring old houses (primarily sold by http://www.abatron.com/, who are conveniently within driving distance), but after I removed the loose material there really wasn't much left of the bottom steps.
Fortunately, my father-in-law has experience building several sets of wooden steps, and kindly agreed to drive down and guide me through the process. I also spent a lot of time researching my books and the internet to find the best materials and instructions so I'd have an idea what to buy and how to do it. Those of you who want to read all the details in the process may find some good ideas for your own steps. Otherwise, just looking at the pictures will give you some of idea of how we did it...
Perhaps the best website I used for research was:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/woodworking/4224738
We looked at the steps on Memorial Day, and I wrote down what sizes of board we'd need. Then, on Friday, I went to Home Depot and purchased them, plus whatever else my research led me to believe might come in handy. I bought:
- galvanized exterior screws, for joining wood to wood (Primeguard Ten; 1-5/8")
- galvanized exterior deck nails, just in case (8d 2-1/2"; which we didn't use)
- high corrosion resistant lag screws, for joining the ledger board to the house (1/2" x 5" Spax lags, with built-in washers and a 5/8" head)
- four L-angle decking brackets (for connecting the stringers to the ledger board and bottom riser)
- a box of Simpson Strong-Tie structural-connector screws (#9 x 1-1/2", for the L-angles)
- two tubes of PL Premium polyurethane construction advesive, for extra joining of wood to wood before putting in the screws (though we didn't use them, since I forgot about them until after we were finished...)
- a can of weatherproofing wood sealant, for treating the ends of the wood we cut or ripped (i.e., cut lengthways)
- a variety of pressure/weather-treated wood, specifically:
= one 8' 2x12, cut in half for the side stringers
= two 6' 1x8, cut down to make the top two risers
= one 6' 2x8, cut down to make the bottom riser
= one piece which I think was an 8' 1x2, cut down to make the ledger board
- cedar boards for the treads
= ten 8' 5/4x1 (the plans only called for nine, but bought one extra just in case, and we did use it).
I also picked up a couple of pavers and a bag of leveling sand, because even though the stringers and bottom riser were treated, and so technically could rest on the bare ground, I wanted them to have a sturdier base. I installed those first, though the one of the left had to be raised later because the ground wasn't level.
For the steps, the first thing was to install the thin ledger board piece that would fit in between the top of the concrete steps and the bottom of the overhang from the porch. We used three of the lag screws and the 1x2, cut down to fit. If the concrete hadn't been there, the ledger board would have been much bigger, like a 2x4 or 2x6. Still, the heavy duty lag screws and structural connectors make what little space we had work for us.
Next we needed to calculate the appropriate cuts for the stringer. Since we were trying to work around the concrete, it was important that we not make any mistakes or we'd have to drive back to the store and get more wood - and that would waste probably two hours. (The concrete steps were nearly 70" wide, with a varying tread depth of 13" to 14" and rise per step of 6 to 7".) Both of us are admittedly not the best mathematicians, but fortunately, after a lot of calculation and making cardboard templates, we got it right.
Once the first stringer was cut, we used it as a model for the second, and attached them both to the ledger board with the angles and structural screws.
Now we needed to finish the bottom of the frame by cutting the 2x8 to fit. It also got L angles and structural connector screws to attach it to the stringer, rather than just nailing it on. (When I did nail, I tried to 'toenail' (at an angle) whenever possible, since toenailing is stronger than nailing straight on ('butt nailing').
Next we cut some pieces of wood to serve as supports in the middle. With the steps being so wide, they would eventually need it in the future. As the gaps at the second and bottom steps got bigger, their middle supports became progressively larger and/or more triangular.
With that done, all that remained was to measure, cut, and screw in the treads.
Of course, the boards were too wide to just drop three down for each tread, so we had to rip (cut lengthwise) one board for each tread. This was usually the board on the inside corner.
The top step was the trickiest, since the board closest to the house needed a long rectangular piece cut out of it to fit around the extending floor from the porch. We also ripped one of the top step boards a little crooked, but fortunately I'd bought that one extra board as a backup. For some reason, it too ended up a little crooked, but we flipped it around so it didn't show as much, and I sanded it down to blend in.
Now, we just wait another season (or at least a couple of months) before painting or staining, so that the pressure-treated wood can 'weather'. It seems that pressure-treated lumber is treated in a water-based solution under pressure - this leaves the wood fibers 'wet' and they need time to dry out. If we were to stain or paint it now, we'd be locking in moisture inside the wood (creating fungus or rot) and probably end up with paint bubbles or blisters as well.
Of course, waiting is a small price to pay for actually having steps...!
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| A deathtrap/lawsuit waiting to happen... |
Perhaps the best website I used for research was:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/woodworking/4224738
We looked at the steps on Memorial Day, and I wrote down what sizes of board we'd need. Then, on Friday, I went to Home Depot and purchased them, plus whatever else my research led me to believe might come in handy. I bought:
- galvanized exterior screws, for joining wood to wood (Primeguard Ten; 1-5/8")
- galvanized exterior deck nails, just in case (8d 2-1/2"; which we didn't use)
- high corrosion resistant lag screws, for joining the ledger board to the house (1/2" x 5" Spax lags, with built-in washers and a 5/8" head)
- four L-angle decking brackets (for connecting the stringers to the ledger board and bottom riser)
- a box of Simpson Strong-Tie structural-connector screws (#9 x 1-1/2", for the L-angles)
- two tubes of PL Premium polyurethane construction advesive, for extra joining of wood to wood before putting in the screws (though we didn't use them, since I forgot about them until after we were finished...)
- a can of weatherproofing wood sealant, for treating the ends of the wood we cut or ripped (i.e., cut lengthways)
- a variety of pressure/weather-treated wood, specifically:
= one 8' 2x12, cut in half for the side stringers
= two 6' 1x8, cut down to make the top two risers
= one 6' 2x8, cut down to make the bottom riser
= one piece which I think was an 8' 1x2, cut down to make the ledger board
- cedar boards for the treads
= ten 8' 5/4x1 (the plans only called for nine, but bought one extra just in case, and we did use it).
I also picked up a couple of pavers and a bag of leveling sand, because even though the stringers and bottom riser were treated, and so technically could rest on the bare ground, I wanted them to have a sturdier base. I installed those first, though the one of the left had to be raised later because the ground wasn't level.
For the steps, the first thing was to install the thin ledger board piece that would fit in between the top of the concrete steps and the bottom of the overhang from the porch. We used three of the lag screws and the 1x2, cut down to fit. If the concrete hadn't been there, the ledger board would have been much bigger, like a 2x4 or 2x6. Still, the heavy duty lag screws and structural connectors make what little space we had work for us.
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| The ledger board is attached. |
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| Steve testing out the first stringer. |
Now we needed to finish the bottom of the frame by cutting the 2x8 to fit. It also got L angles and structural connector screws to attach it to the stringer, rather than just nailing it on. (When I did nail, I tried to 'toenail' (at an angle) whenever possible, since toenailing is stronger than nailing straight on ('butt nailing').
 |
| The circle (okay, square) is complete! |
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| The first of three middle supports. |
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| Laying some test treads. |
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| Finally - one step down, two to go. |
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| Ta-daah! |
Of course, waiting is a small price to pay for actually having steps...!
They are lovely. Good job guys!
ReplyDeleteNice job. Not at all how I would have done it, which is probably a good thing!
ReplyDelete