I need to replace the steps off of my deck, I can build the steps just fine the question I have is should I put a concrete slab down for the steps to sit on so they don't rot as bad from being in the ground? If a concrete slab is the best way to go do I need to put gravel under the concrete to create I type of patform and give the concrete something to grab to(I have seen this done before), also do I need rebar, I would guess the actually concrete slab would only be 3 or 4 inches thick or should it be thicker with rebar?
pontigoat2007-10-15T21:07:22Z
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There's really no need for a concrete pad unless you just want one. Patio stones will work just as well unless the area under the steps is soft or marshy, if that be the case, the concrete is a good idea.
Rebar isn't needed in a four inch thick pad which is what you'll want, but I would put a piece of "chicken wire" or chain link fence in it. The alternative to the fence is to purchase what's called fiberated concrete which has a fiber substance already in it.
If the concrete pad still appeals to you, build a frame of two by sixes and level the bottom inside the frame with an inch or so of gravel. Put the fence on top of that and then the concrete. Just before the concrete dries, take a push broom and sweep across the surface perpendicular with your steps. This will give the pad a rougher surface that will keep it from becoming slick when wet. This is especially important if the stairs go to a deck around a hot tub or a pool where the users might have wet feet or dripping swimsuits. Smooth concrete floors get very slick when wet.
There is no real advantage to pouring a slab for the stair bottom. The only exception might be if its a very long stairway (maybe 2 stories) in which case anchoring the bottom of the steps is a good idea. I would use patio blocks just to give a firm level surface for the stairs to end on . That will also make it easier to trim grass around stringers. By all means use ground contact rated pressure treated lumber. Moisture will wick up the board whether or not they sit directly on the ground. While its true that a deck that is not built on footings that extend below the frost line - or attached to the house- will have slight seasonal movement, the stairs don't require a footing. They will move with the deck and if the deck does not move, any movement in the stairs is inconsequential. If you choose to pour a slab it may have sand or gravel as a base. Those materials are used primarily because they can be easily leveled so you have a uniform concrete thickness. The purpose of rebar is to hold the concrete slab together when it cracks - and concrete almost always cracks. If the pad you're pouring is small, there is no need for rebar. One more small tip; in a relatively small slab a piece of chain link or other wire fence serves the purpose of rebar.
if the deck is a floating deck(meaning it is sitting on blocks on the ground) i would use patio stones at the bottom of the stairs to land on. the stairs need to move withe deck when or if the frost comes.if the deck is secured to the house and is sitting on conrete pilliers in the ground you need to do the same for the stairs.that way it will not move. the pilliers should go down at least 4 feet with a few inches above grade.
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