If your porch has metal railings, you can probably find vinyl that looks similar but costs much less. One fast, simple, and easy way to transform your concrete steps is to paint them. This traction tape from Amazon is clear so that it won't affect the steps' appearance at all. Add other similar decorations, like cement bunnies and fauns, so complete the woodland theme. Wet the concrete thoroughly, and then cover it with the sheeting of your choice, using bricks, rocks, or other heavy items to hold it in place. There are two steps in making over an old patio with Re-Cap: the repair and the renewal. That evens out the height of the bricks to make the new step level (Image 1). The mason jars have a minimalist look that fits with the concrete steps, but the decorations on the luminaries, and the lights you put inside, will make the steps look beautiful. Cover it All. Required fields are marked. Measure the length, width, and depth of the area you wish to fill. This estimate should include the lumber framing, plywood, concrete and contractor fees. To cover over concrete stairs, run a line of carpet from top to bottom. Bricks are an attractive choice because they'll probably go with any decor you have that matches the concrete. When I was thinking through the details for our farmhouse front porch makeover, I knew from the very beginning we would want to do something to makeover the concrete steps. Pick your greenery carefully, because you don't want long trailing vines that could trip people. Use this tutorial to make a letter with your last initial, or even your full set of initials, and place it on the stairs. Concrete steps break up, especially in northern climates. In order to do this you want to make sure that the entire step is covered by the pavers. While it takes more effort than painting them, you can use this video as a guide to cover the steps completely, then build wood steps. If your concrete front porch steps are chipped, cracked, or otherwise damaged, you don't want to do anything to them until you've repaired them completely. In this video, This Old House senior technical editor Mark Powers shows how to cover up an ugly concrete stoop with stone veneer and bluestone treads. 2. We ground off some paint and profiled the smoother parts with a 4" handheld grinder. The easiest way to do this is to place the pavers on the top of each step … For concrete stairs, cut the carpet to fit edge to edge. FRIDAY Prep the wall and steps (Steps 2-5). Read through Laurel's article for some ideas for the area around your brick-covered concrete porch. How to cover concrete steps with pavers painting before after great idea to reface concrete steps front steps prod categories step guys how to fix up an entrance tos diy 26 best concrete front steps images. This is important if your front porch is highly visible to people passing by. One way to embrace your concrete steps, figuratively speaking, is to place little pieces of cement art on the side of each stair. The width should be at least 6 inches wider than the doorway on each side. The key to... Tile. Cutting away the damaged concrete and pouring a new concrete cap on the step can often repair badly broken concrete steps. Measure the risers, or fronts of the steps … Use a Concrete Finishing Broom Drag the product across the entire surface with a concrete finishing broom. You can use the gate as a decoration by painting it to match your house trim, or by painting it a color that will stand out. Refacing my cement front steps - I have a question ***Updated below with pic of started project. At first I wanted to paint them white, but when we decided to replace all the porch flooring, I wanted the treads to match new wood. They have different sizes or thickness. Measure the width and the depth of the concrete steps. Your staircase will extend one step longer at the bottom. Covering your concrete steps with wood is one way to make them look pretty without a lot of work. In this case, the luminaries made from mason jars will light up your steps. In this tutorial, Heather from Daily DIY Life gives step-by-step instructions on making luminaries, which are small groups of lights designed to highlight something. This do-it-yourself project will literally make your steps shine. Measure the steps. Precast/prefabricated concrete steps or steps with a … Concrete steps can be a hazard, and your front porch needs to be safe for visitors. Examine the concrete steps to ensure they are not too decayed. Answered. The original prefab concrete steps may not be level. Making steps more visible is essential if you have visitors who aren't familiar with your house, to keep them from hitting their shins. If you're pouring new concrete steps to match your concrete porch, or simply because they seem like the most practical and durable choice, plan ahead to make them look nice. Since these step lights from Amazon are solar-powered, all you have to do is place them on the steps, then let them light the way at night. But you can’t just put wood porch/deck boards directly onto concrete. Slippery steps are often a problem with concrete porches. One way to decorate concrete steps to look nice is to add pallet wood letters to them. You don't want your guests to slip on the way up, and if anybody in your house is elderly or clumsy, this becomes even more important. I have 6 concrete stairs and a small Landing leading to my house. This concrete turtle from The Home Depot is adorable, and it connects concrete to nature to make your steps seem less industrial. The pallet wood will create a rustic look that will match the bare concrete while making it look nice. Copyright 2021 YourHouseNeedsThis.com, All rights reserved. This way, the concrete itself will look better than the plain rectangular block you were probably imagining. (See below for tools and a shopping list. Use Tile To Cover a Concrete Patio. These decorative inserts from Amazon will make the border of each step look nice by adding texture. How to Clad Concrete Steps in Stone | This Old House - YouTube This way, the porch and stairs are in the locations you want them, and they're made from a material you like. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Since concrete steps can be dangerous, railings are essential if you don't have them. Wood is a clean, stylish material for concrete stair coverings. {"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}, __CONFIG_colors_palette__{"active_palette":0,"config":{"colors":{"62516":{"name":"Main Accent","parent":-1}},"gradients":[]},"palettes":[{"name":"Default Palette","value":{"colors":{"62516":{"val":"rgb(224, 187, 137)","hsl":{"h":34,"s":0.58,"l":0.71}}},"gradients":[]}}]}__CONFIG_colors_palette__. In this video, The Fixer shows you how to repair and paint your concrete steps. Bricks aren’t the same. You can paint the wood letter in your favorite color, or make it the same color as the house siding or trim. Use this tutorial to make a letter with your last initial, you can cover the ugly concrete with colorful brick, Heather from Daily DIY Life gives step-by-step instructions on making luminaries, This article includes several ways to fix slippery steps. Use the measurements to calculate how much concrete you will need. Learn more. Measure the width and the depth of the concrete steps. Your concrete steps will lie upon a subbase of granular fill, like open-grade stone, which will protect your poured concrete steps from shifts in the earth or deterioration. Tap the sides of the forms and risers with a hammer and jab a 2x4 up and down in the mix to drive air bubbles out. You can accent this by painting the textures areas to match the house, or coating them with glow-in-the-dark paint so that nobody trips on the front steps. While it takes more effort than painting them, you can use this video as a guide to cover the steps completely, then build wood steps. Step by step photos and a full tutorial! Before pouring concrete steps, coat the forms with a release agent. It is important that, the space between the top step and the threshold to be … http://www.homebuildingandrepairs.com/stairs/index.html Click on this link for more helpful videos about stair building, remodeling and design. If you don't want to get rid of the cement completely, you need some ways to make your decor match and enhance it. Kelly at ‘View Along the Way‘ shows us how to build a deck over concrete. The big picture goal here is that I’ll be covering my existing concrete front porch with wood so that I can stain it and it will look like a traditional wood front porch. This way, you don't have to replace a lot of decorations and porch furniture, and you can cover the ugly concrete with colorful brick, as Laurel at SoPo Cottage did with the steps in this photograph. Concrete with a smooth finish will be slippery when dry, and even more after a rain shower or snowstorm. You can use green plants, colorful flowers, or even vegetables or fruits. Cut out a piece of plywood that can cover the length and width of your concrete step. Measure carefully your steps. You'll basically be building a new porch over your old one to cover up the ugly or hazardous stairs. Use the same material and style that your porch has so that the steps will blend into the porch and look good. Measure the tops, or treads, of the steps from front to back and side to side. While concrete, as a material, is cheaper than stone, it will be more expensive due to the time it takes to install. Examine the concrete steps to ensure they are not too decayed. Answer + 9. Step 1. We re-formed the stair treads, applied the overlay product in multiple applications and the end product was a new set of stairs at about 1/5 the cost of replacing them. Please let us know in the comments below! Get Our Best Decorating Tips and Daily Inspirations Delivered Right to Your Inbox. I saw a lot of power washing in our future! This way, the porch and stairs are in the locations you want them, and they're made from a material you like. Or, maybe you're adding new concrete steps to match the porch, but you're not sure how to make them look good. Join This Old House INSIDER to stream over 1,000 episodes commercial-free: https://bit.ly/2GPiYbHPlus, download our FREE app for full-episode streaming to your connected TV, phone or tablet: https://www.thisoldhouse.com/pages/streaming-appFollow This Old House and Ask This Old House:Facebook: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseFBTwitter: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseTwitterhttp://bit.ly/AskTOHTwitterPinterest: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHousePinterestInstagram: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseIGhttp://bit.ly/AskTOHIGFor more on This Old House and Ask This Old House, visit us at: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseWebsiteHow to Clad Concrete Steps in Stone | This Old Househttps://www.youtube.com/user/thisoldhouse/ Sand down the sides of the plywood to remove all rough edges and splinters. Level all the ground in front of the door at least 6 inches wider than the size of the concrete stairs. This article includes several ways to fix slippery steps, so you can pick the method that works for your porch stairs. If you're not a fan of the concrete look, you can cover it up with another material. Step 3. Set the veneers into the mortar. Cover Concrete Steps with Bricks. Remove the Threshold Riser. You want a variety of people to be able to walk up the steps safely, and adding traction tape is a simple, cheap, and effective way of keeping people from slipping on the steps. How to Clad Concrete Steps in Stone Overview Cross Section of Concrete Clad Steps. Simply spray a little water on the surface and go over it again with the finishing broom. Traction tape is a simple and easy way to keep visitors from slipping on their way up your front porch steps, but it can do more than just keep people from losing traction. Your first concrete step down would become TREX at the same height as the deck, then drop steps after that. Concrete can look dull and industrial. Cover the sides of the stair and risers with veneer. When covering wood stairs, fairly narrow strips of carpet are typically run down the center portion of the stairs, leaving bare areas on each side. Mar 8, 2016 - Explore Stayc Gates's board "how to cover ugly concrete step/front of home" on Pinterest. Choose the Right Bricks. You can purchase pre-cut kits at your local hardware store, or you can challenge your DIY skills by starting from scratch. Any trim board beneath the door must be removed and cut to … The rest of the stairs we used a high velocity pressure washer to clean and profile the concrete. While it's less attractive than clear tape, this glow-in-the-dark tape from Amazon will make each step visible to people walking up your steps in the dark. Steps: 1. BY installing a gate at the top of the stairs, you restrict access to your porch and lower the chances that people will slip on it and fall down. Your House Needs This is reader-supported. When you set out to use concrete pavers on your steps you want them to look natural and not like concrete pavers just covering a step form. You'll need between 4-8" (10.2-20.3 cm) of fill for your subbase. Have your supplier \"torch\" the ends and front edge of each tread for a more finished look.- bluestone pavers. These concrete porch step ideas will help you design an attractive set of stairs you'll be happy to see when you come home. Perfect solution for an outdoor patio that needs updating. How can I cover concrete stairs with composite decking? After you know the rise and run of your concrete steps you can decide on a width. Spread mortar in small sections over the stairs and risers. While they won't look great during the day, they'll keep people safe at night, so you don't have to worry about injuries or lawsuits. Measure the landing and have your supplier help size the stones to include the correct overhangs, grout lines, and a gap against the house.Looking for more step by step guidance on how to complete projects around the house? When covering wood stairs,... Hardwood Flooring. Composite tread covers are suitable for all outdoor stairs as well as basement stairs, garage steps, and stairs … Multiply these numbers together to get a general estimate of the amount of concrete you need. How about building out one step so each TREX tread is screwed to pt wood substructure that is screwed to the concrete? How to Cover Concrete Stairs Carpet Runners. After placing your subbase, you'll need to tamp it down until it is packed extremely firm, level, and stable. They cover the entire tread, including the nosing, to provide excellent slip-resistance. If you want your porch to look lively and, well, alive, try adding some greenery to make the steps look more like the ones in this photo. He'll also show you the simplest way to tackle this value-boosting project.Tools list for Clad Concrete Steps in Stone: - utility knife- pry bar- circular saw to cut the trim board- tin snips to cut the steel lath- powder-actuated nailer and nails, (masonry nails may suffice on newer, softer concrete)- hammer- plastic bin and hoe for mixing mortar- hose to rinse the mixing bin between batches- finishing trowel with a 3/8-inch notch- grinder fitted with a diamond masonry blade- mason's chisel and maul - brick hammer- chip brush to apply acrylic bonding agent- brick trowel- grout bag- striking tool- 4-foot level - rubber malletShopping list for Clad Concrete Steps in Stone: - work gloves for handling steel lath and stones- 2 inch gauge steel lath- stone veneer mortar- acrylic bonding agent- self-adhesive flashing- canvas drop cloth and painter's tape, (for creating the layout stone veneer Get about 20 percent more than you need for the risers and sides of the steps)- bluestone treads Add 1 1/4 inches to the finished width of the steps (including lath, mortar, and side veneer stones) for the overhang at each end. They make the steps safer and better-looking. They can be installed over concrete, metal, or wood, using construction adhesive or screws. Unlike a back porch, your front porch can see traffic from delivery truck drivers, neighbors, Jehovah's Witnesses, and more. This Old House senior technical editor Mark Powers will tell you it takes at least one strong buddy to place the bluestone tread caps and that you should check your local codes about riser heights. Your concrete porch isn't really what you want, and those concrete steps, you're probably not sure what to do about them. Give a tile facelift to an ordinary patio, from ‘DIY Network‘. Concrete Patio Idea – Cover Up with a Deck! If your steps are a hazard, or if you prefer to be cautious, since concrete steps are one of the more painful things to fall one, consider adding a gate like the one in this picture. See more ideas about concrete steps, house exterior, porch steps. Veneer them in handsome stone to turn your embarrassing entry into a welcoming focal point. Dig down and remove any grass or topsoil to a depth of at least 6 inches. Level the mortar with a trowel. Choose low-maintenance plants that will do well in pots without outgrowing them, and make sure to choose something you like! How to Cover Concrete Steps With Wood. I would like to go over them with a composite type decking material without having to dispose of the concrete stairs that are existing. Add an extra 10% onto your total estimate to account for spillage. Do you have to build a handrail too or is that already in place? How would you transform your concrete steps? The repairs are necessary because the paint won't cover holes in concrete, and you want the porch to look like it never had and chips or damage. Make sure to clean any moss and dirt off the porch thoroughly, as The Fixer does in the video since the paint should be adhering to clean concrete only. How to Cover Concrete Steps With Thin Brick. How to Cover Concrete Steps With Wood Step 1. )SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouseThough you may wish you could take a sledgehammer to those drab concrete steps tarnishing your home's curb appeal, we have a better plan. Since you're fixing and resurfacing them all at once, you might not need to do anything else to make them look okay, and keep guests from falling on slippery concrete. Watch this video to learn how to repair concrete steps and resurface them so that they look nice enough to be on a front porch. Mix the concrete and bring it to the site in wheelbarrow loads. The fix will be durable and you avoid the high expense of a complete tear-out. Did you like any of our ideas? Use this video tutorial to attach vinyl railings correctly, so your steps will be safe. Wood stair covers are stainable, so you can match them to your current decor, and you can seal them to ensure they are protected for years to come. First of all, you need the right bricks. Your email address will not be published. Cut PVC trim boards to wrap around stoop using circular saw. Your email address will not be published. Step 2. To solve that problem, set two rows of brick laying flat on one end of the steps, and one row of brick standing up on its side on the other end. So, we … When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Adding lights to your concrete steps makes them more attractive at night, and lights them up so unfamiliar visitors can see the steps as they go up. Covering your concrete steps with wood is one way to make them look pretty without a lot of work. To cover over concrete stairs, run a line of carpet from top to bottom. Also, I wasn’t sure it would be very practical to have white exterior steps. For a rich contemporary or country look, cover concrete stairs with hardwood flooring. Tip: To test if your concrete is too dry, run the finishing broom across the concrete and if little balls appear, it's too dry. Shovel the concrete inside the forms, starting with the bottom step and working up.