Thanks Joe, Steve and the bunch... great suggestions. Last year I did
rent a power washer and the folks at the paint store said to try a
stain rather than what appeared to be latex paint. I may go the
epoxy route if I can blow the loose stuff off. BTW, it ends up making
a huge mess that it really hard to clean up, paint chips all over the
yard. My wife really just wants to rebuild the thing because they
look so terrible.

Anyway, thanks again -- I'm probably eventually headed the "prefab"
direction, though it may need to wait until Spring at this rate.

I just finished building steps for a deck, and it's a fun project.
You'll be frustrated for a while figuring out rise and run, but once
you figure it out, the project will fly. Come back here for all the
help that's not fit to print.

Remember to make the steps tilt a little toward the edge so water runs
off.

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX