I have some concrete steps in the den that used to be exterior steps into a
breezeway. The previous owner converted the breezeway into a den and I'm
redoing the room now. The steps have an 11" rise and I want to replace
them with 6" rise steps.

The steps look / sound really solid. Is there any chance they are solid
cement? If they are, I can't imagine sledge hammering them very
effectively. Is there another non-explosive way to remove them?

Also, are there any sources you could refer me to for step designs / plans?
I'd like something along the lines of floating planes (is there another
name?) vs. another solid piece like the one I'm removing.

Thanks,
crabshell

"Crabshell" wrote in message
...
I have some concrete steps in the den that used to be exterior steps into a
breezeway. The previous owner converted the breezeway into a den and I'm
redoing the room now. The steps have an 11" rise and I want to replace
them with 6" rise steps.

The steps look / sound really solid. Is there any chance they are solid
cement? If they are, I can't imagine sledge hammering them very
effectively. Is there another non-explosive way to remove them?

Also, are there any sources you could refer me to for step designs /
plans?
I'd like something along the lines of floating planes (is there another
name?) vs. another solid piece like the one I'm removing.

Your breezeway is below grade on one side? Having trouble picturing the
situation. Or are these steps down from the den, in a well in the breezway
floor, to an exterior door?

Either way, going to a shorter rise will require a longer staircase.

Can you post pictures somewhere, and post the link back here? Picture= 1000
words, etc. We will be able to give much better advice. There is no
'standard' way to pour concrete steps- they could be solid, they could be
over a dirt core, they could be hollow.


aem sends...

The steps look / sound really solid. Is there any chance they are solid
cement?

Possibly, if they were exterior. Or they could just be several inches
thick, with fill dirt underneath.

If they are, I can't imagine sledge hammering them very
effectively. Is there another non-explosive way to remove them?

Jackhammer?

Also, are there any sources you could refer me to for step designs /
plans?
I'd like something along the lines of floating planes (is there another
name?) vs. another solid piece like the one I'm removing.

Sorry, can't help you there. If it were me, I'd just build some wood steps
and carpet over them.

-Tim

wrote in
:


Your breezeway is below grade on one side? Having trouble picturing
the situation. Or are these steps down from the den, in a well in the
breezway floor, to an exterior door?

Either way, going to a shorter rise will require a longer staircase.

The breezeway / den is on a slab. The rest of the house is peer and beam,
so there is about a 20" difference from the den to the kitchen. The top of
the stair -- sort of a landing I guess you could call it -- extends about a
foot from the kitchen. So if I make the first step right at the edge I
gain enough room so that the stair doesn't have to be longer. However,
since the area behind the stair will become sheetrock, I may have to have
the first step extend otherwise what keeps the sheetrock from being kicked?


Can you post pictures somewhere, and post the link back here? Picture=
1000 words, etc. We will be able to give much better advice. There is
no 'standard' way to pour concrete steps- they could be solid, they
could be over a dirt core, they could be hollow.


aem sends...

If they're solid, is a jackhammer required?

I'll try to take a photo...

"Crabshell" wrote in message
...
wrote in
:


Your breezeway is below grade on one side? Having trouble picturing
the situation. Or are these steps down from the den, in a well in the
breezway floor, to an exterior door?

Either way, going to a shorter rise will require a longer staircase.

The breezeway / den is on a slab. The rest of the house is peer and beam,
so there is about a 20" difference from the den to the kitchen. The top
of
the stair -- sort of a landing I guess you could call it -- extends about
a
foot from the kitchen. So if I make the first step right at the edge I
gain enough room so that the stair doesn't have to be longer. However,
since the area behind the stair will become sheetrock, I may have to have
the first step extend otherwise what keeps the sheetrock from being
kicked?

You add a hardwood 'riser' under the door opening, leading down to the first
actual step. But if there is a door between the the breezeway and kitchen,
you need a landing outside the door.

Can you crawl under the house and see the back of the steps? That should be
a real good clue if they are hollow or not.

Once you figure out how to demo the old steps, I'd replace with wood.
Big-box has precut stringers and treads- may have to search for non-treated
wood, but even the treated stuff would be appropriate looking in a
breezeway. Or, the local precast concrete place sells concrete stringers
suitable for use with 3x12 treads of whatever material, for that 'floating
slab' look you were going for. Are the steps square-cornered in sideways
profile, or does each step have a bullnose on the front. If they have a
bullnose, the odds are they are hollow precast.

wrote in
:


"Crabshell" wrote in message
...
wrote in
:


Your breezeway is below grade on one side? Having trouble picturing
the situation. Or are these steps down from the den, in a well in
the breezway floor, to an exterior door?

Either way, going to a shorter rise will require a longer staircase.

The breezeway / den is on a slab. The rest of the house is peer and
beam, so there is about a 20" difference from the den to the kitchen.
The top of
the stair -- sort of a landing I guess you could call it -- extends
about a
foot from the kitchen. So if I make the first step right at the edge
I gain enough room so that the stair doesn't have to be longer.
However, since the area behind the stair will become sheetrock, I may
have to have the first step extend otherwise what keeps the sheetrock
from being kicked?

You add a hardwood 'riser' under the door opening, leading down to the
first actual step. But if there is a door between the the breezeway
and kitchen, you need a landing outside the door.

Can you crawl under the house and see the back of the steps? That
should be a real good clue if they are hollow or not.

Once you figure out how to demo the old steps, I'd replace with wood.
Big-box has precut stringers and treads- may have to search for
non-treated wood, but even the treated stuff would be appropriate
looking in a breezeway. Or, the local precast concrete place sells
concrete stringers suitable for use with 3x12 treads of whatever
material, for that 'floating slab' look you were going for. Are the
steps square-cornered in sideways profile, or does each step have a
bullnose on the front. If they have a bullnose, the odds are they are
hollow precast.



Just to be clear the breezeway is now an interior room (den). The
breezeway was sealed off on both ends to make the den.

There is no door between the kitchen and den (there used to be and the
frame was even left in place) so no need for a landing. There already is
a riser in the doorway that leads to the first step -- about a 1" - 2"
drop. But I've seen room transitions -- typically 1 foot level changes,
that have no riser, just a drop off to the first step. I'd prefer that
if it doesn't present a hazard or look funny in order to keep the step
from encroaching into the room any further. It is a small (32") opening
between the rooms however so it's not your basic level change within a
single room.

The steps are up against the concrete that forms the perimeter of the
foundation so you can't look behind them. They are separated by a gap
however.

They are squared off with no bullnose at all. They appear to be poured in
place. I also risk digging up the floor slab where they attach,
requiring a patch to make that part of the floor level. So maybe I need
to live with them. I guess that's why room garage and similar
conversions are never perfect.

It's probably not solid. It's much cheaper to fill with dirt than with
concrete. But some people are crazy...

In either case, rent a jack hammer and it will be done in no time.

good luck

Crabshell wrote:
I have some concrete steps in the den that used to be exterior steps into a
breezeway. The previous owner converted the breezeway into a den and I'm
redoing the room now. The steps have an 11" rise and I want to replace
them with 6" rise steps.

The steps look / sound really solid. Is there any chance they are solid
cement? If they are, I can't imagine sledge hammering them very
effectively. Is there another non-explosive way to remove them?

Also, are there any sources you could refer me to for step designs / plans?
I'd like something along the lines of floating planes (is there another
name?) vs. another solid piece like the one I'm removing.

Thanks,
crabshell

"tim1198" wrote in
oups.com:

It's probably not solid. It's much cheaper to fill with dirt than
with concrete. But some people are crazy...

In either case, rent a jack hammer and it will be done in no time.

good luck

Crabshell wrote:
I have some concrete steps in the den that used to be exterior steps
into a breezeway. The previous owner converted the breezeway into a
den and I'm redoing the room now. The steps have an 11" rise and I
want to replace them with 6" rise steps.

The steps look / sound really solid. Is there any chance they are
solid cement? If they are, I can't imagine sledge hammering them
very effectively. Is there another non-explosive way to remove them?

Also, are there any sources you could refer me to for step designs /
plans? I'd like something along the lines of floating planes (is
there another name?) vs. another solid piece like the one I'm
removing.

Thanks,
crabshell



I figured it would be hollow or solid concrete. Never thought of dirt
fill. Maybe that's why it seems so solid...