Concrete Steps - how?
 

We have a new double-wide ground set manufactured home. At present we have
"temporary" wooden steps to the front and side doors, but I would like to
install concrete steps. The total rise from ground is 14-16 inches, so I'm
guessing, as with the wooden steps, it would be 2 steps at each door, resting
on firmly packed earth.

These would essentially be "free standing" steps and, as we are in Phoenix, I
don't think we need to worry about climate changes heaving the ground.

Any plans/instructions availble for DIY? Pros and cons?

TIA

--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Sunday, 05(V)/04(IV)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
Countdown till Memorial Day
3wks 1dys
-------------------------------------------
Join the army, meet interesting
people, and kill them.
-------------------------------------------

Concrete Steps - how?
 

In article ,
Wayne Boatwright wrote:

We have a new double-wide ground set manufactured home. At present we have
"temporary" wooden steps to the front and side doors, but I would like to
install concrete steps. The total rise from ground is 14-16 inches, so I'm
guessing, as with the wooden steps, it would be 2 steps at each door, resting
on firmly packed earth.

These would essentially be "free standing" steps and, as we are in Phoenix, I
don't think we need to worry about climate changes heaving the ground.

Any plans/instructions availble for DIY? Pros and cons?

TIA

Since concrete blocks are 8x8x16 it should be EZ to make then from
concrete blocks. I actually use one like that on my porch, stacked
loose and not even cemented together but I recommend you do cement them
together for stability ;)

Free men own guns - www(dot)geocities(dot)com/CapitolHill/5357/

Concrete Steps - how?
 

nick hull wrote:
In article ,
Wayne Boatwright wrote:

We have a new double-wide ground set manufactured home. At present we have
"temporary" wooden steps to the front and side doors, but I would like to
install concrete steps. The total rise from ground is 14-16 inches, so I'm
guessing, as with the wooden steps, it would be 2 steps at each door, resting
on firmly packed earth.

These would essentially be "free standing" steps and, as we are in Phoenix, I
don't think we need to worry about climate changes heaving the ground.

Any plans/instructions availble for DIY? Pros and cons?

TIA

Since concrete blocks are 8x8x16 it should be EZ to make then from
concrete blocks. I actually use one like that on my porch, stacked
loose and not even cemented together but I recommend you do cement them
together for stability ;)

Free men own guns - www(dot)geocities(dot)com/CapitolHill/5357/
Before you buy the block, I'd call the local precast concrete place and
get a price on precast hollow steps, like most owners of such houses
use. Hard-packed Arizona dirt or not, they WILL eventually move on you,
and it is nice to be able to drag the steps out of the way to regrade,
versus demolishing them. Be aware code usually requires a landing at the
top, so you don't step backwards and fall down when opening door. (Yes,
that even applies to doors that open in, like when you bend over
struggling with keys.)

--
aem sends...

Concrete Steps - how?
 

"nick hull" wrote
Wayne Boatwright wrote:

Any plans/instructions availble for DIY? Pros and cons?

Since concrete blocks are 8x8x16 it should be EZ to make then from
concrete blocks. I actually use one like that on my porch, stacked
loose and not even cemented together but I recommend you do cement them
together for stability ;)

One of my neighbors has something like that at his back yard.

He did pour a base to get it all nice and even. Then he mortered the blocks
in place. To make it look nicer, he then used a decking type wood and
covered the stairs with that. Looks pretty nice actually!

Concrete Steps - how?
 

On Sun, 04 May 2008 07:05:37 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
wrote:

We have a new double-wide ground set manufactured home. At present we have
"temporary" wooden steps to the front and side doors, but I would like to
install concrete steps. The total rise from ground is 14-16 inches, so I'm
guessing, as with the wooden steps, it would be 2 steps at each door, resting
on firmly packed earth.

These would essentially be "free standing" steps and, as we are in Phoenix, I
don't think we need to worry about climate changes heaving the ground.

Any plans/instructions availble for DIY? Pros and cons?

TIA

Mobile home dealers sell pre cast steps of various sizes. Check the
phone book. They are nicely finished...

Similar to this JPG: http://admin.amccinc.com/Uploads/P1010001.JPG

They won't move on that desert ground :-)

Concrete Steps - how?
 

On Sun 04 May 2008 03:26:35a, aemeijers told us...

nick hull wrote:
In article ,
Wayne Boatwright wrote:

We have a new double-wide ground set manufactured home. At present we
have "temporary" wooden steps to the front and side doors, but I would
like to install concrete steps. The total rise from ground is 14-16
inches, so I'm guessing, as with the wooden steps, it would be 2 steps
at each door, resting on firmly packed earth.

These would essentially be "free standing" steps and, as we are in
Phoenix, I don't think we need to worry about climate changes heaving
the ground.

Any plans/instructions availble for DIY? Pros and cons?

TIA

Since concrete blocks are 8x8x16 it should be EZ to make then from
concrete blocks. I actually use one like that on my porch, stacked
loose and not even cemented together but I recommend you do cement them
together for stability ;)

Free men own guns - www(dot)geocities(dot)com/CapitolHill/5357/
Before you buy the block, I'd call the local precast concrete place and
get a price on precast hollow steps, like most owners of such houses
use. Hard-packed Arizona dirt or not, they WILL eventually move on you,
and it is nice to be able to drag the steps out of the way to regrade,
versus demolishing them. Be aware code usually requires a landing at the
top, so you don't step backwards and fall down when opening door. (Yes,
that even applies to doors that open in, like when you bend over
struggling with keys.)

--
aem sends...

I like that idea! Thanks, aem.

--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Sunday, 05(V)/04(IV)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
Countdown till Memorial Day
3wks 10hrs 20mins
-------------------------------------------
Useless Invention: Ice skate sandals,
for use in hot climates.
-------------------------------------------

Concrete Steps - how?
 

On Sun 04 May 2008 02:55:44a, nick hull told us...

In article ,
Wayne Boatwright wrote:

We have a new double-wide ground set manufactured home. At present we
have "temporary" wooden steps to the front and side doors, but I would
like to install concrete steps. The total rise from ground is 14-16
inches, so I'm guessing, as with the wooden steps, it would be 2 steps
at each door, resting on firmly packed earth.

These would essentially be "free standing" steps and, as we are in
Phoenix, I don't think we need to worry about climate changes heaving
the ground.

Any plans/instructions availble for DIY? Pros and cons?

TIA

Since concrete blocks are 8x8x16 it should be EZ to make then from
concrete blocks. I actually use one like that on my porch, stacked
loose and not even cemented together but I recommend you do cement them
together for stability ;)

I'm sure that would work fine, but I don't like the look of concrete
blocks. I want something more finished looking. Thanks for the idea,
though.

--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Sunday, 05(V)/04(IV)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
Countdown till Memorial Day
3wks 10hrs 20mins
-------------------------------------------
Useless Invention: Ice skate sandals,
for use in hot climates.
-------------------------------------------

Concrete Steps - how?
 

On Sun 04 May 2008 10:43:35a, cshenk told us...

"nick hull" wrote
Wayne Boatwright wrote:

Any plans/instructions availble for DIY? Pros and cons?

Since concrete blocks are 8x8x16 it should be EZ to make then from
concrete blocks. I actually use one like that on my porch, stacked
loose and not even cemented together but I recommend you do cement them
together for stability ;)

One of my neighbors has something like that at his back yard.

He did pour a base to get it all nice and even. Then he mortered the
blocks in place. To make it look nicer, he then used a decking type
wood and covered the stairs with that. Looks pretty nice actually!

I'm sure that worked well, Carol, and I'm sure that it looks nice.
However, I want these stairs to look more like the stairs poured for a
stick-built home. Thanks, though.


--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Sunday, 05(V)/04(IV)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
Countdown till Memorial Day
3wks 10hrs 20mins
-------------------------------------------
Useless Invention: Ice skate sandals,
for use in hot climates.
-------------------------------------------

Concrete Steps - how?
 

On Sun 04 May 2008 11:57:52a, Oren told us...

On Sun, 04 May 2008 07:05:37 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
wrote:

We have a new double-wide ground set manufactured home. At present we
have "temporary" wooden steps to the front and side doors, but I would
like to install concrete steps. The total rise from ground is 14-16
inches, so I'm guessing, as with the wooden steps, it would be 2 steps
at each door, resting on firmly packed earth.

These would essentially be "free standing" steps and, as we are in
Phoenix, I don't think we need to worry about climate changes heaving
the ground.

Any plans/instructions availble for DIY? Pros and cons?

TIA

Mobile home dealers sell pre cast steps of various sizes. Check the
phone book. They are nicely finished...

Similar to this JPG: http://admin.amccinc.com/Uploads/P1010001.JPG

They won't move on that desert ground :-)


Thanks, Oren. That's more what I'm after. I'll take a look in the area.

--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Sunday, 05(V)/04(IV)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
Countdown till Memorial Day
3wks 10hrs 15mins
-------------------------------------------
The Democratic Party is seldom on
speaking terms with itself
-------------------------------------------