Refacing my cement front steps - I have a question

Sephora

***Updated below with pic of started project.

I am in the process of refacing my front steps -

I got Bluestone for the treads, a ThinStone (ledge/strip cut) for the risers and thinner Bluestone of the middle landing as I framed out the landing with the 1 1/2 inch Bluestone.

These steps are 11 inches wide so I was told to go with 12 inch wide treads as I wanted to create a bit of a hangover. So it now seems that I need to move out the treads away from the steps a bit so I can face the risers. This is all fine but now you will be able to see on the side that the tread doesn't meet the riser completely.

We are not facing the sides.

Can I just fill in the holes on the side with the mortar I am going to be using?

These are the steps unfinished. The paint from the risers was powerwashed and the metal railings are down now.

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AGWhitehouse

Put the treads on first and abut them tight to the existing risers. The riser stones should rest on top of the treads. This method will provide a cleaner side profile as well.

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Sephora

Yes, this is what I intended to do but the ThinStone varies in depth...and I don't want any to stick out past the lip of the tread as they will do if I don't move the risers out away from the original riser.

I prob should have gotten the 14" wide but I meaured and thought the 12" would be perfect.

The Bluestone is all cut and was cut to hang over 1 inch over each part.

AGWhitehouse

Oh! I misunderstood the underlying issue! You could grout fill it, as you said, and try to blend it out into the side of the concrete. Work once it is partially setup to get a smooth consistent finish. A paint finish will hide some of the blending.

Thinking outside the box you maybe could by a small amount more of riser facing stone and create a kind of stringer out of it. Essentially you would face the stone to create a clean sloped edge of stone on the side of the porch. A highly textured paint, with complimenting color, on the concrete that's left might make an interesting look. This would involve some chipping and shaping, but may give a nice transition from stone finished steps to sidewall concrete.

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jomama45

You "can" put the stone on the risers first, but there are a few downsides:

- The joint between the tread & riser is far more prone to failure due to water.

- You will likely need to cut (scribe) the treads around the risers that vary in depth.

- As AGWhitehouse stated, the other approach is a cleaner look.


Are these one piece treads, or a few pieces per tread?

Sephora

Well I have 3 of the riser faces done and 1 more to go today before we cut the rest of the bluestone pieces for the middle of landing.

So far things are going well. I just moved out the treads (which are one big piece each on the steps) and filled in the gaps with mortar. Then I rested the risers on the edge and faced them going up.

Since the mortar has dried everything seems to be secure.

On the sides I made sure to fill in the gap between so there are no holes. We plan to stucc or paint the sides of the stairs so the colors will blend when finished.

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AGWhitehouse

Nice, your nice work here has convinced me to start saving to do the same with my old concrete steps!

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Sephora

Thanks...for having never worked with mortar and DIY I think they are coming out decent. I would have finsihed the last step before the landing but my husband had to go to work after working 16 hr shift so he wasn't able to help me move off the top tread. Today he has off so I'll finish if it doesn't rain.

My BIL is the one who cut the tread and needs to help cut the rest of the landing pieces.

Otherwise, aside from trying to get the ledge cut risers pieces puzzeled together it wasn't a bad job. I mixed the mortar in a smaller bucket so that sucked having to keep mixing more but it worked out as I didn't waste anything.

Sephora

I just noticed you are in CT! We live in Stratford!

AGWhitehouse

Meriden...what a small world!

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