- 1). Position the concrete form for the steps where you plan to install them. Mark the perimeter of the form on the ground with marking paint.
- 2). Excavate the marked area with a shovel until you reach the required depth, per local building codes, for the footer. In most areas, you must dig down to the frost line, which varies depending on the part of the country you live in. Check your local building department for footer depth requirements.
- 3). Fill the ditch approximately 35 percent full with crushed gravel then pack the gravel down with a tamper. Check the gravel with a level and add additional gravel until it rests level in the hole.
- 4). Mix the high-tensile, self-leveling cement in a wheelbarrow or cement mixer, according to the directions on the packaging.
- 5). Fill the remainder of the hole with the high-tensile, self-leveling cement. Smooth the surface of the cement with a trowel then wait 48 hours for it to dry. This completes the footer for your concrete steps.
- 6). Place the form onto the concrete footer. Spray the inside of the form with a concrete mold release spray. The spray will make it easier to remove the mold when the steps are set.
- 7). Fill the form with the same type of cement you used on the footer. Start at the bottom stair and work your way up. As you pour, stab the cement with a spade shovel to expel air from the cement and pack the cement into the crevices of the form. Repeat this for each stair in the staircase.
- 8). Place a 2-by-4-lumber board across the top of each stair on the staircase and pull it forward to remove excess cement from the form. This levels the stair.
- 9). Smooth the surfaces of the stairs with a float trowel. You want a flat surface but not one that is smooth as glass.
- 10
Slide a concrete edging tool across the front of each step between the cement and the form. This creates a slight radius on the front of each stair. Allow 48 hours' curing time. - 11
Remove the screws that secure the concrete form together then dismantle the form.
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