So after 26 years here the steps to the side door need new carpet, or maybe not.  I tore some of it off, well what was left after the cats had fun.  This is what I found.  Kinda scary, required pressure washing the filth of 30+ years maybe more underneath.  

 

But I am stumped on how to move forward.  The concrete step that was original to the house remains.  Old owner just built over it with this disaster.  I have no issue getting down and dirty with it and breaking it up.  In looking toward a solution I would prefer wooden stairs, but optional.  One big thing is to not have such a hard time cleaning it up.  This current setup lets all kind of debris get under it through the back which is open about 2 inches from the house.

 

From concrete to edge of door is 15 1/4 inches.  The slab is 12 inches wide, bottom step made of wood is 7 inch rise with 10 inch fall.  Comes to about 22 inches from the house.  Those measurements are okay to go back with, no really wanting to come out 5-6 inches more into the carport.  This can be wood, or concrete I am not fussy and have what I need to do both.  

 

ALL SUGGESTIONS WELCOME!

 

 

 

 

Once the steps were removed this is what I found.  

 

 

Edited September 18, 20196 yr by Woodbutcherbynight

Can anything like a rodent get up under the siding?  I would attempt to ensure that it was sealed to prevent varmints getting under the siding.  Then after that, build another set of steps as you had, put a piece of PT along the outside of the steps and attempt to seal off the section between the risers.  That bolted piece of wood can be used to anchor your new steps to the house.  Just thinking aloud here.  

6 minutes ago, FlGatorwood said:

Can anything like a rodent get up under the siding?

No, that was sealed up very well by siding guys and I checked to see they did as I asked.  Have never had issues with rodents.

 

8 minutes ago, FlGatorwood said:

Just thinking aloud here.  

Thanks for the suggestions.  That's the beauty of it all, enough people comment I might getting a working idea which direction to take. 

Hey Gunny, where is the 2" gap?  Is it at the rear and below the siding?

2 hours ago, Cal said:

where

Yes exactly where there is gap. 

I might consider using 2" X 10" material for the stair treads. This would be sturdy and stop anything from falling thru from the top. It sounds like you'd like to maintain the same basic  overall dimensions. Probably use a silicon seal or rubber seal between the home siding and the top step. 

I would leave it as is with the one concrete step as long as the rise is okay.  The door can be reached from the ground level.  Open door and in you go.  Around here the snow builds so a step down from the open door is best.

Cut a pair of 2 step stringers, attach to the sides of the concrete step....Add a block in the middle between the stringers.  

 

One: You can add a handrail, if needed

Two:  them old knees won't like taking tall steps all the time ( mine don't)

Make both treads from single slabs.....no gaps.  Lowes does sell treated step treads, 4' long x 12" wide. 

5/4" thick risers.   can tapcon all the wood parts to the concrete.

4 hours ago, HandyDan said:

I would leave it as is with the one concrete step as long as the rise is okay. 

My wife tried this out this evening.  When you stand on the step you are a few inches shorter than when the other steps are used.  Makes a difference getting in and out of house and it is only 9 inches verse the other step which was 13 inches.  She is not a really fussy camper but when she gave me that wrinkled nose look I knew this was not going to fly.  

1 hour ago, steven newman said:

Make both treads from single slabs.....no gaps.

Thanks for the heads up.  I like the idea of a single slab step.  Easier to put the outdoor carpet on only one piece then install.  It is under cover all the time so I can get a long life out of it here.  

If you decide to go with a handrail/baluster setup, I have a suggestion that I picked up from a contractor friend.  

 

Instead of using those standard 2x2 treated balusters that warp/twist/split, you can make a much better one. 

 

Take a standard 5/4 x 6 x  8 deck board, cut into 32" lengths.  Rip it in half and put the roundover edge back on to yield six 32" balusters.  And there's room for 4 screws - 2 up, 2 down. 

 

Hope you find this helpful.

Jim

 

 

12 minutes ago, RedMGB said:

Take a standard 5/4 x 6 x  8 deck board, cut into 32" lengths.  Rip it in half and put the roundover edge back on to yield six 32" balusters.  And there's room for 4 screws - 2 up, 2 down. 

 

Great idea.  And just after I completed my deck refurb.  

 

Used the old ones and dressed with new paint.  But your suggestion would have been better looking I think.

 

 

 

A couple ideas for you.  Getting the perfect seal at the bottom wall and up along the siding is problematic.  They do sell shaped closed cell foam insulation for use on metal roofing, but I have never seen anything similar for vinyl siding, you might could make your own from a good solid piece - like one of those foam mats that HF sells to stand on.  I have sacrificed one of those for a couple projects now.  In the alternative, if a bracket was tapconned to the original concrete step it could be made such that the whole unit is removeable for cleaning behind it periodically - then the seal would not be required.  The downside of this might be the weight of it, but you wouldn't be picking it up, just sliding it out some few inches and then back into place.

 

I might also make it a bit wider, to the right side of the door.  It would allow you to set a package down while you fish the keys out of your pocket - not that I have ever walked up to the door without keys out and correct key in my fingers...

 

Thinking out loud, a moveable set of steps could be made from 3/4" plywood for weight savings.

Edited September 19, 20196 yr by Cal

13 hours ago, Cal said:

Thinking out loud, a moveable set of steps could be made from 3/4" plywood for weight savings.

 

May do just that.  Not being exposed to the weather I can get away with it on this application.  

13 hours ago, Cal said:

moveable set of steps

I am thinking rather than reinvent the wheel this is probably the a good hybrid.  Can sink a couple of bolts into the concrete step and when needed take them out, pull it out, clean and reinstall.

 

Still have yet to get back to this, been busy with some other items that demanded my attention.  

10 hours ago, Woodbutcherbynight said:

Can sink a couple of bolts into the concrete step and when needed take them out

You may find that it is stable enough without the bolts or any type of anchor.  We have a single step from the garage into the house.  You would not know that it is not fastened in place without checking it.  It is rock solid, yet simply pulls away from the wall for cleaning and slides back into place, but there is a piece of brick moulding along the bottom of the door to keep it from tipping.

On 9/18/2019 at 8:58 PM, Woodbutcherbynight said:

Great idea.  And just after I completed my deck refurb.  

 

Used the old ones and dressed with new paint.  But your suggestion would have been better looking I think.

 

 

 

Nice! Is that composite decking or just painted/stained wooden decking?

51 minutes ago, Adam Welker said:

decking

Regular 5/4 pressure treated. Painted bottom and top. For top used Deck Over paint. Leaves a textured finish. Works good when wet.

Here are two that I built.

This one is similar to your situation.   Steps can be moved to clean from behind.  I had to keep the run short to allow the car to be parked in the car port.

 

this is a 2nd one I did for a condo.  Danl

 

 

3 hours ago, Danl said:

Here are two that I built.

This one is similar to your situation.   Steps can be moved to clean from behind.  I had to keep the run short to allow the car to be parked in the car port.

 

this is a 2nd one I did for a condo.  Danl

 

 

Gee Dan, I don't mean to put you down, but if you built those to that plan, you built a "tripper", that can cause a fall, 7"R,to 6 1/2"R,to 7 1/2"R. Even a 1/4" can cause a trip hazard.

 

Just saying,

Herb

 

17 minutes ago, Dadio said:

Gee Dan, I don't mean to put you down, but if you built those to that plan, you built a "tripper", that can cause a fall, 7"R,to 6 1/2"R,to 7 1/2"R. Even a 1/4" can cause a trip hazard.

 

Just saying,

Herb

 

You are correct.  I should of mentioned that I did not build to the dimn. shown.  It was my intention to only show that pic to reflect the assembly (side view).  The steps do need to be equally spaced.  It has been 4 years since I built them.  I'm sure that I did due diligence.  No problem or issue here.  Danl