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Steps to side door advice


Gunny

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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!

 

:D

 

 

1082355286_thebeginning(1).jpg.6222653143961321e02e7c28ce2abc88.jpg

 

Once the steps were removed this is what I found.  

 

1003464661_thebeginning(2).jpg.e544e08e9f41e664f0c12460779481b7.jpg

 

Edited by Woodbutcherbynight
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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.  :OldManSmiley:

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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. 

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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. 

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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.  

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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 by Cal
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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.  

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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.

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

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

 

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

 

 

283834061_handrailcompleted(1).jpg.ed4f94ce024b9c53d587b92a9f9f6ce8.jpg

 

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

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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.IMG_0993.JPG.d9c97a3f4c9bdb31671f7a0b17b10895.JPG

 

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

 

034-1.jpg.17bc5067b76c60e187136153d90fc71b.jpgIMG_0718-1.jpg.5aff3e43f5f33844f13f2cc96a2c7bfd.jpg

 

image.png.1aed752a09a67bc3ff6d1832b2bff79b.png

Stairs-Jared house-1.jpg

image.png

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

 

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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

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