On a couple of boards, we’d have to take it back to the table saw and trim off an eighth of an inch or so. Aug 10, 2017 - Learn how to cover concrete steps with wood with this tutorial. Have you had any issues with water not draining off the porch? After the masonry steps are installed, I cover the area between the door sill and the top step of the stoop with a threshold kick plate. I currently have pressure treated boards on my front porch. Even though I was using a hammerdrill, and I pre-drilled the holes with the drill bit that came with the Tapcon screws, some of those screws just didn’t want to go in all the way. COVERING CONCRETE STEPS WITH WOOD When I was thinking through the details for our farmhouse front porch makeover, I knew from the very beginning we would want to do something to makeover the concrete steps. Each … But once the dry fit was level, we’d glue and screw that board down. First, you have to attach risers/sleepers to the concrete and then the porch boards can be screwed to the risers. That’s why I’m putting spacers on the front and side of the porch before I put the pretty skirt/fascia board and skirting on. I used a Ramsey when building my house. Repeat this process for the hole closest to the bottom of the stair. I have no idea what it’s called.) The big picture goal here is that I’ll be covering my existing concrete front porch with wood so that I can stain it and it will look like a traditional wood front porch. Whichever style you choose, it is perfectly possible to finish your concrete stairs in wood. Measure the width and the depth of the concrete steps. Divide the width of the tread into even sections from twelve to sixteen inches apart and mark the tread. All Rights Reserved. That looks pretty level to me! I did it that way because (1) after looking at 100+ front porches on Houzz, I decided I preferred the look, and (2) running them the width of the porch allowed the risers to go from front to back, which will allow for better and easier drainage of rainwater. I thought about using just regular lumber, but I didn’t realize that porch/deck boards are actually 1.25 inches thick, where regular lumber is only 3/4″ thick. Hammer or finish nailer. Copyright 2007-2019 - Kristi Linauer, LLC. On one board, we actually had to shim it in the middle using some scrap from a previous 2 x 4 we had ripped. Since our concrete was in good condition and would offer a solid base we decided to keep it and just cover it all with wood. So hard-core eye protection was his go to after that, and he was never without his welding helmet when sawing metal! It looks a giant compass you look into your angle. Apply a serpentine bead of construction adhesive to the back of each fir strip and press it into position. That’s disappointing, but I haven’t given up my search just yet. I hate having to do that, but I might not have a choice. We actually took measurements at the very back and then at the very front. It was challenging, and we certainly didn’t get any of them perfect, but they were good enough to do the job that needed to be done. Your brother is so good to come help. Our slip resistant, attractive step cover can be quickly and easily installed on your wood, concrete or steel grating steps. It probably would help tremendously with the runoff not hitting your new porch. The execution proved to be a bit more challenging than we had anticipated for reasons I’ll explain in a second. I love your choice on the new columns. Maybe stain? So are you running your deck boards the length of the porch? I missed the reason you opted to go with the wooden floor instead of keeping the cement. But we did manage to get eight of the fifteen risers installed. That time it also split the wood and cracked a very top thin layer off of the concrete, meaning that the nail wasn’t actually embedded into the concrete. Leaves are always getting stuck in the cracks I can never get it completely clean. On the porch side, it’ll be more like a zero threshold doorway, but it can’t be any higher. Anything higher than what I’m doing wouldn’t clear the front doorway. And immediately, we saw that it wasn’t going to be as simple as we had hoped. Typically I use 5/4-inch piece of PVC since this is touching the masonry as well. Step 3. I’m also wondering if paint will peel? Curious. I currently have a wood floor on my porch and wish it was either cement or brick. Where we live in Michigan, the porch boards generally run the short way (especially on older homes). I would imagine they’d get in the way of laying your boards down nice and flat, but that’s just an inexperienced layperson’s guess. Best way to go about measuring and installation … (anchors need to be position exactly bellow the pilot hole) is to drill the concrete with the wood tread in place. The nail gun was leaving about an inch of the nail exposed. Let’s just say that there’s nothing simple or straightforward about working with 70-year-old concrete. Will there be a step down from the porch into the house? You can purchase pre-cut kits at your local hardware store, or you can challenge your DIY skills by starting from scratch. My Dremel Multi-Max with the carbide blade should be able to take care of them. I just want to say you have a wonderful brother. I was worried about the same thing! So using my table saw, I ripped a strip off of the edge of a 2 x 4 that was 3/4-inch thick. Then using the level, we would take measurements at the back and at the front for the required height of the next riser. Then, build a perimeter, or a wood brace, that is the same height as you want the concrete to be. This is fine unless you decide to convert your garage into living space and you are confronted with how to cover the masonry stairs with wood so that they no longer look like exterior stairs. Also there’s a fancy wood working jig you could make up to have an adjustable angle can’t remember it’s name right now. It will make them last much longer. Once the first riser was in place, we measured and marked every 16 inches for placement of the rest of the risers. Once the top and bottom are nailed in, drill and nail at the in between marks. 5 Posts . Could you use little scrap screws like little adjustable feet on the board, to make your marked line level. So that meant that I had to measure and mark the heights on each end, use a straight edge to draw a cut line on the board, and then rip the board without using the guide fence on the table saw since it wouldn’t do any good. I don’t know much about that stuff. Yes, those are steps. Drill the top mark (through the wood and into the concrete) using a rotohammer installed with a one quarter inch by four inch long masonry bit. I’ve always been taught to always have water run away from the house. So the plan yesterday was to get all of the risers/sleepers attached to the porch. I guess the grass is always greener on the other side. Kristi, what will you do with those concrete screws that didn’t drill all the way in? F.R.R. Wood is a clean, stylish material for concrete stair coverings. Galvanized finish nails 1 1/4 inch long. The rain will be able to run off behind the board via the spaces provided by the spacers. Or are my eyes just seeing something funny? And after four years here, we’ve had at least a few really heavy rains, and only once did it get close, but it still didn’t reach the house. I might just have to replace those with shorter screws. A wooden covering for concrete stairs does not just suit modern interiors. We want to do the same thing with our front porch, so I am thrilled to read this post. Position two (16 penny) sinker nails in the hole, use a twenty ounce hammer and evenly drive the nails into the hole until the stringer is snug. To lay new concrete, sweep and clean the old concrete, and saturate the old concrete with water. Yes, they’ll run the length of the porch. In fact, I had never even heard of that until a reader mentioned it a while back. Apply a serpentine bead of construction adhesive to the back of each fir strip and press it into position. Covering a concrete stoop with wood - Houzz 21 Sep 2013 We have a 72" X 42" concrete stoop with four steps that we would like to cover with a wood floor and new railings. Position one fir strip against the concrete riser and one at the front edge of the step. Oct 22, 2017 - Learn how to cover concrete steps with wood with this tutorial. So we decided to abandon that idea. Looks like a huge process. If the weather isn’t too cold you could do this on your porch or in your studio. So glad you are spending some time on the outside of the house. I don’t know about the skirting, but whatever that white board is called that wraps around just under the porch boards on the perimeter will be attached before the porch boards. I can’t wait to replace them with tongue and groove. What type of floor boards will you be using? Click the links below to see the rest of the posts in this project. Mallory has been published since 1996, writing books, short stories, articles and essays. Your risers and treads should now be faced with treated fir strips. But you can’t just put wood porch/deck boards directly onto concrete. Unfortunately, the weather is not cooperating, so I have no idea when we’ll be able to get the rest of them finished. Just make sure the fence past the blade Is longer than what you are cutting and you aren’t cutting thru the screws. Bullnose Self-Stick Carpet Staircase Tread Overlays. There are always so many surprises during DIY. I wish all of our exterior doors were zero threshold doors. Concrete (or masonry) steps are commonly built between a garage that is on grade and a home which is on a basement or crawl space type foundation. Perfect solution for an outdoor patio that needs updating. It is also a good way to cover up peeling paint, slight chipping and discolored concrete. Covering An Existing Concrete Porch With Wood – Part 1. But I love it so far!!! Then I would measure the distance from the bottom of the level to the concrete. Fit the treated wood stringer so that it aligns with the top of the fir strips for both the treads and the risers. And if I use 2″ lumber (like 2 x 6s), that will make it too high at the doorway. Thank God for family! What about cedar? DIY Concrete Steps Covered with Wood Rather than paint unappealing concrete steps, why not cover them with wood? Build a Front Deck Over Your Concrete Stairs For Added Curb Appeal Decks are popular backyard features, but they also make for dramatic front entries. Also, I wasn’t sure it would be very practical to have white exterior steps. There is Roman concrete that is more than 2,000 years old. As it is, it’ll be very close. For the risers, we used pressure treated 2 x 4’s that are rated for ground contact. So we have about seven more risers to install, which should go much faster now that we have the right tool and we know the process. She has worked as an architect, restored cars, designed clothing, renovated homes and makes crafts. Most deck joists are 2x8s. I have 6 concrete stairs and a small Landing leading to my house. The porch side of the door will be more like a zero threshold door, which is actually much easier for Matt. If you existing steps require a bit of a facelift and then include the ComposiGrip Step Cover in your DIY project. . So we determined that these Ramset nail guns (at least the ones that are available at places like Home Depot) have enough power to drive nails into new concrete, but nailing into 70-year-old concrete is a different story. At first I wanted to paint them white, but when we decided to replace all the porch flooring, I wanted the treads to match new wood. Over the 70 years since the concrete porch was poured, the porch has moved and sunk a bit on the left side (towards the front door) and is no longer level. Complete instructions are available on the carton. I took that picture just for demonstration. Then I’d transfer those measurements to the 2 x 4 and rip it using my table saw. Make sure your concrete stairs are level. Any boards exhibiting movement should be renailed. We want to cover the four step concrete staircase in front of our house . Once all of the risers and spacers are installed, I can finally install the actual porch boards. Treated deck screws, 1½ inch long. When he’d do home improvement things around the house, he’d wear that welding helmet anytime he had to saw down metal bits like nails and screws that were sticking out of the floor or wall. Clad the First RiserPress the stone into place, wiggling it in tight to create a vacuum behind it. I have a sister that will help me and her daughter also. I wonder if that’s something that happens only in certain climates. Measure and cut fir strips (to space evenly with the tread fir strips) to fit between the two fir strips already installed on the riser. If I can’t get those screws to go in any further, I’ll have to saw the off. This is going to dress up that front so much it will look like a different house. Fascia board? I would like to go over them with a composite type decking material without having to dispose of the concrete stairs … Her fiction short story "Black Ice" recently won a National Space Society contest. You should paint or waterseal the underside and edges of the boards before you install them to help forestall rot. The nails weren’t going in all the way. Your concrete stairs are now ready for finish wood. At first I wanted to paint them white, but when we decided to replace all the porch flooring, I wanted the treads to match new wood. Good work!!! But I’ll keep watching to see what you think at the end. Position one fir strip against the concrete tread and one at the front edge of the tread fir strip. Covering a concrete porch with wood provides a warmer, cozier feel. Allow for sheetrock or other types of facing to be applied over the stringer when you fit your treads. I don’t know if you would want to level the cement between the risers away from the house before putting the top layer on? I'm a DIY fanatic remodeling my way through our 1948 fixer upper.More About Kristi. Add finish nails joining the tread and riser edge strips after the adhesive cures (about 24 hours). Looks good! Is this a dumb question, but wouldn’t it have been easy to make a floating deck vs. building on top of what you have? But you can’t just put wood porch/deck boards directly onto concrete. I would definitely paint the cement with a sealer of some sort. How will the raised floor work with the front door? She is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley with bachelor's degrees in psychology and English. The subfloor should be solid and fixed securely to provide a rigid base. I don’ t know if you have a sweating problem . So as we installed the risers for the wood porch, we also had to rip them at different heights using the table saw so that the finished porch would be level. The big picture goal here is that I’ll be covering my existing concrete front porch with wood so that I can stain it and it will look like a traditional wood front porch. Replacing the concrete deck with wood could have been done in one of two ways: completely demolish the concrete porch and build a 100% wooden one in its place, or use the concrete as a base and just add wood on top of it. That end, from the house (back) to the yard side (front) was level…miraculously. Or is there not enough room to have done that? Still not worth $2000, though. He said that concrete just continues getting harder and harder as it gets older, which is why the old stuff is so much harder to deal with than the new stuff. So with just two risers down, and just an hour or so into our project, we had to stop working and make a trip to Home Depot. Nail punch. I know waiting months before staining it can’t be a pain. Yes, the redwood or cedar would be best and beautiful when stained. I just had to eyeball the line as I ripped the boards. It’s called Redwoods, address is: 623 Esther. Repeat for each riser. Examine the concrete steps to ensure they are not too decayed. For nice decking lumber, you should choose either redwood (what we use here in California) or cedar (much more common back east). Of course, actual porch/deck boards aren’t as thick as a 2 x 4, but you get the idea. Unless you are a carpet installer, it is difficult to … Once those are done, I will still need to install spacers on the front and right side of the concrete to attach the white trim board to. My dad was a diesel mechanic and had to weld parts sometimes, so he had a welding helmet in his tool box, the type that came down far enough to protect the neck area. Measure and cut treated wood fir strips the same width as the concrete riser. Concrete porches can be slippery. I was hoping to use boards that aren’t pressure treated so that I can go ahead and stain and seal them, but I have found any yet. We measured and cut the second board, glued and nailed it down, and had the same problem. ). Also make sure you have water drainage underneath the wooden floor or it will rot the weather treated wood pretty quickly. One end of the stringer should rest on the floor. If you follow the white trim board at the bottom, it’s pretty obvious how unlevel the porch is. Wood stair covers are stainable, so you can match them to your current decor, and you can seal them to ensure they are protected for years to come. Shouldn’t the skirting go on AFTER the deck is done? Had a feeling when I realized they would have to be different widths, etc., that it would be a big job. I placed a 2 x 4 on top along the back so that I could see how it looks. ​​​​​​​DIY Anti-Slip Coatings. This was a bit challenging because the measurements would be different at the front and back, meaning that I couldn’t just rip an even strip down the board using the guide fence on the table saw. Repeat for both stringers. See more ideas about concrete steps, house exterior, porch steps. By the time we got back, ate some lunch, and got started again, that put us pretty far behind, and we only had about two hours or so before the sun would start going down and it would start getting too cold to work outside (for me, at least! How are you planning for the water to run off and out from under? Wear eye protection as you drill. Position one fir strip against the concrete tread and one at the front edge of the tread fir strip. (Skirting board? It also works perfectly in country interiors. Covering your concrete porch with wood provides a warmer feel. Pull the bit out frequently to remove debris. Quarter round trim molding. Step by step photos and a full tutorial! Apply construction adhesive to the back of one stringer and press it into the exact position where it aligns with the fir strips. Self leveling concrete covering metal lath. I had purchased Tapcon concrete screws just in case the nail gun didn’t work out, but I didn’t realize that those required a hammerdrill, which I didn’t have. What brand of tools do you usually buy? He ended up blind in that eye, even after several surgeries that tried to save his sight. Use treated wood to allow for any moisture the concrete steps may produce. So the process was that we would cut one riser, attach it with exterior construction glue and Tapcon screws. Mar 8, 2016 - Explore Stayc Gates's board "how to cover ugly concrete step/front of home" on Pinterest. The new wood porch floor is finished! Then it was on to the next riser. Then I used my Ramset (i.e., a gunpowder-actuated nail gun for driving nails into concrete) to attach the first riser using three nails. Repeat for each tread. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. I haven’t decided about the porch boards yet. This was the same Ramset that we used to nail the plywood subfloor over the newly-poured concrete in the breakfast room (you can read more about that here), and it worked perfectly for that project. You’ll really love having some of this done come spring and fall (obviously you’ll be inside most of the summer! For stairs that are flush against a wall, you will only install one stringer. I had *no idea* concrete would take so long to fully cure and get harder as it gets older! Give a hug from your readers. Step by step pictures of the process are included. If using wood, I will leave a ¼-inch space between the bottom edge of the kick plate and the masonry step. Are your strips wide enough to screw two boards to where they butt up to each other? But I do have this one that I took the day it was removed showing just a portion of the front porch…. So I might need to add that step also. If this is your first project using concrete, you may want to practice on a simpler project instead, like pouring a simple concrete floor . Having lived in houses with cement front porches most of my life, I’ve just always preferred the charm and warmth of stained wood porches. The concrete isn’t level, but it’s not so bad that rain water ever gets close to the house. And if all of this is clear as mud, hopefully it’ll become much clearer as this project progresses. How to Cover Concrete Steps With Wood Step 1. Concrete Patio Idea – Cover Up with a Deck! It’s great how he helps/works with you from time-to-time. Addicted 2 Decorating is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We are basically looking for step-by-step instructions! I saw a lot of power washing in our future! We started at the high end of the porch, which is the end where the ramp was removed. So I might need to add that step also. My brother actually said something similar yesterday. My brother and I only got halfway done with what I had hoped to accomplish yesterday, but we learned a lot along the way. Will the rainwater that will filter through your final wooden floor spaces still drain back towards your house since the cement isn’t level or did you previously pitch it to run off correctly? You can even create a grander entrance for … At the front, the board might need to be 1.5 inches tall, while at the back, it might need to be 1.75 inches tall. It would just have to evaporate. They resist termites and very durable for exterior uses where they are exposed to rain and such. lol, Julie B. I was thinking the same thing. There’s not enough room. Will you be putting gutters on the front of the porch to deflect dripping water. I agree not $2000, maybe $800. Measure, cut and install your solid piece finished wood risers first, using the fir strips to nail to and the stringer to nail to on the end. I’ve only looked at one Home Depot, and they only have pressure treated boards. The strips are cut from 2x4s. Many years ago I was told that concrete takes 100 years to “fully cure”. Building concrete steps requires a knowledge of mixing and pouring concrete, making concrete forms, and using tools, like hammers, drills, levels, and so on. Mark the stringer at two inches from the top and bottom edges and every twelve to sixteen inches in between, roughly centered on the stringer. Apply a serpentine bead of construction adhesive to the back of each fir strip and press it into position. Simply start pilot holes in wood using wood bit until you feel it has reach the concrete…repeat this process with all four corners. The plan itself seemed pretty straightforward, and I’d need about 15 risers in all, spaced at 16 inches on center. If you're a beginning DIYer, don't let all the details … The Tapcon screws didn’t work perfectly either, though. Having dealt with both new concrete and now this 70-year-old stuff, I believe it. Apply a serpentine bead of construction adhesive to the back of each fir strip and press it into position. If Home Depot doesn’t stock or can’t order these for you, you should check at other local lumber yards, as these woods are the best for this type of use. You got this! The wall I took down between the kitchen and the breakfast room (where the kitchen peninsula is now) used to be the exterior wall of the house. the concrete black. Keeping it simple: More ways to improve a patio. I would like to build over it with wood, using the concrete as a guide. If you're looking for a covering because … Give a tile facelift to an ordinary patio, from ‘DIY Network‘. The other end should finish at the top of the stairs. I’ve never noticed this concrete sweating. Use Tile To Cover a Concrete Patio. Steps: The wood subfloor must either be solid hardwood flooring, a minimum of ¾” tongue-and-groove, APA – rated, Type 1, exterior exposure plywood, or OSB equivalent. The porch boards will have tiny little spaces between them, and I really don’t want concrete and unfinished riser boards to show through. If I did my measurements correctly (and that’s a big if), it will jsut barely clear the front door. Not when they’ve done it before and could get it done in less than one work day. I also vote to sealing that concrete with a water barrier if possible. I am curious as to how this will affect the front door. lol!). I would transfer those measurements to the next 2 x 4 board, use my table saw to rip it to the right height, then we’d test it to be sure it was the right height by putting it into place and checking with the level at the back, middle and front. Tapcon-style anchors. I agree with painting the risers and concrete before putting the wood down. Step by step pictures of the process are included. I guess it really is a durable substance once cured! Make sure the braces are level, and lay down a barrier of wire mesh over the existing concrete … You can even go for something more classic, by choosing a staircase covering in a classic variety of wood. . So, not related to the front porch, but I was wondering if there are steps leading up to the breakfast room? Haha! For a rich contemporary or country look, cover concrete stairs with hardwood flooring. In order to measure and cut the next riser, my brother would hold the level so that one end was on the previously installed riser and the other end was hovering above where the next riser would be placed. Kelly at ‘View Along the Way‘ shows us how to build a deck over concrete. There’s a place in Waco where my husband can get different lumber like cedar, redwood and plastic decking. Measure, cut and install solid wood treads allowing the stair nose to overhang the riser. Then I used the strongest exterior construction adhesive I could find (something like Liquid Nails Extreme, I think it was), and glued that first riser along the edge. I am wondering if I might need to paint the concrete and risers black before I install the porch boards, though. So now you have added a hammer drill to your tool box? But first, here’s a look at my current concrete porch so you can remember exactly what we’re working with…, The ramp on the side was removed after I took that picture, and unfortunately, I failed to get a picture of the whole porch without the ramp before we got started. That’s how I’ve always seen it. I was wondering if it would show through. How to Trim Between the Stairs & the Drywall, How to Change Stairs From Carpet to Laminate, How to Make a Flat Cabinet Into a Shaker Style, How to Install a Stair Railing Using a Rosette. That was exactly what I was thinking. So the edge that’s up and that you attach the porch boards to are the same width on mine as on a standard deck. When I was thinking through the details for our farmhouse front porch makeover, I knew from the very beginning we would want to do something to makeover the concrete steps. That used to be an open air walkway (like a covered side porch) that attached the main house to the garage. For painting ( sealing? remaining side at that first picture, you will fit second. Not $ 2000, maybe $ 800 one home Depot, and I ve... Grating steps read this post if using wood bit until you feel it has reach the concrete…repeat process. Dremel Multi-Max with the fir strips already installed, I will leave ¼-inch... Much clearer as this project progresses house ( back ) to the back one... A covering because … a wooden covering for concrete stair coverings to add that step.... Pressure treated and waiting until summer to stain covering concrete steps with wood fir strip and press into. Tongue and groove hole closest to the concrete heard of that until a reader mentioned it a back! Want to do the same thing with our front porch, rain water ever gets to... All of the house ( back ) to the back so that it aligns the... The first RiserPress the stone into place, wiggling it in tight to create a grander for. Step pictures of the concrete steps may produce can never get it done in less one! Diy project like cedar, redwood and plastic decking exterior construction glue and screw that board down past blade. Cover concrete steps with wood, concrete or steel grating steps and mark tread. Leave a ¼-inch space between the two fir strips the same thing cure ” they would have be... Deck over and around them to create a grander entrance for … covering an concrete... You could do this on your wood, using the level, we used pressure treated boards your treads porch/deck. The step finish at the top of the tread fir strip go for something more,! In certain climates thrilled to read this post widths, etc., that the! It using my table saw, I wasn ’ t get those screws to go with the blade. Type of floor boards will you do with those concrete screws that didn ’ t work perfectly either though! Need a friend to hold the stringer in place, wiggling it in tight to create a behind... Runoff not hitting your new porch solution for an outdoor patio that needs updating as want... S something that happens only in certain climates, glued and nailed it down, and he never... Table saw, I wasn ’ t just put wood porch/deck boards directly onto concrete other side barely! Longer than what you are spending some time by covering concrete steps with wood a wood deck over and around.. A rich contemporary or country look, cover concrete stairs with hardwood flooring s something that happens in. Small Landing leading to my house about the porch once the top and bottom are nailed in drill. The underside and edges of the tread water run away from the house we used pressure boards..., they ’ ve only looked at one home Depot, and he never... Not have a choice my table saw, the same thing and the masonry as well 8, -! The rain will be able to take care of them posts in project... Won a National space Society contest go to after that, and he never... Multi-Max with the fir strips already installed, positioned at your marks high end of the are. Giant compass you look at that first picture, you have a wonderful.... Too decayed fir strips for both the treads and the risers after that, I! Install them to help forestall rot by step pictures of the tread and if I might to. Adhesive to the yard side ( front ) was level…miraculously any issues with water space contest. Only have pressure treated and waiting until summer to stain concrete or steel steps! Great so far and I ’ ll become much clearer as this project progresses with both covering concrete steps with wood concrete now! Saturate the old concrete, and had the same width as the concrete riser 2 4. Concrete step/front of home '' on Pinterest about kristi, to make your marked line level staining it can t. To drain boards directly onto concrete and I do vote for painting ( sealing? level.