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How to remove concrete steps?

By Bagofconcrete
Page last updated: 10/23/2022 | Next review date: 10/23/2024
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This article aims to answer the question “How to remove concrete steps?”. It will also discuss what considerations you need to take while removing concrete steps.

Read on to know more:

How to remove concrete steps?

To remove concrete steps:

  • It’s important to know whether the stairs are pre-cast concrete. If they are, a furniture dolly and a helper are all that are needed to remove them.
  • Protect your eyes by donning a pair of goggles. The little sledgehammer may be used to test if the stairs are made of solid concrete or not. Toss it near a stairwell’s nook or cranny. 
  • For a chance to uncover concrete blocks loaded with sand, you’ll have to dig about. It’s easy to break concrete if you can get a section or the whole top slab of a stair unsupported (i.e., there’s nothing below it).
  • Make sure the steps are in order. They may have a concrete slab on top, but the sand below is supporting it. Concrete is unstable enough that a few sledgehammer blows will cause it to crumble if the sand is removed.
  • Hire a jack-hammer or purchase a 4-inch dry-cut diamond blade for a circular saw. The expenses are likely to be similar. There is a significant amount of work involved if your stairs are made of solid concrete. 
  • On both the top and the risers, use a jackhammer. The 4-inch saw blade or a cold chisel might help you weaken the concrete and keep striking the same place. This will cause the concrete to deteriorate and finally break down. 
  • If you stick with it, you’ll be able to bring the stairs down to the foundation eventually.
  • Inspect the junction between the house’s foundation and the step’s foundation to see whether it’s loose or cracked. They’re never the same two times. Even if they seem to be the same, be sure to inspect them thoroughly. 
  • You may discover that what you thought is linked is really only painted or mortared together to seem like it is.
  • You may use a saw to cut through the concrete if you discover that the house and stairs were poured on the pour. Then use a sledgehammer to dismantle it. A saw may be used to create a line or weak area in the concrete that will shatter when hit with a sledgehammer. 
  • As a result, you may have a 2- or 3-inch thick remnant porch protruding from the outside of your home. This may be removed by slicing into the face and chipping away with a cold chisel.

What concrete steps do I need to remove concrete steps?

To remove concrete steps, you need:

  • Jackhammer
  • Hammer
  • Drill
  • Circular saw
  • Brush
  • Mop
  • Protective gear

What considerations do I need to take to remove concrete steps?

You need to keep the following considerations in mind to remove concrete steps:

  • At all times, put on safety gear and earplugs, and if you have steel toe boots, use them.
  • Always use the right tools for the work to prevent being hurt or causing harm.
  • When tearing down a building with a jackhammer, take care not to harm the foundation.
  • When using a jackhammer to break up concrete, be aware of any metal that may be lurking within. Metal rails that were sunken into the stairs were common on older staircases.
  • You’ll want to have a lot of people to assist you get the stairs out of the way after they’ve been taken down. There’s a good chance that four tons of concrete will have to be removed.
  • After the concrete has been separated, a backhoe or front loader should be used to remove big portions of concrete.

How can I remove steps from the existing foundation?

To remove steps from the existing foundation:

  • Create incisions on the surface eight to ten inches away from the house to begin removing stairs from an existing foundation. 
  • Next, cut as closely as possible to the foundation, moving in a parallel fashion to the first cut. Use a pry bar to remove the bits that have broken away from between the cuts.
  • To expose the house’s foundation line, this may be done throughout its whole length. Avoid using a jackhammer on the line that is closest to the house as you continue to deconstruct. 
  • A portable drill or chisel may be used to remove any remaining concrete off the outside of the home.
  • Some forms will be filled with extra gravel and sand to avoid the need for more concrete. It’s essential that this be packed down firmly to serve as a foundation. 
  • The cost of concrete may be reduced by using debris to fill in the rest of the area. Rubble should not be piled too high in this case, and rebar should be laid on top.
  • Tightly packed gravel and sand provide sturdy foundations for shallow stairs, such as those found on a short inclination. It is possible to create shallow steps by erecting lengthy strips of a shape, which does not need the same firm basis.
  • In order to break up your concrete stairs more easily, you should pour them on their own base. A gravel and rubble foundation, on the other hand, will make breaking the concrete much easier than pouring it over solid concrete. 
  • In any case, wire cutters and saws will be required to cut through the concrete reinforcements.
  • Digging into the cement sealant loosens the bricks while attempting to break concrete stairs composed of blocks. If the bricks were filled with gravel, it may have helped stabilize the construction.
  • Slab-on-slab precast stairs or completed units with hollow cores are also viable options. This approach allows for thinner steps to be poured and hardened, which reduces the need for further concrete.
  • A mold is used to cure the material until it is firm before it is released and formed into the desired shape of the step. With a crane and no demolition required, precast stairs may frequently be removed in one piece without any damage to the structure.

Conclusion

Your home is currently undergoing renovations. Closing one outside door and eliminating a set of stairs are necessary in order to move the home into the new century from the 1950s. 

Concrete stairs are often not built on top of the house’s foundation, but on a separate slab. Removal is simple if they are. Removal is more difficult, but not impossible, if they are part of the house’s original slab.

Frequently asked questions (FAQS): How to remove concrete steps?

How to remove concrete steps?

It’s important to know whether the stairs are pre-cast concrete. If they are, a furniture dolly and a helper are all that is needed to remove them.

Protect your eyes by donning a pair of goggles. The little sledge hammer may be used to test if the stairs are made of solid concrete or not. Toss it near a stairwell’s nook or cranny. 

For a chance to uncover concrete blocks loaded with sand, you’ll have to dig about. It’s easy to break concrete if you can get a section or the whole top slab of a stair unsupported (i.e., there’s nothing below it).

How to remove steps from the existing foundation?

Create incisions on the surface eight to ten inches away from the house to begin removing stairs from an existing foundation. 

Next, cut as closely as possible to the foundation, moving in a parallel fashion to the first cut. Use a pry bar to remove the bits that have broken away from between the cuts.

To expose the house’s foundation line, this may be done throughout its whole length. Avoid using a jackhammer on the line that is closest to the house as you continue to deconstruct. 

Bibliography

How To Break Up Concrete Steps (4 Best Ways). Retrieved from: https://concretequestions.com/how-to-break-up-concrete-steps/