Brick and sandstone steps

[Jimbeam]

I need help on deciding what to do about constructing supports for 2 sandstone steps that will step up into a pool area. I have dont alot of brickwork to this point on the project but am at the end of my tether. I need to complete this final stage quickly. I considered using concrete besser blocks as this will almost half the amount of laying and the block height will be very close to my riser height. Tips on the best way to do this will be greatly appreciated as well as footing suggestions. I am using 50mm sandstone with an overall dims at roughly 1000x300 with risers in between. I plan on making 3 identical walls to support it all, 1 at either end and one in the center. Thanks all. I love this website.

[Bleedin Thumb]

That is way not enough information to comment on. What is the difference between pool area and lower area. What is the upper area and lower area decked with. 3 walls ...one in the centre????? what is the width of the steps. Is this your place or a clients??
Block height is close to riser height??? even with a 50mm capping stone over - sounds far too high. Do you know about the comfort ratio of steps? 2 x Riser + Tread = 68 cm max 58 min.
More info and maybe a photo of the area or rough sketch. What part of Sydney? if your close I could swing by.

[ozwinner]

Without looking it up I think riser height can be anywhere from 120 to 200mm, as long as they are all the same.

Al :)

[Bleedin Thumb]

Hi Al,
200mm is pushing it a bit. It can be done if you really have to- it means that your tread would be 280 wide- less than an adults foot size with shoe.

Similarly if your tread goes over about 400, ie (riser of say 120mm that you mentioned) you can still do it but you have to throw the rules away and plan the treads to have a distance big enough for two paces per tread - about 1 metre.

As we all have different strides its best to try and aim for the mean which would be 160mm risers with 310mm treads

[Jimbeam]

Hi Al,
200mm is pushing it a bit. It can be done if you really have to- it means that your tread would be 280 wide- less than an adults foot size with shoe.

Similarly if your tread goes over about 400, ie (riser of say 120mm that you mentioned) you can still do it but you have to throw the rules away and plan the treads to have a distance big enough for two paces per tread - about 1 metre.

As we all have different strides its best to try and aim for the mean which would be 160mm risers with 310mm treads

Sorry for the lack of detailed info, I was at work and just wanted to get the thread going to see if I had any helpers out there, and its great to se people even offer to come by and take a look.

The width of the tread will be roughly 1000mm and the depth of the tread about 280-320mm depending on how the brick courses work out. The riser height overall will be about 170-180mm.

I intend on supporting the steps with 3 piers, one at either end and one in the middle, each stepping down with the fall. Its roughly a 450mm drop from the paved pool area to the grassed garden but will increase slightly when the grassed area is levelled further which I will allow for.

I have used a CAD to draw up a cross section of the steps to count brick courses and work out how I need to lay them but I am considering using the besser blocks to get the job done quicker and easier (im not the fastest bricky but I get the job done right). If I decide to go down the besser block road I will drive steel rio into the ground and pour the footing around it and then lay the block over the top and then fill the hollow of the blocks, I dont want these things to move.

Hopefully I have provided enough info for now and I will try to get a pic on here in the next day or so . Its difficult to put actions into words and as the old saying goes, a picture says a thousand of them. Thanks again to all who will endevour to help me out. Oh, and this is at my parents house so we re trying to stick to a budget and use as little tradesmen as possible.

[Bleedin Thumb]

JB dont drive your steel into the ground. the footing doesn't need to be anchored to the ground you are just letting rust do its job. place trench mesh in the footing so it has at least 50mm surround of concrete all over. attach starter bars to that ever 90mm for blocks.

[Jimbeam]

Point taken BT..with only having the two steps, what size footing would you suggest?? I was thinking 200x300. Is that overkill for a small amount of weight? Should the footing be given time to set or can I lay the first course into the wet footing? I will post an image tomorrow and paintshop the outline of what I intend to do to make things easier.

[Bleedin Thumb]

Mate for the size of what your doing I would be very tempted to pour 1 slab 1 m x 1m and build your steps up on that. otherwise what are you going to do pour 3 strip footing 1m long by 300 wide on 3 different levels?

[Jimbeam]

That makes heaps more sense. Although the other strip footings would be all at the same level but one big footing would make it heaps more rigid other than 3 seperate footings working individually. This has been really helpful. Feel free to add further suggestions in regards to using blocks or bricks, the pros and cons of both and what you have found to be easier. Cheers again all.

Have now include an image of a sketch to give you a better idea.