How to make stairs out of concrete. Making a reinforced concrete staircase: calculation, formwork, pouring concrete with your own hands Double-sided concrete staircase

Modern private houses, with rare exceptions, are built in two or three floors. According to this format, a private house is equipped with two or three staircases - an entrance staircase and one or two interfloor structures.

The best, simplest, inexpensive and at the same time durable option is a concrete staircase, which you can make on your own without involving expensive hired labor.

Construction stages

In general, the work on the construction of a concrete staircase consists of the following main steps:

• Determining the type of stairs: single-flight, two-flight, spiral.
• Calculation of the structure: the number and dimensions of the steps, the width and length of the structure.
• Manufacture and assembly of formwork.
• Installation of the reinforcing belt.
• Pouring concrete.
• Formwork dismantling.
• Finishing concrete stairs with wood, artistic forging, ceramic tiles, mosaics or other available materials.

A two-flight and a spiral staircase made of concrete is a rather difficult project to implement with your own hands. Flights of two mid-flight stairs are erected at an angle of 90 degrees, with an intermediate platform, winder steps and other features.

A spiral staircase requires a complex special calculation of the spiral line and the subsequent manufacture and proper installation of curved formwork. Therefore, it is better to trust the construction of these types of stairs to experienced professional builders. Within the framework of this article, an option will be considered - a single-flight concrete staircase to the second floor, which you can make with your own hands without experience and special education.

Calculation of the design of a single-flight staircase made of concrete

The angle of inclination of the march and the dimensions of the steps should be determined in each case, depending on the size of the room. Standard, frequently used tilt angles: 25, 35 and 45 degrees. The most preferred option is the angle of inclination of the march - 45 degrees. In this case, the stairs in the house made of concrete are not only safe and easy to climb, but also optimal in terms of the cost of building materials.

Having determined the height and angle of the march, determine the height and width of the steps. The best option: riser height 160-200 mm, tread width 270-300 mm. The width of the march is also taken individually in each case.

If the stairs are located between two walls, the width of the structure is taken to be the distance between the walls. If the march adjoins the wall on one side, and the other side "hangs" in the air, the minimum width of the structure is 800-900 millimeters.

It is highly desirable to create a drawing or sketch of a future staircase for the correct calculation and installation of formwork parts.

Important point! Taking this or that step height, do not forget about the possible finish, the thickness of which can significantly change this size. For example, wood trim will raise the height of the step by at least 20-25 millimeters.

Formwork for concrete stairs

Assembly and installation is a very important stage of construction, on which the durability of the stairs depends. Even a small oversight and hope for the Russian "maybe" can lead to the destruction of the formwork during pouring or hardening of concrete, with all the ensuing consequences. In general, the following materials will be required to assemble the formwork:

• Waterproof plywood 12-18 mm thick, or edged planed board 25-30 mm thick for boards to form risers, side and bottom parts of the structure.
• A beam of 100x100 millimeters for supporting the lower panels (bottom) of the formwork and connecting sheets of plywood or boards.
• Steel corner and wood screws with a diameter of 3.5-4.5 mm for assembling shields.

Formwork surfaces facing concrete must be perfectly smooth. There are several ways to get the desired result: sanding, upholstering with plastic wrap or using laminated plywood.

In general, formwork assembly technology consists of the following steps:

• Installation of the lower part, made of panels assembled from plywood sheets or boards. A combined option is possible: plywood + boards. The lower part is laid at the calculated angle of inclination on the retaining bars. The step and the number of bars coincides with the step and the number of steps. The formwork elements are fastened with self-tapping screws, and not with traditional nails. After the concrete has hardened, it will be much easier to disassemble the formwork assembled on self-tapping screws than the structure assembled on nails.
• The next step is the installation of the side part (if one side of the stairs is adjacent to the wall) or in two parts, if one side of the stairs is “hanging in the air”. The side parts are assembled from plywood or boards, and from the outside they are reinforced with a belt of timber.
• Formation of risers. In accordance with the estimated number and dimensions of the risers, they are formed with boards or plywood fixed to the side parts or the wall using steel corners.
• Testamentary stage of installation. To make it easier to finish the pouring stairs made of concrete with one or another material, all joints facing concrete should be carefully cleaned and smoothed with an angle grinder and putty with cement-sand mortar. The formwork is ready for the installation of the reinforcing belt.

Installation and knitting of a reinforcing belt

In order for a concrete staircase in a private house to be strong and durable, its design should be strengthened. In this case, monolithic durable concrete is obtained, which will last as long as the building of the house will stand.

A span of several steps can be reinforced with a mesh of reinforcement with a diameter of 10-12 millimeters laid along the bottom of the formwork at a height of at least 20-30 mm from the surface of the formwork facing the concrete.

To set a gap of 20-30 mm, use pieces of brick or special plastic stands. The pitch of the longitudinal and transverse rods is taken such that cells of 50x50 millimeters are obtained. The fittings are tied together with soft steel or copper "knitting" wire with a diameter of 0.7 to 1 mm.

To reinforce large-scale stairs, several longitudinal and vertical reinforcing meshes are used, which must be attached to the wall in one way or another. For example, using drilled holes into which pins of the appropriate diameter are driven.

Pouring concrete stairs

For pouring the structure, heavy concrete grade M200 is used. Concrete is prepared either independently according to the following recipe - 1 kg of CEM I 32.5N PC (M400) cement, 2.8 kg of sifted washed quarry sand, 4.4 kg of crushed granite with a particle fraction of at least 10-20 mm, 10 milliliters of liquid soap (plasticizer), water 0.7 liters, or place an order for the finished material by contacting the nearest concrete plant. The first option has half the cost, and the second option is better in terms of the composition of the components and more efficient in terms of construction time. Filling steps:

• Fill the formwork with concrete starting from the lower steps. Initially, 2-3 steps are filled, after which the concrete is rammed with a uniform bayonet piece of reinforcement over the entire area of ​​the filled structure.
• With the help of a trowel and a spatula, they give the steps a final look - they smooth the plane of the treads, achieving horizontality.
• The entire structure is poured, after which tamping and smoothing of the treads are carried out as in the previous case.
• The resulting structure is carefully covered with plastic wrap for 5-7 days. In hot weather, the film is moistened with water several times a day.

Formwork dismantling

This stage of construction should not be rushed. After 5-7 days, side panels and riser formwork are carefully removed. If the concrete is still very wet and “alive”, the dismantling work should be stopped and wait a few more days.

The best option is to wait from 20 to 28 days (if the ambient air temperature is between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius and above). This is the estimated period of time during which concrete gains 70-80% of brand strength.

Concrete staircase finishing

immediately after the formwork is removed, all surfaces of the stairs are carefully cleaned with angle grinders equipped with the appropriate tools: Baumesser Beton diamond cutters, Long concrete grinding diamond discs, BOSCH concrete diamond grinding discs and other similar tools.

Further, it all depends on the imagination and personal preferences of the developer. To finish the surface of the stairs, you can use: precious wood, porcelain stoneware, ceramic floor tiles, or natural stone. The side surface and bottom can simply be plastered and coated with water-based paint.

Readers of the article may be interested in the question of how the entrance staircase to the concrete house is built. Outdoor staircase made of concrete is calculated and built , almost similar to the stairs to the second floor inside the house. The difference between the technology lies in the absence of the lower support of the span and the need to build a foundation, the depth corresponding to the depth of the foundation of the house.

Now, knowing how to make a concrete staircase with your own hands, you can calculate it, purchase the necessary building materials and build this structure without involving expensive hired labor of specialists.

For the construction of concrete staircase structures, you can use different technologies, a lot of stairs have been built with the help of each of them: monolithic, combined, prefabricated and typesetting. But with the general advantages of reinforced concrete products, only monolithic has the most complex configuration and any dimensions that do not contradict standards.

From left to right: a monolithic structure, a structure with elements of a metal frame, serial factory marches, stacked steps

The company "MONOLITHICKSTAIRS" offers its customers exactly this technology. Moreover, we were the first to use a self-supporting welded frame in the production of our structures, which increased the quality of our products many times over. We invite all our potential customers to familiarize themselves with the 4 stages of the technological process in order to make sure of its thoroughness and reliability.

Only the monolithic technology of stairs allows you to create structures of such complex geometry.

Being the most durable of all, a monolithic staircase can look more than fantastic.

1. Calculation of concrete stairs and drafting

The technology of monolithic stairs provides for a careful calculation of all structural elements. This is due not only to the need to determine the size of the structure, but also to ensure the comfort and safety of its use.

Straight U-shaped stairs Straight L-shaped stairs Straight winder U-shaped stairs Semi-spiral stairs Front, facade stairs Non-standard stairs

The important features are:

• Climb angle. It depends on him what will be the length of the stairs. Having the same height, the one that has a smaller slope will be longer. And this entails the use of more materials for its construction.
• Step size. Having decided on the length, calculate the dimensions of the steps. Their optimal height (H) is 16-20 cm, and their width (L) is 27-30 cm. These parameters correspond to the physiological capabilities of a person making an ascent and descent. The formula that the dimensions must correspond to is 2H + L \u003d 60-64 cm.
• Ladder width. It provides convenient movement, and also allows you to carry out the transfer of bulky items and furniture. It is not recommended to build gatherings narrower than 0.9 m.

requires the mandatory presence of a construction project, which begins to be drawn up only after the considered calculations.

2. Assembling the formwork for concrete stairs

When the project is ready, the installation of the stairs begins, the technology provides for the construction of high-quality formwork. It will serve as a form for pouring concrete. For its manufacture use:

• Boards (usually 3 cm thick), which are upholstered with a film, or waterproof plywood with a thickness of 18 mm or more.
• Beam 100x100 mm.
• Fittings and knitting wire.
• Self-tapping screws.

The basis of the formwork is the so-called central shield, and shields for steps are already attached to it.

Boards or plywood are knocked down using a staircase drawing from the project. To make the formwork as strong as possible, use supports from below and on the sides. Further, it provides for the laying of reinforcement inside the resulting frame. In those places where the railing will be installed, corks made of wood are fixed.

3. Pouring concrete stairs

Having built a reliable formwork, you can continue to manufacture stairs, the technology further requires pouring high-quality concrete. The grade should not be lower than B15, and in order to make it not too mobile (protection against leakage), crushed stone is introduced into the composition with fractions of 10-20 mm. Concreting starts from the lower steps, and one march is filled at a time. To strengthen concrete, it is necessary to compact it, best of all with a construction electric vibrator. But this must be done carefully so as not to touch the reinforcement. To prevent excessively rapid drying, the poured solution is covered with plastic wrap. You can see the filling process in the video: The formwork is removed when the concrete has reached at least 80% of its strength, i.e. not earlier than 3-4 weeks later. With this technology of stairs, it can be faced with any material. Moreover, the monolithic base ensures the absence of creaking even with wooden finishes.

4. Finishing concrete stairs

When constructing a concrete staircase, the design and technology of its finishing can be used in a variety of ways. The choice of option should depend not only on the preferences of the future owners, but also on the style and decor of the environment of the monolithic structure. You can use:

• Wood.
• A natural stone.
• Ceramic tiles.
• Laminate.
• Carpet.
• Clinker tiles, etc.

In private housing construction, a concrete staircase becomes the main type of access to the front door with a high base, to the upper floors. Compliance with the requirements for design, manufacture will ensure safety in use, strength and durability of the structure.

Monolithic stairs made of concrete have considerable weight. Ceilings and walls carry an additional load of the structural elements of the stairs before the polymerization of concrete. As a result, the concrete staircase turns into one of the structural rigidity elements of the structure. An angle of elevation steeper than 45 0 is impractical. 30 0 is taken as optimal. Climbing with excessive steepness will be difficult, and descending the stairs will become dangerous.

Requirements for the dimensions of steps and treads:

• Depth - 27–30 cm;
• Height - 15–20 cm;
• Width - 1–1.2 m.

Stair elements are cast-in-place with ceilings and adjacent wall during the construction process. The release of reinforcement and embedded elements from the ceilings and the load-bearing wall is planned at the project stage. Street stairs rest on the foundation with their lower part.

For a two-flight staircase, you will have to build an intermediate platform with stationary intermediate supports.

Monolithic ties will strengthen the structure of the house

Formwork assembly and reinforcement

The next step in construction is the erection of formwork. Concrete stairs need to create a solid frame for pouring. The base is made of moisture-resistant plywood with reinforcement from the bottom with boards to prevent formwork deflection.

Vertical supports are installed with support on shoes to prevent shifting. Racks are made from a board with a thickness of 50-60 mm of coniferous species. From the side of the wall, the base rests on metal brackets. The side board is attached to reinforced corners to give rigidity to the structure.

Prior to pouring concrete, care should be taken to eliminate leakage of cement laitance and sticking of the concrete mixture to the formwork. Joints and gaps of joints are sealed with sealant. The surface of the formwork is treated with anti-sticking compounds.

As one of the means, the formwork is covered with a polyethylene film with tension. This will lead to a decrease in the subsequent finishing of the stairs. Reduction in the cost and reduction in the number of finishing works is laid at the stage of preparatory work.

When pouring concrete, concrete stairs do not experience serious dynamic loads. Therefore, it is advisable to assemble the formwork on self-tapping screws. The screed will leave fewer gaps between the parts; after dismantling, the structural elements can be reused.

The basis of the strength of a concrete staircase is at least a double reinforcing mesh. Steel period and fiberglass ø 12–14 mm are used. Mesh pitch 100–200 mm. The grid is fastened with a knitting wire or pulled together with plastic clamps. Vertical rods at the edges will replace the upturned ends of the excess length crossbars. A spacing of 5–10 cm between the gratings will provide sufficient bending resistance.

An illustrative example of reinforcement and hardening

Plastic supports under the lower part of the lattice hold the structure above the formwork. Holes are drilled in the wall, where crossbars are inserted to prevent displacement of the reinforced frame. Touching the ends of the reinforcement formwork is not allowed.

The reinforcement of each flight of stairs is carried out separately, but before pouring, the details of the metal frame are tied together by overlapping, adding bars. With special care, the frame is connected to the reinforcement outlets from the floor slabs.

The assembly of the formwork of a monolithic staircase is completed by installation according to the level of dividing risers, which determine the depth of the step. Fastening to the wall and board is carried out with reinforced corners or vertical bars.

We are waiting for concrete

Difficulties with concrete

We refuse to buy ready-made. We purchase granite crushed stone of a fraction of 15–30 mm. If it is not planned to finish the stairs with other materials, marble chips are added. Coarse river sand is required. Quarry is not suitable - clay inclusions will reduce strength. Cement brand 400 will suit.

Mixing ratio:

• Cement - 1;
• Sand - 1.3;
• Crushed stone - 2.6.

A monolithic staircase will be reinforced with polypropylene fiber in the concrete mixture. The fibers are evenly distributed in the solution. Concrete acquires remarkable qualities:

• Shrinkage is not felt;
• Internal stresses are smoothed out;
• Hardening of the product;

The addition of plasticizers will speed up the setting of the concrete. The concrete staircase formwork is filled from the bottom in 2-3 steps with a gradual rise upwards. Preliminary compaction of the mass is carried out by bayonet.

Ramming does not give the result that we will achieve by using an electric vibrator. Vibration results in uniform distribution of gravel filling. Air bubbles in the thickness of concrete, shells in areas adjacent to the formwork will disappear. Manual sealing will reduce product strength by 10-12%

Vibration contributes to the sliding of the mass along the concrete stairs. Steps are filled without pouring cement laitance under the edge of the riser formwork. The filling of the cavity signals the transition to the next level. Avoid underfilling the formwork.

Filling goes on without stopping, regardless of the amount of work. A delay of 2 hours will result in layering of the monolith. The planned strength is lost. The joint is comparable to a crack throughout the entire depth of the stairs. Embedded fastening elements of balusters are installed in the filled steps according to the template.

After 1–1.5 hours, as the concrete sets, the steps of the stairs are smoothed out with a grater, trowel. It is recommended to trim the mass along the formwork, blunting right angles to avoid chipping.

Bringing beauty

Decoration and finishing

Concrete stairs with their own hands built. We waited until the ladder gained the necessary strength under cover. There is room for imagination. Ceramic tiles, natural wood and imitations, carpet - available finishing materials are not honorable.

And if you surprise yourself and your family with the beauty of concrete? Work will be added, but the rough concrete staircase will turn into a work of art. Want to try? We'll have to go back to kneading and pouring. The addition of pigments to the concrete mixer will turn the gray mass into a color.

Buying white or light cement will allow you to diversify the palette in addition to saturated colors with pastel colors. The steps will turn from faceless steps into decoration. But work will be added to polish the steps of the stairs made of concrete.

Shards of multi-colored glass, flat stones, even shavings imprinted into the unhardened top layer of treads, after metalworking with ordered elaborate ornaments or chaos of the inconsistency in the arrangement of waste decorative elements will amaze.

Self-deception or the desire for traditionalism?

Below is an example that a staircase made of ordinary ready-mixed concrete on without finishing is already attracting attention. Enterprises willingly accept orders for the manufacture of concrete products. Give a sketch on a piece of paper, get an improved version of the idea.

The developer wins:

• Absence of cracks and internal stresses in the product after the steaming chamber;
• Reducing labor intensity - installation and monolithic take several hours;
• Saving time - there is no need to wait for the polymerization of concrete;
• No chipping guaranteed;
• Does not need processing.

Doing it yourself is uneconomical

Concrete stairs without wet processes

And this is possible. In a dwelling where there is mostly wood around, moisture evaporation is an enemy. We order the frame modular or welded. And we cast the steps in a multi-seat form on our own in the garage, in the country.

The only feature of such amateur performance is that the front side will be below. Patterns and ornaments will appear upside down. But on the other hand, there will be no restrictions on fantasy in any form.

The photo below shows a composition on a concrete surface made of broken bottle glass. The battle was poured into a mold, leveled and filled with a cement mixture. The small chintz pattern is replete and it would not hurt to dilute it with several solid bottle bottoms to complete the composition.

The industry is beyond the power, only the craftsman

The thickness of home-made and purchased tread after processing does not exceed 50 mm. The weight is small, therefore it is permissible to lighten the frame. There is no need to prepare a powerful one. Installation does not require the use of lifting devices and powerful fasteners.

Lightweight format for climbing into the attic

Summary

Outdoor, interfloor concrete stairs are similar in manufacturing technology. There would be a desire, free time, the necessary amount of money. The design features of the screw and curved ones were not considered due to the fact that each configuration needs to be devoted to a separate article, and not a few general words.

Video

ladder frame

Concrete staircase (rough = two flights + platform) with formwork from the remains of the forest.

One of the best solutions for interfloor communication is a concrete staircase. Ready-made concrete products have quite categorical standardization and their use in atypical architecture is limited. In this article, we will look at the process and technology for creating a concrete staircase with our own hands.

Principles for calculating a concrete staircase

In order for the staircase to be convenient for each tenant, it must be correctly calculated. Of course, you can determine the parameters empirically by measuring the height and length of the steps of the actual stairs that you use and that you find comfortable. But it is better to stick to a proven calculation methodology.

The horizontal plane of the step is called the tread, and the vertical plane is called the riser. The width of the tread should be sufficient so that the foot rests on it by at least 80%. The safest and most comfortable are stairs with a tread of 300 mm, when climbing stairs with wider steps, you are likely to lose your step, and a narrower tread will make the descent uncomfortable. The width of the flight of stairs should be at least 80 cm for the convenient passage of people and at least 120 cm if you plan to carry furniture or bulky items up the stairs.

The dependence of the height and width of the step on the angle of the stairs

The height of the riser is selected depending on the width of the tread. For steps with a width of 300 mm, a height of 150 mm will be optimal. If you want to make the steps wider by 10 mm, reduce the riser by the same amount and vice versa.

It is believed that the sum of the double height of the riser and the width of the tread should be equal to the average step of a person - 400-600 mm. This indicator is individual and depends on the height of the person, so if children live in the house, make the stairs safer by increasing the tread and reducing the width of each step.

Knowing the optimal height of the riser, divide by this value the height difference between the floors, and you will get the number of steps in the stairs. The fractional remainder of the division is the height of the first frieze step. By multiplying the number of steps by the width of the tread, you will determine the length of the horizontal projection of the flight of stairs and determine whether the flight of stairs fits into the space allotted for it.

If the flight of stairs does not fit, you can make it shorter by increasing the angle of ascent. The most convenient and safe is the slope of the stairs at 26-37 °, it is more difficult to climb steeper stairs, and with a slope of more than 45 °, the descent is possible only backwards. To determine the angle of the stairs, use the model of a right triangle, in which the legs are the tread and the riser. You can calculate the angle by dividing the step height by its width and using the table of angle tangent values.

Determination of the angle of inclination of the stairs by the height and width of the step

If you do not want to sacrifice comfort, do not change the width and height of the steps. Instead, divide the span with an inter-flight platform, make 5-6 lower steps winder, or build a radial spiral staircase. Please note that in this case the width of the step at the narrowest point should not be less than 100 mm.

Reinforcement rules for flights of stairs

A concrete staircase is a self-supporting structure that needs additional support only if the flight angle exceeds 180°. Otherwise, in the central part of the monolithic structure, the fracture load will exceed the normative values ​​and compensation will be required - fastening to the walls or construction of supporting columns.

The main load in a concrete staircase falls on reinforcement, the amount of which is a record, in comparison with other reinforced concrete products - from 1.7 to 3% of the cross section along the length of the span and up to 0.8% of the cross section along the width. Reinforcement brand ST-5 is laid along the span with a step between the rods:

• 120 mm with a rod diameter of 10 mm;
• 160 mm with a diameter of 12-14 mm;
• 180 mm with a diameter of 16 mm;
• 200 mm with a diameter over 18 mm.

Reinforcement in the lateral projection is performed in increments of 250-300 mm. Reinforcement of platforms is carried out with a step of 200 mm in each direction.

The fastening of reinforcement to embedded elements in the walls is carried out not so much in order to provide additional support, but for the sake of solidity of the structure and in order to avoid the appearance of cracks during the settlement of the building. However, to the ceilings, the monolith of the stairs must have a rigid fastening by means of the release of embedded reinforcement by 60-80 mm.

The reinforcement forms a grid, folded without clearance and placed on plastic clamps that regulate the protective layer of concrete 3-5 cm from each edge. Two-row reinforcement is sufficient for stairs with 18 steps; in longer spans, an additional third row of longitudinal reinforcement will be required, located 5-6 cm above the main grid.

At the crosshairs, the mesh is tied with wire or nylon clamps. Each rebar must be continuous throughout its length or width, but this is not always possible on long spans or radius stairs. Therefore, it is allowed to splice embedded elements:

• viscous with an overlap of 24 nominal diameters;
• welding with a one-sided seam with an overlap of 12 diameters;
• welding with a double-sided seam with an overlap of 6 diameters.

The steps do not need reinforcement, but to protect them from chipping, it is reasonable to use a 4x50 mm steel mesh under a 2 cm layer of concrete.

Formwork installation

Formwork for stairs is simpler than it might seem. First, a gutter is mounted from moisture-resistant plywood or OSB, strictly horizontal in diameter and with vertical walls fastened together with screeds, one for each step. The role of the walls of the gutter can be performed by adjoining walls. On the inner surface of the walls with a thickness gauge, the height of the ramp is marked - the carrier plate of the stairs, which is equal to the thickness of the reinforcement plus the upper and lower protective layer. Further, with a ruler, and for a radius staircase - with a thread of a fixed length, the vertical edges of the steps are marked on the drawn line. The length of the inclined segment is equal to the square root of the sum of the squares of the height and the length of the steps (Pythagorean law).

According to the marks made, vertical lines are drawn, on which the height of the steps is marked. To check, you should set aside a horizontal line on a new mark and measure the distance between the points of intersection with the vertical and the sloping line of the ramp: it should be equal to the length of one step.

According to the marked marks, the step formwork boards are installed vertically, fixing them to the walls of the gutter, the top of each step remains open. Adjacent boards are fastened with wedge-shaped struts, one for every 80 cm of the span width. The wide part of the wedge is attached to the end of the top board, the narrow part is superimposed on the upper edge of the bottom. Particular attention should be paid to the walls of the gutter, they will bear the main load.

The formwork is supported from below with scaffolds or telescopic props with a load capacity of up to 800 kg. The number of racks is one for every 1.2 m 2 of the ramp surface. To install supports, 40x40 mm transverse bars are screwed to the bottom of the formwork from below to form a semblance of an inverted ladder.

pouring stairs

The filling of the flight of stairs between floors is carried out in one stage. You can’t prepare such an amount of concrete manually, and you can’t vouch for the quality of the artisanal mix. Therefore, it is necessary to calculate the internal volume of the formwork, equal to the volume of the ramp plus the volume of one step, multiplied by their number. It is recommended to order concrete of class B30 or higher with a margin of at least 10% of the original volume to account for losses during transportation.

The pouring of the stairs begins with the lower steps with a gradual advance as the formwork is filled and the surface is leveled. Concrete must be rammed, and at the end of pouring, seated with vibration. Settling of the mixture on the steps after shrinkage can be eliminated by topping up immediately or by grouting with M300 cement mortar on grade 500 cement the next day.

Concrete gains sufficient strength within 14 days. During the drying period, it is imperative to moisten the surface to avoid cracking. After two weeks, the formwork is removed and proceed to the finishing work.

Finishing work: how to simplify the cladding

There are many options for cladding stairs, ranging from simple painting to laying special marble slabs. It is only important to give a few tips that will greatly simplify further ennoblement.

Tip 1. Prepare formwork carefully. Up to the complete sealing of cracks and complete puttying. The formwork is a form, and if its surface is perfectly even, then after dismantling, it remains only to eliminate minor defects in the concrete to obtain an absolutely smooth coating.

Tip 2. Iron the steps the next day after pouring. If the formwork is mounted correctly, in the future it remains only to grind the edges a little.

Tip 3. Provide pre-embedded elements for railings and fences. This will not only simplify their installation, but will not violate the strength of the structure.

Tip 4. Don't skimp on spacers and formwork support. Even a slight twist or punch will ruin the look.

Tip 5 Make steps of the same height, with the possible exception of the frieze.

Tip 6 Start finishing the stairs only after the complete renovation of the house.

Stairs are complex and responsible engineering structures. Experts consider concrete stairs to be the most reliable, durable and durable products, which are distinguished by excellent quality and performance characteristics. Increased requirements are imposed on their production and installation, a number of regulations and standards have been developed. Only a properly designed and well-executed monolithic staircase can guarantee the safe movement of people between floors.

The main advantages of monolithic stairs

It is important to note that concrete stairs, which are made directly on the site: in a country house or cottage, in the form of an external structure near the building or in a recreation area, have the following advantages:

• the possibility of using in the process of construction and finishing works;
• high strength;
• a wide range of finishes and decorations.

Preparatory stage

Before starting work on the arrangement of the stairs, it is imperative to perform preliminary calculations. An opening for a flight of stairs is left at the stage of building a house or a country cottage. The main thing is to decide in advance on the size of the product. You can draw a drawing of the future design yourself, by hand. In addition, the following important factors are important when creating a project:

• the purpose of the stairs and its location: inside the building or for external use;
• the level of design load during operation;
• type of construction: marching, rectilinear, arcuate or combined;
• seasonality of use of the object, heating conditions and other climatic factors.

It should be remembered that for convenient lifting, it is necessary to clarify in advance the level of the finished floor of all floors, taking into account the finish leveling the screed. The width of a monolithic staircase is usually made from 700 to 1000 mm. According to current standards, the height of the steps in its pure form is from 170 mm to 190 mm. It is also necessary to take into account what materials the stair railing will be made of, to provide for various decorative and engineering elements: built-in lighting systems, supporting pillars of stair flights and other details.

Work production technology

In order for the concrete staircase to turn out to be durable and of high quality, a rigid supporting formwork, a special frame without cracks and gaps, is preliminarily equipped.

Note! To avoid leakage of concrete "milk" from the formwork, high-quality moisture-resistant plywood with a thickness of at least 18-20 mm is used for frame formwork.

Plywood sheets cut to pre-selected dimensions are fixed with wooden boards, which are adjusted as closely as possible to create a flat surface.

Before pouring the cement-concrete mixture in the formwork, a frame of reinforcement bars is knitted. Steel reinforcing bars are first laid along the future flight of stairs and securely connected by transverse elements. A high-quality metal frame will increase the strength of the structure, protect it from breaks and cracks.

Note! To prevent damage to the edges of the steps, they are reinforced in advance with reinforcement of the transverse connection.

A concrete solution is poured into the prepared formwork of the stairs, which is leveled, checked for the absence of voids and cavities.

Concrete mortar is made directly at the facility from high-quality cement, carefully sifted river sand, fine gravel and warm water. It should be remembered that the quality of the solution depends on many factors, including the order in which all ingredients are mixed. The unevenness of the solution and the appearance of lumps can be prevented if water is poured not into pure cement, but into the finished dry mixture. Crushed stone is added to the solution at the last stage.

You can mix the concrete mortar manually in a large container, in a trough or an old bathroom, or with a concrete mixer, which you can rent for a day or two or ask friends.

Note! Of great importance is the quality of materials, the availability of quality certificates and other documents for each batch. For example, it is desirable to purchase washed gravel, high-quality and purified.

After pouring the concrete solution, the monolithic staircase is allowed to dry completely and stand. It is possible to carry out finishing and decorative work, install enclosing elements and mount the lighting system only after 2-3 weeks after the completion of all general construction work. Experts note that wooden finishing elements on a concrete staircase can be laid in a month, after the full strength of the entire structure.

Video

Below you can see the process of making formwork, pouring and finishing a concrete staircase:

A photo