It's no secret that building a porch in a country house is not an easy task, given that it must fit into the overall look of the building, as well as be truly functional.

In most cases, it is the originally designed porch that can become an unusual business card for the house.

There are a huge number of different options for the final stage in building a house. Everything primarily depends on how you see a truly beautiful porch for yourself and what budget you have.

At the same time, it is worth noting that if you are interested in how to make a porch with your own hands, then it is quite simple and all you need to do is read this article and perhaps use some of the advice of builders.

What is a porch?

In fact, a constructive porch built in a private house is the simplest open area with a staircase that is made right in front of the entrance to the building. In this case, the porch can be of the most diverse form, with or without an additional canopy.

If we talk about the design itself, which can be chosen for the porch and which determines the design for the most part, then they can be divided into three main types: simple, attached or built-in.

The porch of the latter type is almost always designed at the stage of building a house.

The most popular simple type of porch is the platform, which has additional steps and a canopy above them.

During the construction of this type of porch, the most difficult thing is pouring the necessary foundation, which will be needed anyway, even if it is a lightweight structure and you planned to make a wooden porch yourself.

The attached porch is very similar in appearance to the beautiful built-in porch, but it is very often rebuilt and modified in various ways.

Foundation - foundation

An important point that you should definitely pay attention to when laying the foundation is that its depth during construction work must necessarily coincide with the depth of laying the foundation itself for the entire building. Otherwise, after the settlement of the soil, it is quite possible that deformation will occur completely at the entire structure of the porch.

If, after the settlement of the soil, the structure is shifted towards the house, then the destruction will begin from the foundation of the porch. In this case, cosmetic repairs will not be possible and you will have to build a porch from the very beginning.

During the construction of the foundation, special attention should be paid to the waterproofing of the foundation being built.

Varieties of the porch for the future home

First of all, before starting the construction of the porch, it is imperative to decide which material you like best. Most often it is either concrete, or expensive metal, or stone, classic brick, affordable wood.

Having decided to make a porch to the house out of wood, many simply hope that this is the easiest and most affordable option, in fact, they are not even aware of the large number of nuances.

It is a photo of a porch made of wood that can be easily found in various magazines more than others. This is due to the fact that wood is considered by many to be a traditional material.

All you need to build such a porch is minimal building skills, a circular saw, and a construction square.

Note!

If possible, it is best to use either larch or any coniferous species as a material. They are distinguished by good strength indicators, and are also quite easy to independently process.

After a specially made impregnation, the material will definitely not be inferior, for example, to material from any other hard rock.

Above the porch, you should definitely take care of the visor. This will not only protect the steps of the stairs and its platforms from various precipitations, but also allow you to decorate the wooden porch in an interesting way in a short time without serious financial investments.

Photos of a wide variety of canopies can also be found on the Internet and magazines dedicated to the construction of various country houses.

DIY porch photo

Note!

Can be made from various building materials. In terms of strength, concrete is an excellent material that, with the right technology, will last for decades. Moreover, you can make such a structure with your own hands. How to make a concrete ring will be discussed in this article.

We can say that the porch is the visiting card of the owner of the house. Therefore, its construction must be approached with all responsibility. You can make a porch both at the stage of building a house, and after its completion. The main thing that affects the quality of the porch, compliance with technology. Otherwise, sooner or later it may begin to deform or crack. And just to prevent this, we will consider the details of the technology in this article.

The construction of concrete has several advantages, here are some of them:

• Unlike other materials, a concrete porch has a long service life.
• Concrete does not rot, does not corrode and after a while does not lose its physical characteristics.
• To increase the strength, reinforcement is installed in the concrete body.
• Under the influence of ultraviolet rays, such a porch will not deteriorate in any way.
• The ability to build a porch of various shapes. Borders and rules do not exist here. Therefore, everyone can connect their imagination.
• For the manufacture of a concrete porch, all available building materials are used - sand, cement, gravel and water.
• Unlike a wooden structure, concrete is not subject to fire.
• Such a porch can be treated with tiles, natural stone, etc. As a result, you can get a beautiful appearance.

As you can see, there are many positive aspects of the material used to build the entrance to the house. Now is the time to consider the possible shapes and design of the porch with concrete steps.

A concrete porch can be made in the following forms:

• round;
• trapezoid;
• rectangular;
• square.

The choice of one form or another directly depends on the size and type of structure.

As for the design features of the porch, there are such types:

• closed;
• open;
• verandah-shaped.

Also, railings are necessarily installed on the porch, making the entire structure not only safe, but also make the appearance aesthetic and complete.

As for the finish, much depends on your own desire, as well as on the structural features of the building. Your financial resources also play a significant role. Having made all the calculations and made the design, you can start work.

The first step is to make a building project, which will accurately indicate the shape of the porch. An important role is played by the size / number of steps. Steps should be comfortable for people of all ages.

The stairs to the porch should not be narrow. Otherwise, with intensive walking, inconvenience will be created.

So, when planning the manufacture of a porch, you should consider several important factors, which are given below:

• The stairway must have a width of at least 0.85 m. This will allow you to move freely. Of course, if the area allows, make a larger staircase.
• The angle of inclination of the stairs should have a maximum of 5°. If the slope is large, then the descent will be too steep, and therefore unsafe.
• Preference is given to an odd number of steps.
• One step should have no more than 180 mm.
• Overhanging of one step over another is allowed more than 30 mm.
• Between the door and the upper platform, the difference should be no more than 50 mm.
• The size of the platform must be sufficient for the door to open freely.

You can make a porch in two ways:

1. Buy ready-made concrete.
2. Prepare your own concrete mix.

Speaking for the first option, this is the simplest method, but quite expensive. Such concrete has some advantages. For example, there is no air in it, the mass is delivered homogeneous, after hardening the concrete has high characteristics. But if we talk about the cost, then it is much higher than the cost of self-prepared concrete.

For the preparation of concrete, you can use a concrete mixer. At the same time, the quality of the mixture will be no worse than imported. For the manufacture of concrete, it is recommended to use cement M400. In addition, you need to take care of the following materials and tools:

• cement M400;
• sand;
• crushed stone;
• fittings Ø65 mm.
• wire for a bunch of reinforcement;
• formwork boards;
• bars;
• ruberoid;
• nails.

As for the tool, the following set is required here:

• Bulgarian;
• perforator;
• manual vibrator;
• concrete mixer;
• shovel;
• container for kneading;
• bucket;
• a hammer;
• roulette;
• building level;
• rule.

Having prepared everything you need, you can start working.

When starting to make a porch, it is worth remembering 3 important rules:

1. The height of the porch should correspond to the height of the foundation of the house.
2. Make mutual reinforcement by making the porch part of the foundation of the house.
3. Produce high-quality waterproofing.

Having a ready-made project, you can make an estimated consumption of building materials in advance. For example, knowing the area of ​​​​the foundation, you can determine the desired volume of concrete mix. To determine the area, it is necessary to make the following measurements: multiply the width, height and length of the future structure. This also applies to stairs.

• So, first of all, you need to dig the foundation for the porch. The depth of the foundation must be equal to the depth of the foundation of the building. A layer of sand cushion is laid out at the bottom of the trench. It must be well tamped. To do this, after backfilling, slightly moisten it with water and ram it with the appropriate equipment.
• The next step will be the manufacture of formwork. During the construction process, be sure to monitor the evenness of the entire structure. To do this, you can use the building level. Also, the formwork must be well fixed. Otherwise, under the pressure of concrete, it may crumble.
• When the formwork is ready, reinforcement can be made. The reinforcement is connected to each other by wire. Directly in the place of the foundation of the house, make holes and hammer reinforcement into them. This will allow you to link the structure with the house. When performing reinforcement, the step between the wire should be 10 cm.

After completing all the preparatory work, you can start concreting.

Apply waterproofing to the foundation, for example, roofing material. When pouring concrete, use a vibrator. If such equipment is not available, then you can simply take the rail and penetrate the poured concrete with active up / down movements. This will remove all air bubbles from the concrete body.

In parallel with this process, it is necessary to build steps for the porch. There are also some subtleties here:

• Equipping risers and treads, set a right angle.
• For the construction of formwork, it is necessary to install stiffeners.
• The slope of the treads should be around 6 mm. This will allow water to quickly drain from the surface.
• A layer of waterproofing must be laid on the bottom of the formwork.

If the steps are round, then for the formwork you will need to use plywood with a thickness of 30 mm.

Steps also need to be reinforced. Reinforcement is also connected to the foundation of the porch or house. This will prevent the appearance of cracks due to shrinkage of the building. In conclusion, it remains to pour concrete on the steps and porch. The site must be leveled.

Check the flatness of the porch and steps several times. This will save material for their finishing in the future.

When the concrete is dry, the formwork can be removed. This must be done carefully. After that it was time for the final finishing. To do this, you can use all kinds of building materials, for example:

• fake diamond;
• a natural stone;
• porcelain stoneware;
• clinker tiles.

The final choice is entirely up to you. You can also choose the color of the finish, which will fully match the exterior of the facade of the house. Accordingly, the material installation technology also depends on the choice of finishing material.

This is how the concrete porch is installed. If you have your own experience, please share it by leaving a comment at the end of this article.

Video

The provided video tells more about the manufacture of a concrete porch:

Scheme

On the diagrams, you can find many ideas and examples of how to build your own concrete porch:

The entrance to the premises is his calling card. To date, steps for the porch can be made of different material options. Designers also offer some fresh design solutions. Concrete steps for the porch look unusual. They can be integral or consist of separate parts. When choosing a material, you will need to pay attention to its properties and further features of operation.

Accepted standards

The entrance to the premises must be completely safe for all its inhabitants. The shape of the step performs not only a decorative function. They must have a special anti-slip coating. Thanks to this, the movement will be comfortable at any time of the year.

Steps for a wooden porch are recommended to be combined with a visor. You should choose material options that will fully ensure the safety of children. The entrance to the terrace will be decorated with semicircular steps for the porch. Thanks to this, it will also be possible to significantly expand the space. The owner will receive additional space for outdoor recreation.

There are a number of standards for steps

If a person is interested in the question of how to make the steps to the porch correctly, then it will be necessary to analyze the stability of the foundation. It is recommended to use elements that do not apply strong pressure. When choosing the design of treads and risers, attention should also be paid to their functionality. The design must have a railing.

Finishing the steps of the porch is carried out after calculating the height and width of the steps. The thickness of the board is also taken into account. The foot should be comfortable to walk. Additionally, the security criterion is taken into account. Forged steps of the porch are recommended to be designed taking into account the following proportions:

1. The height of the march must be less than its length. The parameter is in the range from 1:2 to 1:1.75.
2. Wooden and other types of lifts should contain a slope of no more than 30 degrees.

The dimensions of the steps of the porch are selected depending on individual requirements. The optimal height is from 14 to 17 cm. How to build steps on the porch correctly? Their width should be at least 25 cm. However, the optimal value is from 28 to 30 cm.

In this video you will learn how to make a ladder:

Step design

How to make steps for the porch, every owner of a private house thinks. Among the finishing materials, the following are very popular:

1. Wood.
2. Clinker.
3. Granite.
4. Porcelain tile.
5. Panel in the form of a mosaic.

Ideas for the design and production of wooden stairs have been around for a long time. Half logs or logs continue to be popular today. Thanks to them, it is possible to create a unique Russian style.

A do-it-yourself metal porch looks spectacular, but is expensive. The material can be replaced with WPC or composite. Rubber coatings are considered safe for steps. The material will not suffer even from a sharp temperature drop. For the outdoor steps of the stairs to the house, the decoration should be practical. The width and height of the steps are also taken into account.

It is most practical to lay tiles on the steps of the porch made of durable material. Clinker is considered the most beautiful design. Decorative possibilities are unlimited. The material will not suffer from the negative effects of the external environment. It is necessary to take into account the dimensions of the stairs of the porch. If they are large, then the design will be expensive.

How to fill the porch with concrete, professionals will be able to tell. They guarantee high quality and a long service life of the structure.

Types of materials

Beautiful steps near the front door are obtained in the case of a careful choice of their design. At the same time, the material and processing technology play an important role. You should first analyze the advantages and disadvantages of each specific method.

It is practical to combine wooden steps for the porch with a concrete base. Stone, metal or glass are used for decoration.

You can make metal steps for the porch yourself only if you have the appropriate skills. Additionally, you will need a welding machine, which is not cheap. Steps for the porch made of porcelain stoneware look stylish and modern. Lining a finished lift with overlays is the cheapest. However, this option will also require financial investments.

Do-it-yourself wooden steps for the porch are considered the most democratic and practical option. You will need to decide on the cladding option or leave the entrance in this form. How to make the formwork of the steps of the porch, a specialist in this matter will be able to tell in more detail. He will perform the necessary calculations and determine the load on the foundation.

Features of some types of finishing materials:

1. Granite steps for the porch will last a long time. The material is heavy, so when installing it you can not do without special equipment. Under correct operating conditions, the lift can last for several decades without obvious external damage.
2. A brick porch will also last a long time. For its construction, you will need to have experience in masonry. Otherwise, the design may turn out to be unreliable. Attention should also be paid to the choice of solution.
3. The use of a polymer composite, wood WPC is a practical and relatively inexpensive solution.

If a minimum of funds is allocated for the construction, then it is recommended to find out how to fill the steps of the porch with concrete. You can make the composition yourself or buy a ready-made version of the powder in a hardware store. To obtain a solution, it will be enough to add water to it.

How to calculate the number and height of steps

Frequent questions of owners include not only care, but also methods for calculating steps. To do this, you need to correctly study all the norms of SNiP. According to them, the depth of the march is best done at least 30 cm. In this case, the steps in height should be from 15 to 18 cm.

The angle of inclination of the stairway cannot be less than 30 degrees. For the main building, it is not advisable to use a smaller indicator. Otherwise, it will be inconvenient for a person to move along the rise. However, a value of 45 degrees is considered optimal. Overlay plates will help to make the rise more gentle.

Additionally, it should be noted that the type of material must first be determined. After the calculations are completed, it will be difficult to make changes to the scheme. For example, for a wooden staircase, the maximum angle of inclination cannot exceed 45 degrees. If you treat the surface with tiles, then it is allowed to make it more gentle. In combination with it, it is better not to use a short march.

The number of steps is determined based on the height of the entrance door. It is recommended to make them an odd number. For this, a special staircase calculation calculator is used. The selection of materials is always done before the start of the design.

Required Tools

When working, building material is of key importance. The second important element is tools. With their help, it is possible to quickly and efficiently perform all the necessary work. It is also worth considering the following:

1. The step and riser will be used extensively. A concrete mixer or a construction mixer will allow you to get high-quality concrete. The tool must qualitatively mix sand, crushed stone and cement.
2. A puncher or drill performs additional processing.
3. To quickly make steps for the porch, you should find a saw, a hacksaw and boards in advance.

When working with lumber, workers must be well protected. Nails, screws, bolts and a saw are added to their arsenal. The manufacture of wooden steps is carried out using a manual or automatic version of the tool. In this case, the steps are fastened with hammers or screwdrivers.

The calculation of the steps allows you to stock up on the necessary amount of materials before starting work. There are many options for stairs that you can do with your own hands.

Manufacturing and installation technology

With your own hands, creating steps for a porch made of brick or other material is real. In this case, the foundation is separately formed, and then the steps are made of concrete. Action plan:

1. The finished steps of the porch are attached to the wall. First you need to mark the right place on it. The stone is difficult to work with. That is why many owners opt for wood.
2. The bowstring is attached to the base after cutting out compartments and places for fastening.
3. You can fix the element with the help of capercaillie, which were previously prepared.
4. The height of the lifting steps is adjusted by cutting compartments in the bowstring.
5. Decorative elements are used after the completion of the main work.

Outdoor steps of the porch should be not only beautiful, but also reliable. It is recommended to choose only those materials that are easy to care for. Otherwise, the porch will need to be repaired soon.

This article contains information that will help you make the right choice of material.

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The porch must be attached to the house if the height of the basement of the foundation does not allow you to immediately leave the room. By choosing the best option for a wooden porch, not only the comfort of using the building increases, but also its appearance improves.

There are a huge number of design options, and there are only two architectural options.

We will tell you step-by-step instructions for creating both types, indicating the features and secrets of construction work. But first, you should consider the general requirements for all elements of the porch.

Requirements of building codes and rules for structures

1. Site requirements.

   

   It can be located on separate vertical supports or fixed to the front wall on one side. There is one recommendation in terms of size - the width should allow at least two people to diverge without problems, in most cases 1.5 meters is enough. In addition, the platform should allow the door to be opened by a person entering from outside.

   

   There is one limitation in height - the level of the platform should be three to five centimeters lower than the level of the lower plane of the doors. This is explained by the fact that the porch in the winter period of time will rise, if you do not make a gap, then the doors may jam. The opening of the entrance doors for safety reasons must be outward, and the difference in height eliminates the negative consequences of swelling of the earth during freezing / freezing.

2. Step requirements.

   

   The width of the stairs is at least a meter, the height is about 16–18 cm, the length of the steps is 25–32 cm. How to calculate the parameters of the steps? For example, the height of the platform is 120 cm, we divide this value by 18 cm and get 120:18 = 6.66. Rounding up to the nearest whole number, in the end we should have 7 steps. The distance between them is 120:7 = 17.14 cm. You can make six steps 17 cm high, and the last or first 17 + (0.14 × 6) = 17.8 cm. It is much easier to make porch parts this way. If you have chosen a length and width of steps of 30 cm, then the lower support point of the stairs should be at a distance of 7 × 30 cm = 210 cm from the edge of the platform. That's all the calculations, simple and accessible, there is no need to study complex formulas.

   

Select only high-quality lumber for the manufacture of the porch, do not allow damage by pests, diseases, rotten knots and through cracks. Breeds are only moisture resistant: coniferous or hard trees. Boards with significant natural developmental defects are also not recommended.

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Building boards

It is desirable to treat the materials several times with antiseptics.

Be sure to use reliable waterproofing of all elements with concrete surfaces.

Take all possible measures to prevent the accumulation of water on the steps and platform. You can make them with a slight slope or leave gaps between the individual boards within 2–3 mm.

For the final paint coating, use only high-quality paints. They must be wear-resistant, not afraid of moisture and hard ultraviolet radiation. Another requirement is that when painting surfaces, strictly follow the recommendations of the manufacturers, do not try to simplify the technology by skipping some steps. Remember that there are no wooden structures in the house that are operated in such difficult conditions. It is very difficult to restore the original appearance of the paint, you will have to completely remove the old coating. Such work requires a lot of effort and time, and it is rarely possible to completely get rid of traces of old paint.

foundation requirements

The wooden porch is placed on a separate foundation; there is no need to tie it to the existing tape under the house. Two types of foundations can be used for the structure: columnar or poured reinforced tiled. Both are equivalent in terms of bearing characteristics and performance.

The main task of the foundations under the porch is to keep a small weight. As for swelling, it is not economically feasible to deal with this phenomenon. We have already said above that in order to eliminate the negative consequences, the porch platform is located below the door opening plane. A columnar foundation will cost a little less, but there are more problems with it during the installation. It is necessary to maintain the plane of all columns horizontally, after the concrete has hardened, correct the bearing surface according to the water level, make formwork, etc.

If possible, it is better to pour a reinforced concrete slab about 5–10 cm thick. The slab, among other things, will prevent plants from growing under the porch. You will have to constantly fight with them, and it is difficult to get to them because of the small height of the structure.

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concrete mixers

Step-by-step instructions for building a chopped log porch

The most durable and strong design, gives the house an original and solid look. Over the porch of logs, you can make canopies, enclose the site with railings with carved or chiseled balusters, use other rustic-style decor elements.

To make such a porch, you will need not only materials, but also the ability to work with an ax, hammer holes, cut logs under the lock, etc. The design of a chopped porch should exclude the accumulation of moisture in internal joints, otherwise the probability of putrefactive processes increases sharply. Therefore, do not use the lower bowl when building a porch, the bowl should always lie upside down on the joined logs. If it is difficult to cut the bowl, then make connections in okhryap, they are much easier to cut and allow you to use a chainsaw. The best wood for a wooden porch is larch or oak, but cheap softwoods can also be used.

Step 1. Making a concrete base.

We chose the concrete slab option. Make pegs of the platform according to the calculated dimensions of the porch, check the angles, if the two diagonals are the same length, then the angles are 90 °.

The depth of the pit under the slabs is within 30–40 cm; for backfilling, take a sand and gravel mixture. Level and tamp each layer about 10 cm thick. Before compaction, it is recommended to water it with water.

For concrete, you can take 3–4 buckets of sand and gravel mixture per bucket of cement, the thickness of the slab is about 5–10 cm, be sure to use building reinforcement with a periodic profile Ø 5–8 mm. To reduce the amount of moisture penetrating from the soil into the concrete, put two layers of roofing material or other waterproofing material on the backfill. From edged boards up to 10 cm wide, prepare the formwork, set it in place under the level.

Important. The upper edges of the formwork boards serve as guides during the leveling of concrete. To drain water, install formwork with a slope of about 2–3 cm from the foundation of the house.

Fix the formwork in place with wooden or metal stops, hammer them flush with the boards so that they do not interfere with the leveling of the concrete. Pour half the thickness of the concrete into the formwork, level it and lay the reinforcement, pour the second layer and level the upper surface with an even bar. Pack the mixture well, remove air pockets. Leave the design for 7-10 days to solidify.

Level the mixture with a shovel and a rule

While the plate is gaining strength, you can begin to prepare the lumber.

Step 2. Making blanks for stairs and platforms.

For work, you need to have logs with a diameter of at least 30 cm (along the width of the step).

In this way, blocks are prepared both for steps and for the platform.

Step 3. Fitting all stair blocks to the same width.

We have already mentioned that the width of the steps can vary from 25 cm to 32 cm. Choose a specific size based on the thickness of the logs in such a way as to reduce the amount of waste. Draw cut lines on the front surface of the block, cut off excess material with a saw or axe, align the cut. To prevent subsequent chips, slightly chamfer. In the same way, finish all the blanks on the platform and steps.

Step 4. Preparation of the lower (overhead) logs.

The first crown of the porch consists of two side lower logs, a step and a covering log. All logs must be sanded and the dark top layer removed with a scraper.

Lay them on a concrete slab and measure the same height. At the end, draw a horizontal line of the stess, transfer the dimensions to the side surfaces in the same way as was done during the manufacture of the block. Use a saw or an ax to remove excess wood, level the surfaces.

Practical advice. Due to the fact that the concrete slab has a slope, mark the logs with the thick end outward. Due to this, it will be possible to reduce the amount of wood removed during leveling.

In order not to mix up the parts during the assembly of the porch, number them or mark them otherwise. To make the tees easier, make small cuts at a distance of about 2-3 cm.

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Chainsaw

Step 5. Marking the first crown.

Lay the first step blank on the lower logs, trim it in width, measure the overall height. Due to the fact that we took the distance from concrete to the platform of the first stage to be 30 cm, measure the actual height of the assembled workpieces. The difference in values ​​gives us the depth of the castle. In the same way, mark the fixing log on the other side of the cover logs. Mark the width and position of the plane of the bowl. We have already mentioned that we choose the simplest option for the connection.

Step 6. Making a bowl.

First, saw down with a saw along the lines to the depth of the bowl, then make a few cuts in the middle. No need to cut to the full depth, leave a few millimeters to prevent errors. In the future, if necessary, the excess thickness will be removed. Make the same bowls on the lower logs.

Important. Under the lower logs, be sure to use pads made of any material that does not absorb moisture. Cut them to size, drill holes and attach them to the lower plane of the cover logs with screws or nails. The distance between the linings is approximately 40–50 cm.

Step 7. Making the second crown.

Lay the logs and measure how much you need to remove their ends so that the plane is horizontal. If there are differences of a few centimeters - no problem. This position will improve the runoff of water from the steps. In the manner described above, mark the position of the bowls, mark the height of the excess logs, which will later have to be removed. Cut through the longitudinal groove and the bowl, put the side logs in place, nothing needs to be put into the groove. Check their position, if the upper crown staggers, then the cause of this phenomenon should be found and eliminated.

We check the horizontalness of each log

Step 8. Measurement and cutting of the bowl of the second stage.

Don't forget to dodge. The protrusion of the second step above the ends of the logs should not exceed 2-3 cm, otherwise the effective width of the stairs will be significantly reduced. Do not forget that all bowls should be placed upside down, which means that it is not done in the lower longitudinal logs. Due to this technique, water does not accumulate in the recesses, the wood dries quickly and does not undergo putrefactive processes.

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Building levels

To prevent the steps from moving, fasten them with long wood screws, two pieces on each side. Under the screws, you must first drill holes with a diameter of 1–2 mm less than the diameter of the metal body. Make the heads of the hardware flush with the surface of the step.

Before final fixing, check the position of the steps again, including the slope. Control the quality of the tesky with a level. It is not necessary to achieve a perfectly flat surface, the main thing is that the elements are stable. Small gaps accelerate the removal of moisture, which has a positive effect on the condition of the wood. Use the same technology to make and install all the crowns. The amount depends on the size of the porch. On the last crown, logs are laid under the platform. The last crown is fixed to the penultimate one with dowels, the process is the same as in the construction of a log house.

Practical advice. To facilitate the manufacture of the bowl in the blocks of the platform, sew the logs of the upper crown along the same width. This will allow you not to measure each bowl separately, but to make it the same on all elements.

Level the upper plane of the site with a planer. At the same time, finally trim the ends of the platform logs and steps. Pull the thread between the extreme ones, make marks and saw off the protruding end parts with a saw.

Step 9. The device of the railing.

For racks, you can use turned balusters, a height of about 1 meter. For reliable fastening of the racks to the steps, you need to make a spike, measurements are about 5 × 5 cm. The spike is inserted into the hole in the steps and logs of the site.

Important. The spike should enter the groove with effort, do not rush to immediately adjust all the balusters to the same size. Exact fit is done for each separately.

Railings to balusters can be fixed with metal squares, self-tapping screws, or also make a spike / groove connection. The specific fixation option depends on the shape of the railings and balusters. Spikes are much easier to make on a circular saw. Mark on the machine table the lines of the beginning and end of the tenon, this will speed up the work and eliminate errors. With an ax, remove the sawn segments and slightly trim the surfaces of the spikes.

How to choose holes for spikes in steps?

1. Mark the position of the holes. Make marks under a stretched rope, they should all lie strictly in one line.
2. Drill holes in the steps, drill a small diameter drill in the corners (approximately Ø 20 mm), drill the middle with a large drill. Make sure that the tool is in a vertical position, otherwise there will be big problems. The marriage will have to be corrected; during corrections, the size of the hole will inevitably increase. In order for the balusters not to stagger, you need to put wooden wedges, and they dry out over time, the strength of the connection is broken.
3. Use a chisel to make holes. This work is difficult and long, but do not despair. A lot of time will be spent on the first hole, then experience appears and the work progresses much faster. In order for the bottom of the step under the hole not to fall during chiselling, remove it and lay it so that the place under the hole rests on a flat board. To control the size of the holes, you can make a template with the size of the spikes. With its help, not only linear dimensions are checked, but also verticality.

Step 10. Installing racks.

Steps are an element of a flight of stairs. The upper horizontal part of the step is a tread designed to support the foot. Depending on the purpose, location and configuration of the stairs, the steps may have a different shape. Steps for the porch are most often made of concrete, and then lined with various decorative materials to give them an aesthetic appearance. This has its own plus, since the stairs can be given any look.

Calculation of steps and entrance stairs

Convenience when using steps is determined by their depth, length and height, as well as the lining material. From what and how to make steps, you need to decide at the initial stage of construction and. The finished set of steps for the porch consists of the following parts: plinth, riser and tread. Make them either mortise or saddle. Mortise mounted in the bowstring, saddle - on top of it. They can be made of wood, concrete, iron or brick.

The ladder, depending on the height and length, may have a different number of treads. In order for the porch to be convenient to use, it is necessary to correctly carry out the calculations.

To calculate the entrance staircase for the porch, you need to determine its height. The height will be the distance from the ground to the bottom edge of the door. 3 cm is subtracted from the resulting height. This is important if the front door to the house is made of wood, because. it is most susceptible to the influence of precipitation and with high humidity it can slightly increase in size.

Important! After calculating the height of the porch, it is necessary to determine the angle of inclination of the march. The safety of the structure is related to the angle of inclination, which is defined as the ratio of the height and depth of the step. The safe angle of inclination of the stairs is in the range of 30 to 45 degrees.

By choosing the angle of inclination, you can calculate the entire structure. It is obligatory to calculate the width and height of the steps of the porch. The height of the step is the sum of the sums: the height of the riser and the thickness of the boards. Practice has proven that stairs that have risers 14 to 17 cm high and treads with a depth of 27 to 35 cm are easy to use. The number of treads is calculated by dividing the length of the flight of stairs by the height of the riser.

Calculation of the flight of stairs:

Staircase width

The width of the stairs in a private house is determined by the number of people who can walk along it at the same time in different directions. For the movement of one person, a structure with a march from 80 to 100 cm wide is made. If the stairs are supposed to move in two directions or carry things, then the width of the stairs increases to 110-120 cm.

Step shapes

One of the main criteria that you need to pay attention to when designing a flight of stairs is the shape of the steps.

Steps for flights of stairs can be:

• straight with ordinary rectangular treads. They can be mounted in various ways. This type is the easiest to manufacture;
• round. Their distinguishing feature is the radial orientation. Sometimes used as the first step and when equipping the entrance porch to the house;
• semicircular. Most often they are installed on a staircase located in the corner of a building or room. They can also be made during the construction of the entrance porch to the house;
• trapezoidal. The sides of such a step have different depths, resulting in a trapezoid shape. They are used in the construction of spiral staircases and turning stairs with winder steps.

Before you make steps with your own hands, you should decide on the material. It can be wooden steps made of boards or bricks. Steps made of concrete or metal have proven themselves no worse.

How to make a porch with wooden steps

The risers and treads are interconnected in several ways:

• self-tapping screws when the mount goes through the tread into the riser;
• into the groove, which is cut in advance in the lower part of the tread along the width of the riser;
• on galvanized corners.

Treads at outdoor stairs are often attached to a bowstring, very rarely to stringers. Treads are fastened to the bowstring either on pre-nailed bars or in prepared grooves, 3-4 cm deep. If the installation is carried out in grooves, they are treated with glue at the places where the boards are attached. It is better to fasten to the bars with self-tapping screws.

A manufacturing feature is that outdoor structures made of wood cannot be installed directly on the ground. In this case, it is necessary to concrete the foundation.

For this you need:

• dig a hole in place of the foundation, 30x30 cm in size and up to 50 cm deep;
• fill the bottom up to 20 cm with a layer of rubble or broken bricks;
• lay interconnected metal rods on a layer of rubble, which should be located at a distance of up to 7 cm from the walls of the pit;
• fill the pit with a concrete solution. The foundation is made at every corner. From above, with the help of anchors, a beam is mounted, which will serve as the basis for the entire structure.

Making marches from concrete and brick

The main advantage of a concrete staircase is that it is not afraid of corrosion, like metal, and does not lend itself to deformation. A concrete staircase can be easily configured and any coating can be fixed on it.

The concrete staircase is filled with a solution, the composition of which includes cement, gravel and sand. For one cubic meter of mortar, 1 m3 of sand, 0.85 m3 of crushed stone, 350 kg of cement are needed. To know the amount of concrete, it is necessary to calculate the entire cubic capacity of the stairs, including the foundation. The procedure for preparing the foundation with your own hands has already been described above.

After preparing the foundation, we carry out the installation of the porch with our own hands. To do this, we carry out reinforcement and installation of formwork. We lay metal bars on the bottom and set the formwork according to the height and shape of the steps. Pour in the solution and let it dry. We continue this process until the desired number of steps is set. The poured mortar hardens for about two days, but it is recommended to remove the formwork no earlier than after two weeks. After the mortar has gained strength, you can lay tiles on it.

Brick steps are beneficial in that they do not precipitate. Knowing the size of the brick, it is easy to calculate the entrance stairs to the house. Brick treads are easy to process, easy to maintain and operate, durable.

Do-it-yourself porch concreting:

Step design

Before making the porch, you need to decide what material the steps will be made of. Wooden ones are easy to install, but require some maintenance. Do-it-yourself steps are made in several stages. First you need to choose high-quality wood without spikes, deformations and irregularities. Before working with wood, it is dried in a natural way, then treated with stain to give it a deeper color.

Important! The moisture content of wood should not exceed 10%. When the moisture content of the tree is more than 10%, it makes no sense to use it, since when it dries, the tree will deform.

To make steps to the house with your own hands, they use both simple varieties of wood (pine, birch, ash) and more expensive ones (oak, cedar, maple).

Wooden treads are mounted not only on a wooden bowstring. They are often used when sheathing stairs made of metal. A do-it-yourself metal porch is a frame made of a corner. Mounting treads on a metal structure is simple. It is necessary to drill holes in the frame and treads and attach the treads with bolts and nuts to the metal frame.

To finish stairs made of concrete or brick, marble or granite is used. Very often they prefer clinker steps and. Porcelain stoneware products are a high-pressure pressed monolith created by sintering sand, quartz, mineral paints and clay.

Porcelain stoneware steps have the qualities of natural granite, withstand significant loads and are resistant to mechanical damage. Porcelain stoneware treads can be slippery in rainy weather or in winter. To avoid slipping, they are covered with a special anti-slip coating or tape.

Clinker tiles are a finishing material consisting of natural materials, in particular, high quality environmentally friendly clay, which is subsequently fired. Clinker tiles have qualities similar to those of porcelain stoneware. It has a natural coating and is not subject to mechanical damage.

Customers often choose porcelain stoneware finishes. Do-it-yourself facing steps at the entrance to the house with porcelain stoneware tiles is the most popular. The only drawback of porcelain stoneware is the complexity of installation. If one tile is damaged, then this will entail the replacement of neighboring ones.

Facing the steps of the stairs with tiles: