How to Install Brick & Concrete Entry Steps

Foundation

• 1

  Excavate the area for your entry steps. Remove all organic material like grass, leaves and moss. Dig a hole in the ground approximately 6 inches deep, and as wide and long as you wish for the stairs to be. Tamp down the ground with a tamper so that it is even and flat.

• 2

  Pour approximately 3 inches of wet concrete into the area you excavated.

• 3

  Lay a grid of half-inch steel rebars into the wet concrete, spacing each bar approximately 12 inches apart.

• 4

  Pour another 3 inches of concrete over the steel rebars. Smooth the surface of the foundation with a squeegee and wait for the concrete to cure according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Concrete Blocks and Bricks

• 5

  Spread a layer of mortar over the foundation using a notched trowel, then place a layer of concrete blocks on top of the concrete foundation to form the first stair. Set back the first layer of concrete blocks from the edge of the concrete foundation. Leave a space on the foundation wide enough for one brick, so that your front layer of bricks will rest directly on the foundation. The stairs should tilt very slightly forward to prevent water from pooling in the steps during bad weather. Lay the block in the mortar to create a tilt of 1/8 inch per foot of stair -- just slight enough that rainwater and snow will run off the stair.

• 6

  Leave a half-inch gap between concrete blocks. Use a tuck point trowel to spread mortar in the joints of the blocks after installing all the blocks. Scrape off the excess wet mortar from the top of the blocks using the edge of your trowel.

• 7

  Spread a layer of mortar over the first steps to create the layer for the second steps. Remember to tilt the second step, as you did the first step. Set back the edge of the second step from the edge of the first step by at least 1 foot or more, depending on how steep you want the steps to be. Lay the second layer of concrete blocks using the same procedure you used for the first layer of concrete blocks.

• 8

  Build up the rest of the stairs by repeating Step 3 until the concrete blocks have been completely assembled on the foundation. Wait for the mortar to cure according to the manufacturer's instructions.

• 9

  Practice laying bricks on the stairs until you know what pattern you would like to use. Leave a half-inch gap between bricks. Then remove the bricks one by one and pile them beside you on the ground for easy access.

• 10

  Spread a layer of mortar on the foundation in front of the first concrete step. Butter the first brick with mortar on the side that will be touching the first concrete step, and on the side that will be touching the next brick. Lay the brick in the mortar. Repeat this process for the next brick, and so on, until you have built up your first course of bricks.

• 11

  Scrape off the excess mortar between the bricks. Repeat Step 6 to build up the next course of bricks, and the next course of bricks after that, until the concrete steps have been entirely covered by bricks.

• 12

  Wait for the bricks to cure, then scrub them with water and a stiff brush to remove mortar dust.