Can You Cover Concrete Steps With Bricks?

Choose the Bricks

• Brick dimensions vary, so measure the thickness of different bricks before you buy them. Compare those measurements to the space between the top step and the threshold. If your concrete steps are small or low enough, you can cover them on all sides with common bricks. However, if the top step is close to the threshold or porch, the thickness of traditional bricks could raise it too high. An alternative is brick veneer, which creates a brick facade without adding a great deal of bulk. Brick veneer materials are formed like traditional bricks, but they are approximately 1/2-inch thick. Because they are thinner, the installation process is closer to tiling than bricklaying. If you want a heftier finished product than the original steps, attach traditional bricks on the left and right sides of the steps and reserve brick veneer for the treads, or tops of the steps. Rough bricks can help prevent slipping accidents.

Prepare the Concrete

• To help adhesion, clean and prepare the concrete first. Remove paint with a chemical stripper or a pressure washer. Pressure washing also removes old dirt and grime from unpainted concrete. If you don't have access to a pressure washer, scrub the steps with degreasing cleaner using a stiff scrub brush and rinse them with water. Fill cracks and holes with concrete patch compound according to the manufacturer's directions. Home improvement expert Danny Lipford recommends adding concrete acrylic fortifier to the patch compound to help the repair adhere.

Apply the Bricks

• Most brick mortar is made with cement and hardens quickly, so don't mix it ahead of time. Use the mortar package mixing directions as your guide. To build up the sides of the steps, apply mortar to the back side and upper edge of the bricks using a trowel and press them against the concrete. Begin with a level line to keep the rows straight, and work from the ground up. If you can't create straight rows with evenly-spaced mortar joints, push brick spacers, which are similar to tile spacers, between the bricks and add mortar over the spacers. Scrape off excess mortar and smooth the mortar joints using the tip of a small trowel. To install the treads or tops of the steps, spread a layer of mortar and press the bricks or veneer into it.

Finish

• Unless you are an experienced stonemason, there will probably be excess mortar around many of the joints. Remove all that you can before it dries without disturbing the bricks. Remove the rest after the mortar has cured for 30 days. Mix a weak muriatic acid solution with water using a 10:1 ratio, apply it to the excess mortar and scrub off the residue with a stiff brush. Rinse it thoroughly with water. Follow the precautions on the acid container, as it is a toxic substance.