How should I fix these stairs?

[ChinaVoodoo]

The stairs have tilted. They are 2" higher on the left side.

I was thinking of drilling anchors into the retaining walls on either side, installing "L" brackets, and placing 2x10" pressure treated boards on the brackets. Is this a good idea? Do you have any others?

 

[Knucklehead]

Are you sure the retaining wall is not also settling? It’s hard to tell from the photo, but I’m not seeing a 2” drop between the side of the steps and that retaining wall. I just see a small crack beside the steps. It’s possible that your measurements are showing a total of 2” off level including the retaining wall. If the retaining wall is still settling, anything attached to the wall will move with it and the fix may be temporary. Having said that, what you are suggesting would probably be the most economical fix but you may be kicking the can down the road for later. Only time will tell if there is still movement. Be sure to build the ground back up level with your new top step so you don’t trip and fall down the steps.

 

[GreenDragon]

The whole stair system seems structurally compromised. I’m worried it’s a matter of time until something gives way. I’d jackhammer them out and either have them re-poured in concrete or build new out of wood.

 

[tullius]

If the well is not moving much, I would scarify the existing stairs, drill and epoxy dowels, and form and pour "new" level treads on top of the old ones using bonding agent. This would also allow you to increase the tread depth for comfort and safety.

 

[Knucklehead]

Patches? We don need no stinkin’ patches!


ROFL

 

[Knucklehead]

I ain’t right.

 

[MarcL]

I like the temporary fix. It could last a long time or not.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Rebuilding is probably the strongest idea, but they most expensive.

I was advised against trying to use concrete to resurface it because of my lack of skill and doubt that it would last. I really do want to follow @tullius advice, and I had a vague sense that that's what I would have wanted to do from the start. The right side should be stable. The front of the house settled a couple inches in the last 50 years, but all indications are that this was soon after they built it and has stopped. The wall on the left is an unknown. I'm going to have to talk to the grumpy neighbour about cutting down some spruce trees planted within a foot of the wall.

I think that the anchors would permit me to change the boards, and even change the height via shims or moving the brackets up. I could do it in a day.

 

[tullius]

Aha, didn't know about the trees. Makes more sense now. Are they big? If so, it may be the tree roots lifting and pushing the left side of the stairwell.

 

[deluxestogie]

What if you just built a new, entire, wooden stairway on top of it all, leaving the tilted cement steps as they are? The trees are just going to keep on growing.

Bob

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

The wall on the left is much older than the trees. The two spruces are maybe ten years. I don't think they are the cause. They suck though, and give them ten more years, they'll do some damage for sure. I don't know why people plant black friggin spruce, anyway.

The houses are all on a hill. Our back yards elevate, oh, um, about 25' out of about 100' from the front of the house, maybe, and then after the alley, it just keeps going up. The bank is all stable now, but I think after everything was built, there was a decade where every property moved a bit.

Is impossible to stop the earth from moving. I'm sure my land will end up in Hudson's Bay at some point on the future.

 

[FmGrowit]

You can get another 10 years out of them. Use a cut saw to remove a 4" x 4" chunk off the top and front of each tread. Anchor a level 2" x 8" for the top of the tread. Run a few 4" Tapcons half way to act as anchors for the new concrete. Wet the old concrete really good and float out some gravel mix. Use Thin-set to float out everything to zero. Use some sort of bonding agent in and under all new concrete.

 

[MarcL]

Thanks for that thread move. how is this comming along?

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

I tried installing steel stringers in the walls today. After drilling the appropriate holes, half of the tapcon screws busted in the holes and I gave up. I settled on building a new set of stairs out of wood over top because this is something I feel I have enough experience to do, although it was my last choice. All of you guys have me good advice. I finished setting up the stringers today and will be installing the step boards and kick board tomorrow. It was kind of a pain seeing as it wasn't level side to side, but i think the new stairs will work just dandy. I'll post pictures when done.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Maybe there was too many rocks in the concrete walls. I've never had problems with those screws before.

 

[MarcL]

Sweet! I ran it across someone last nite and thats what was said behind new concrete. he mentioned anchoring just the top.

 

[deluxestogie]

It was kind of a pain seeing as it wasn't level side to side, but i think the new stairs will work just dandy.

Humans are incurably addicted to aligning the things they make. Walking up a mountain trail, you don't really notice a side slope to the trail, unless it's more than about 30º. But with stairs, what would the neighbors think? Counter tops and decks and the floors of houses have good reasons to be as horizontal as possible. (My refrigerator door always wants to swing open, and the foot adjustment is broken.) Stairs, by contrast, can be free-hand: no mold, no glue.

Bob

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Humans are incurably addicted to aligning the things they make. Walking up a mountain trail, you don't really notice a side slope to the trail, unless it's more than about 30º. But with stairs, what would the neighbors think? Counter tops and decks and the floors of houses have good reasons to be as horizontal as possible. (My refrigerator door always wants to swing open, and the foot adjustment is broken.) Stairs, by contrast, can be free-hand: no mold, no glue.

Bob

Are you calling me a conformist!