Build Brick Stairs
Brick stairs are a very durable, functional and economical addition to any yard design. Not only is brick less expensive than other outdoor stair resources, but it is also a material that retains its original look and strength for decades. Using concrete underneath the brick will guarantee a secure foundation for your brick staircase.
Steps
- Choose a suitable staircase area. These brick stairs will endure a lot of pressure so you want to make sure the placement is well thought out and utilizes very firm ground.
- Build a wooden framework for the staircase along the path of your brick stairs.
- Prior to pouring concrete into the wooden framework, steel rebar and reinforcement must first be laid out. This is a difficult part of the construction for the brick staircase so, if you are unfamiliar with pouring concrete, this may be a good job for a hired professional.
- Level the tops of the concrete using a screed on each stair within the wooden framework then allow the concrete to cure. A screed is an aluminum device used to flatten and smooth out concrete and other wet, pasty materials.
- Remove the wooden framework from each stair once the concrete has cured and dried.
- Wet all of the bricks. Do this only when you are a couple hours away from beginning the building process. Wetting the bricks prevents them from soaking up too much mortar.
- Lay a 1/2-inch (1.27 cm) thick layer of wet mortar around the areas of concrete you want to lay the brick. Do this 1 step at a time as you will need to lay the brick down on top of the mortar while it's still wet.
- Screed the mortar as you lay each brick down. Leave 1/2 inch (1.27 cm) of space (called joints) in between each brick for placement of concrete to secure their placement.
- Space each brick accurately using a brick jointer. This tool holds the space between the bricks so there is no slipping as well as creating equally spaced joints.
- Pat each brick into place using a rubber mallet. Be gentle enough that the brick does not chip or move out of its place, but also abrasive enough that the brick will be securely set.
- Remove the brick jointer.
- Place wet mortar into each joint using a trowel. A trowel is a small hand tool used for placing and smoothing materials as well as digging.
- Create a dip in the mortar joints using the trowel. Not only does this form a denser, stronger joint hold but it also allows for rain and snow to run off of the brick stairs easily.
- Allow the mortar to set for a couple of hours then remove any stains by scrubbing the brick. Once the mortar has dried, any excess material that has dried on the brick can be picked off using a stiff brush.
- Repeat the above steps per each stair.
Tips
- Although many brick staircase designs prove fashionable, turning the brick on its side to use its rough edge will create extra tread on stairs that tend to be in especially slippery environments.
- Make sure you use high-quality brick to allow your stairs to stand extreme weather, traffic, and the test of time.
Things You'll Need
- Wood (to make wooden framework of the stairs)
- Concrete
- Screed
- Mortar
- Bricks
- Brick Jointer
- Rubber mallet
- Trowel
- Stiff brush
