DIY concrete staircase. How to pour concrete stairs: decades of experience and an innovative approach Pouring flights of stairs

Not a single residential or industrial building is conceivable without such structural element like a staircase. A series of steps serves as a communication point between rooms located at different levels. She experiences considerable stress every day. Therefore, increased demands are placed on it in terms of comfort, reliability and safety. This article will talk about how to make a concrete staircase with your own hands.

Reinforced monolithic concrete stairs

Stair structures can be rectangular shape, rotary and spiral. But regardless of the type, the concrete architectural element has the following advantages.
Resistance to moisture, temperature fluctuations and aggressive environments. Therefore, such structures are erected when interior design indoors and outdoors.
High strength is achieved by reinforcing the concrete mixture. The steps can withstand very impressive loads, which makes them incredibly reliable and practically durable.

Monolithic concrete stairs photo

Concrete stairs provide ample opportunities concerning decorative finishing. Here you can use porcelain stoneware and ceramic tiles, wooden planks (parquet, laminate) and other materials.
No steps required special care and regular impregnation. If a defect occurs on the surface, it is enough to re-fill the area to be restored with concrete.
Construction of the structure is underway on our own without the use of special or expensive building materials, as well as without the involvement of special equipment and specialists.
Filled steps are ready for use within 7-10 days. This allows you to use them at all stages of construction, carry tools, materials, etc.
Since the staircase is erected simultaneously with the construction of the house, in addition to its direct purpose, it plays another role - constructive.
Among the disadvantages are its impressive weight, massiveness (takes up a lot of space) and solidity - the staircase cannot be dismantled, rearranged or modified.

Concrete grade for staircase structures

To make concrete stairs, ready-made mortar M200 class B15 or M250 class B20 is usually used. This material is based on fine crushed stone, with the addition of binders, modified additives and other fillers.
When choosing concrete for the construction of external stairs, it is important to pay attention to the frost resistance (F) and water resistance (W) indicators.

For kneading concrete mortar Brand 250 uses the following proportions on its own:

1 part concrete M400;
2 parts washed sand;
4 parts of crushed stone fraction 10x20 mm;
about ½ part water;
0.7% by weight of cement plasticizing additive C-3.

Mixing the mortar the old fashioned way, using a pallet and a shovel, is incredibly difficult, especially since filling the steps must be done in one go. Therefore, it is recommended to borrow a compact concrete mixer from your neighbors or rent it from construction crews.

First, sand and crushed stone are poured into the device, and the bulk materials are mixed for at least 2-3 minutes. Then a plasticizer (in dry or concentrated form) and water are added. All components are mixed for at least 5 minutes.

Important! Poor mixing of all components reduces the final strength of concrete by 20%.

How to make a concrete staircase with your own hands

Staircase design

If work on the construction of a staircase is carried out independently (without the involvement of specialists), then the project on paper is drawn up on its own. The plan calculates the dimensions of the room, the slope of the structure, its length and width, and also takes into account the presence doorways, method and direction of door opening.
The construction of concrete stairs requires special attention to the angle of inclination. The optimal value of this parameter is in the range of 26-37º. A staircase that is too steep can be life-threatening, while a staircase that is shallower can take a lot of time. usable area, and it is not particularly comfortable when ascending/descending.

When developing a project, you must act consistently. First, the number of steps is calculated, then their length, width, angle of rotation, platform parameters, etc. Only when the right approach we can talk about the safety and convenience of the design.

Calculation of stage parameters

In addition to strength characteristics, such a design must meet operational characteristics. The selected parameters should be as comfortable as possible when ascending or descending while maintaining evenness of step.
As for the width, it can vary from 0.9 to 1.5 meters. Undoubtedly, the wider the staircase, the more convenient it is, but the area of the room does not always allow the construction of structures of the preferred size. Therefore, when designing, we take into account not only comfort, but also free squaring.

There are average indicators of stages that determine ease of use:

height 190-220 mm;
width 250-330 mm.

To correctly calculate the parameters, use simple formula 2a+b=640, where: a - step height; b - step width; 640 mm is the average length of a human step.
Substituting the average data, we get: 2x190+280=660. As you can see from the example, the selected dimensions fully correspond to comfortable performance characteristics.
Using the Pythagorean theorem, we calculate the length of the march. Here it is necessary to take into account the thickness of the decorative flooring. The result obtained is divided by the height of one step. For example: 3000/190=15.8, which means there are 16 steps for a 3-meter long flight.
If during the calculations the tenth part is small (for example, it turned out to be 14.3 or 16.4), then it is recommended to take only the whole number as a basis, and distribute the remainder evenly over the height of all steps (the damage to the comfort of ascent and descent will be insignificant).

Important! When calculating, you should take into account the height of the tallest family member. So that when he gets up on the second step he doesn’t hit his head on the ceiling. Here it is necessary to add 400 mm to a person’s height (the average height of two steps without finishing material!)

Formwork for pouring concrete stairs

Formwork assembly is one of the key aspects of construction. To make the concrete surface as smooth as possible, use moisture-resistant plywood with a thickness of at least 20 mm. For the side walls of steps and the formation of risers, edged boards with a thickness of 30-35 mm are used.

For the bottom surface, take a solid slab. Its installation at the desired angle is carried out using vertical bars or special telescopic stands, which can be rented from construction crews without any problems.
Since the mass of the concrete mixture is quite large, it makes sense to use metal corners and bars. It is recommended to attach additional reinforcing elements to the bottom of the formwork every 50-80 cm.
Next, steps are formed using edged boards. When installing, take as a basis inner dimensions, that is, when fixed, the external parameters of each step will be 30-35 mm (exactly the width of the lumber used) greater than the design indicators.
Wooden elements must fit tightly to each other, the formation of gaps and cracks is not allowed. To prevent the solution from being absorbed into the lumber, it is generously moistened or the walls are protected before pouring. plastic film, as well as any waterproofing material.

Important! When assembling the structure, self-tapping screws are used. Their location should be only external, so that when dismantling the formwork there are no difficulties that could lead to partial destruction of the concrete surface.

Technology for reinforcing concrete stairs

To give strength to the staircase structure and prevent the edges of the steps from crumbling, reinforcement is carried out. For the work you will need steel reinforcement with a diameter of 8 and 14 mm, knitting wire, as well as a tool for bending and cutting rods, pliers.
Thicker steel rods are used for longitudinal reinforcement, and smaller diameter rods for transverse reinforcement. At a distance of at least 30 mm from the bottom of the formwork, 14 mm reinforcement is laid in increments of 150-200 mm. To do this, it is enough to place broken pieces of brick or ceramic tiles under it.

Transverse rods are also laid out at a distance of 150-200 mm from each other. Fixation of the reinforcement in the form of a mesh is ensured by means of a knitting wire, fastened and tightened with pliers.
For reliability, you can lay out the second row of the finished mesh with 150x150mm cells from 4 mm reinforcement. This layer should be positioned in such a way that the concrete layer covers the metal by 30-40 mm. To ensure such parameters, original chairs are prepared from metal rods.
If the structure will rest on three sides (top, bottom and side), then reinforcement is laid in advance during the construction of the walls. As a result, the most durable fixation of the staircase from the side is ensured.

How to properly pour concrete stairs

The concrete solution begins to be poured from the bottom step. The frame is filled in small portions. After filling, tamping is performed with an electric vibrator. This tool will help get rid of air voids that adversely affect the strength characteristics of the finished structure.
In addition to the vibrator, you can gently tap with a hammer on all sides of the formwork. As a rule, the mixture will settle 2-3 cm from the required level; the deficiency is compensated by a new portion of the concrete mixture. Next, the tamping process is repeated.

If the solution no longer settles, then the surface is finally leveled with a trowel or rule. Between concreting each step, a break of 10-15 minutes should be maintained, during which time the pressure of the solution drops slightly.
To move upwards, you can lean a standard wooden stairs or use regular boards. After completion of the work, the concrete is covered with plastic film, which prevents it from drying out prematurely.

Important! During the first 2-3 days, the polyethylene is periodically removed, and the concrete surface is wetted by spraying; a direct stream of water should be avoided.

The frame is dismantled after 3-4 weeks, during this period concrete mixture will gain at least 80-90% strength.
The undoubted advantage of concrete surfaces is their absolute maintainability. Therefore, if any defects are found after drying, they can easily be corrected by partial “patches” or re-filling. However, in order to avoid financial and time costs, it is better to do it once according to all the rules, putting in more effort and effort.

Decoration Materials

It is not recommended to leave a concrete staircase without further finishing. After some time, the edges of the steps will begin to crumble. Yes and appearance the stairs leave much to be desired, although many modern styles welcome concrete structures in its original form.
Depending on the style direction, the steps are lined with porcelain tiles, ceramic mosaics, wooden planks. The side walls and bottom surface of the stairs are usually plastered and then painted.

For travel safety staircase design equipped with fences. Balusters and railings are made of wood and chromed metal. They are distinguished by high decorative qualities Forged Products, which can be called real works of art.

One of best solutions interfloor communication is a concrete staircase. Ready-made concrete products have quite categorical standardization and their use in atypical architecture is limited. In this article we will look at the process and technology of creating a concrete staircase with your own hands.

Principles for calculating concrete stairs

In order for the staircase to be comfortable for each resident, it must be calculated correctly. You, of course, can determine the parameters empirically by measuring the height and length of the steps of the real staircase that you use and find comfortable. But it is better to stick to a proven calculation method.

The horizontal plane of a step is usually called a tread, and the vertical plane is called a riser. The width of the tread should be sufficient for the foot to rest on it at least 80%. Stairs with a tread of 300 mm are considered the safest and most comfortable; when climbing stairs with wider steps, you are likely to lose your step, and a narrower tread will make the descent uncomfortable. Width flight of stairs should be at least 80 cm for comfortable passage of people and at least 120 cm if you plan to carry furniture or bulky objects up the stairs.

Dependence of the height and width of the steps on the angle of rise of the stairs

The height of the riser is selected depending on the width of the tread. For steps 300 mm wide, the optimal height is 150 mm. If you want to make the steps wider by 10 mm, you should reduce the riser by the same amount and vice versa.

It is believed that the sum of the double height of the riser and the width of the tread should be equal to the average human step - 400-600 mm. This indicator is individual and depends on the person’s height, so if children live in the house, make the stairs safer by increasing the tread and reducing the width of each step.

Knowing optimal height riser, divide the height difference between floors by this value, and you will get the number of steps in the staircase. The fractional remainder of the division is the height of the first frieze step. By multiplying the number of steps by the width of the tread, you will determine the length of the horizontal projection of the flight of stairs and determine whether the flight of stairs fits in the space allocated for it.

If the flight of stairs does not fit, you can make it shorter by increasing the angle of elevation. The most convenient and safest slope is considered to be a staircase slope of 26-37°; steeper stairs are more difficult to climb, and with a slope over 45°, descent is only possible backwards. Use the model to determine the angle of the stairs right triangle, in which the legs are the tread and riser. You can calculate the angle by dividing the height of the step by its width and using the table of tangent angle values.

Determining the angle of inclination of the stairs by the height and width of the steps

If you do not want to sacrifice comfort, do not change the width and height of the steps. Instead, divide the span with an inter-flight platform, make the 5-6 lower steps winders, or build a radial spiral staircase. Please note that in this case the width of the step at the narrowest point should not be less than 100 mm.

Rules for reinforcement of staircases

Concrete staircase- This is a self-supporting structure that requires additional support only if the angle of rotation of the march exceeds 180°. Otherwise in the central part monolithic design the fracture load will exceed standard values and compensation will be required - fastening to the walls or the construction of support columns.

The main load in a concrete staircase falls on the reinforcement, the quantity of which is record-breaking in comparison with other reinforced concrete products - from 1.7 to 3% of the cross-section along the span length and up to 0.8% of the cross-section along the width. Reinforcement grade ST-5 is laid along the span with a step between the rods:

120 mm with a rod diameter of 10 mm;
160 mm with a diameter of 12-14 mm;
180 mm with a diameter of 16 mm;
200 mm with a diameter over 18 mm.

Reinforcement in the lateral projection is performed in increments of 250-300 mm. Reinforcement of platforms is carried out in increments of 200 mm in each direction.

The fastening of reinforcement to embedded elements in the walls is carried out not so much to provide additional support, but rather for the sake of the solidity of the structure and to avoid the appearance of cracks during settlement of the building. However, the monolith of the staircase must have rigid mount by releasing embedded reinforcement of 60-80 mm.

The reinforcement forms a mesh, folded without clearance and placed on plastic clips regulating protective layer concrete 3-5 cm from each edge. Double-row reinforcement is sufficient for stairs with 18 steps; longer spans will require an additional third row of longitudinal reinforcement located 5-6 cm above the main mesh.

At the crosshairs, the mesh is tied with wire or nylon clamps. Each reinforcement bar must be continuous along its entire length or width, but this is not always possible on long spans or radius stairs. Therefore, it is allowed to splice embedded elements:

viscous with an overlap of 24 nominal diameters;
welding with a one-sided seam with an overlap of 12 diameters;
welding with a double-sided seam with an overlap of 6 diameters.

The steps do not need reinforcement, but to protect them from chipping it is reasonable to use a 4x50 mm steel mesh under a 2 cm layer of concrete.

Installation of formwork

Formwork for stairs is simpler than it might seem. First, a gutter is mounted from moisture-resistant plywood or OSB, strictly horizontal in diameter and with vertical walls fastened together with tie strips, one for each step. The role of the walls of the gutter can be performed by adjacent walls. On the inner surface of the walls, the height of the ramp is marked with a thicknesser - load-bearing slab stairs, which is equal to the thickness of the reinforcement plus the upper and lower protective layer. Next, using a ruler, and for a radius staircase - a thread of a fixed length, the vertical edges of the steps are marked on the drawn line. The length of the inclined segment is square root from the sum of the squares of the height and length of the steps (Pythagorean law).

Vertical lines are drawn along the marks made, on which the height of the steps is marked. To check, you should lay a horizontal line along the new mark and measure the distance between the points of intersection with the vertical and the inclined line of the ramp: it should be equal to the length of one step.

According to the applied marks, the formwork boards of the steps are installed vertically, securing them to the walls of the gutter, the top of each step remains open. Adjacent boards are fastened with wedge-shaped spacers, one for every 80 cm of span width. The wide part of the wedge is attached at the end to the top board, the narrow part is placed on the upper edge of the bottom one. Special attention You need to pay attention to the walls of the gutter; they will bear the main load.

The formwork is supported from below with scaffolds or telescopic racks with permissible load up to 800 kg. The number of racks is one for every 1.2 m 2 of the ramp surface. To install supports, 40x40 mm transverse bars are screwed to the bottom of the formwork from below to form something like an inverted ladder.

Pouring the stairs

The pouring of the flight of stairs between floors is carried out in one stage. You cannot prepare such a quantity of concrete manually, and you cannot vouch for the quality of the homemade mixture. Therefore, you will have to calculate the internal volume of the formwork, equal to the volume of the ramp plus the volume of one step, multiplied by their number. It is recommended to order concrete grade B30 or higher with a reserve of at least 10% of the original volume to account for losses during transportation.

Pouring the stairs begins with the lower steps with gradual advancement as the formwork is filled and the surface is leveled. Concrete must be compacted and, upon completion of pouring, vibrated. Subsidence of the mixture on the steps after shrinkage can be eliminated by topping up immediately or by grouting cement mortar M300 on grade 500 cement the next day.

Concrete gains sufficient strength within 14 days. During the drying period, it is necessary to moisten the surface to avoid cracks. After two weeks, the formwork is removed and finishing work begins.

Finishing work: how to simplify cladding

There are many options for cladding the stairs, ranging from simple painting to laying special marble slabs. It is only important to give a few tips that will significantly simplify further improvement.

Tip 1. Prepare the formwork carefully. Up to complete sealing of cracks and complete puttying. Formwork is a form, and if its surface is perfectly flat, then after dismantling it will only be necessary to eliminate minor defects in concrete to obtain a completely smooth surface.

Tip 2. Iron the steps the next day after pouring. If the formwork is installed correctly, in the future all that remains is to sand the edges a little.

Tip 3. Provide embedded elements for railings and fences in advance. This will not only simplify their installation, but will also not compromise the strength of the structure.

Tip 4. Don't skimp on spacers and formwork support. Even a slight bend or dent will ruin the appearance.

Tip 5. Make steps of the same height with the possible exception of the frieze.

Tip 6. Start finishing the stairs only after complete renovations in the house.

Stairs – important element any home that should be beautiful, functional, and most importantly – reliable. The leader in durability and strength are concrete stairs. They do not wobble, are not susceptible to moisture and corrosion, do not require huge financial investments, and allow subsequent cladding.

Arranging a concrete staircase with your own hands is quite doable and does not require special knowledge. Let's look at how to do it and what is required for this.

A concrete staircase is erected directly on the site, at the stage of its construction or after it, but always before finishing works. The process is divided into several stages:
choosing the type of staircase, developing drawings for complex structures and performing calculations;

installation of formwork;
creation of a reinforcing frame;
pouring a concrete monolith.

Calculation of concrete stairs for a private house

The type of staircase depends on the object of construction and the imagination of the developer. It is necessary to remember: the more intricate the design, the more complex the calculations and the process of installing the formwork.

step height – 170 mm (do not forget about further finishing, which will also have a certain thickness);
step depth (tread width) – 280-300 mm (foot size 45);
staircase width – 80-90 cm;
the length depends on the angle of inclination: for a height of 3 m with an angle of 45⁰ - 3 m, with an angle of 35⁰ - 4.3 m, with an angle of 25⁰ - 6.4 m.

Installation of formwork and reinforcement cage

In order for a concrete staircase built with your own hands to be smooth and beautiful, it is important to choose the right formwork material, prepare accurate stencils and assemble a strong structure that will withstand the weight of concrete. For this purpose, boards, beams, OSB boards or plywood.

For the bottom and fencing, boards matched to each other are used. It is important to note that 1 cu. a meter of concrete weighs about 2.5 tons. Therefore, beams from 5x10 cm are installed as supports. It is better to twist the formwork with self-tapping screws; when disassembling, it will be easier to unscrew them.

The concrete staircase has strength and durability thanks to metal frame. It protects concrete from breaks and cracks. The frame is created from steel reinforcement, connected to each other and installed in the formwork. At the same stage, blanks for future railings are made.

Choosing the grade of concrete for the stairs

When concreting stairs great importance has a brand of concrete. So, if it is of poor quality, the ladder may not withstand the loads.

Concrete for stairs should not be lower than class B15 (grade 200). The following materials and proportions can be taken:

cement grade PC 400 – 1 part;
sifted and dried sand – 2 parts;
crushed stone fraction 10-20 – 4 parts;
water – 0.5-0.6 parts;
plasticizer S-3 - according to the instructions, sometimes liquid soap is used instead.

In order to improve the quality of concrete, special additives are used: stabilizers, water repellents. But, nevertheless, the quality of cement plays the main role, so it is recommended to purchase it only from proven, reliable manufacturers.

Mixing concrete

Concrete mortar can be mixed by hand or in a concrete mixer. More quality ladder made of concrete, made with your own hands, will be in the second case. Indeed, even with careful mixing by hand, poor mixing of concrete is observed, as a result - the strength is reduced by 20%.

The sequence of adding components is as follows:

1. crushed stone (it will clean the walls of the concrete mixer from the remains of the old concrete);
2. dry sand and cement (dry mix for 1 minute);
3. water (stir for 2 minutes).

Stair casting technology

After concreting, especially in the hot season, you need to cover the stairs with film to retain moisture longer. If the concrete dries too quickly, cracks may form. Concrete will gain 80% strength in 3-4 weeks. Then you can remove the film and formwork.

Compliance with all the rules will allow you to make a strong, reliable and durable ladder!

To ensure communication between floors in a residential building, a concrete staircase, rather than a wooden one, is often erected - building such a structure with your own hands will, of course, be somewhat more difficult, but as a result it will be much more durable and reliable.

Below we will describe all the stages of manufacturing such products, from design to decoration.

Advantages of concrete structures

Movement between floors of the building is ensured by the arrangement of stairs. As a rule, in low-rise residential construction, either wooden structures or standard reinforced concrete products are used. They are quite easy to install, in addition, their price will be much lower than when pouring a lift according to an individual project.

Note!
If it is necessary to adjust a reinforced concrete stair block to the dimensions of the span, cutting reinforced concrete with diamond wheels is most often used.

However, in a number of cases it becomes necessary to build an interfloor structure with a significant margin of safety, without using standard modules.

Of course, the complexity of the work increases, but the new concrete staircase will have the following advantages:

Firstly, her load bearing capacity exactly corresponds to the calculated loads. When constructing concrete stairs, we ourselves can choose the size and configuration of the reinforcement, concrete class, etc. So the result will be quite predictable.
Secondly, we will be able to adjust the dimensions of the structure to our requirements. Of course, the calculation of a concrete staircase should be based on GOST and SNiP standards, but within these limits we are free to choose the dimensions we need.
Thirdly, at the design stage we can include in the design possibilities for further finishing. Therefore, such a staircase will be much more attractive in appearance!

Design

Choosing the type of staircase

So, if we decide that we will build a concrete staircase to the second floor with our own hands, then we need to start by determining its design:

Firstly, we need to decide whether the product will be monolithic, or whether we will build only stringers from reinforced concrete, connecting them with metal or wooden treads. The first option is preferable from the point of view of strength, however, both the material consumption and the load on the foundation will increase many times over.
Secondly, you need to decide on the configuration. Therefore, the parameters of the stairs are divided into marching and spiral. The first variety is quite accessible to self-made, while screw design It’s better to leave it to the care of professionals.

Note!
The number of marches is also important.
The easiest way is to make a staircase from one flight, but this is not always possible in rooms with high ceilings.

In the future, we will describe the methodology for constructing a single-flight monolithic staircase. More complex designs are installed according to a similar algorithm, but with a mandatory correction for the number of spans and their geometry.

Sizing

Comfort and safety when moving along steps will largely depend on whether their configuration complies with the standards. To make designing concrete stairs easier, we have entered the main parameters into the table:

It should be noted that when calculating steps, the following ratio is usually followed:

2H + L = 60…64 cm, where

H – step height.
L - tread width.

Thus, the lower our steps are, the wider the treads need to be included in the project.

Installation work

Construction of formwork

Once the project is ready, you can start working.

Pouring a concrete staircase with your own hands begins with:

We assemble boards from waterproof plywood with a thickness of at least 20 mm or 30 mm boards to form stringers and lower planes.
Strengthening the structure construction beams with a cross section of at least 80x80 mm.
We assemble all the parts using phosphated wood screws. For additional fastening, steel pads can be installed at the corners.

Advice!
The inside of the formwork should be lubricated with waste oil or lined with plastic film.
This will make it easier for us to dismantle wooden parts and will protect the plywood from getting wet.

Inside the formwork we place reinforcing bars, tied or welded into a mesh with a cell of 150x150 mm.

At the same time, we install metal embedded parts, to which the railing posts will then be welded. This will allow us to reduce labor costs at the finishing stage, since otherwise we will have to use diamond drilling holes in concrete.

Pouring the structure

Before pouring the concrete stairs, prepare the solution. To do this, take cement of a grade no lower than M350, add two parts of sand and three parts of gravel to it. We dilute the resulting mixture with water to the consistency of a liquid dough.

Note!
If you plan to build a large structure, it is easier to buy a large volume of ready-made concrete.
In this case, the strength class of the solution should not be lower than B15-B20.

We fill it like this:

First, fill the entire formwork with mortar., starting from the bottom span.
material by vibration processing or bayonet, making sure that the formwork does not begin to deform.
If necessary, we strengthen the frame additional supports.
Next, we smooth out the treads with a metal trowel., leveling their planes.
In order for the solution to gain sufficient strength, it is necessary to slow down the evaporation of the liquid. To do this, we cover the poured staircase with polyethylene and moisten the concrete surface every two to three days.

28 days after pouring, the structure is stripped.

Finishing

The final stage in the construction of the staircase is its decoration:

At the first stage we polish everything concrete surfaces except for those that will be hidden behind decorative materials.
Then we attach the railing posts to the metal mortgages on the stringers, on which we mount the remaining parts of the fence.
It is also possible to install wooden enclosing structures, but in this case all parts must be securely fixed to the concrete base using anchors. The optimal depth of fasteners is about 50-60 mm.
As a finishing decor, concrete staircases can be tiled, installed on treads and risers wood panels or simply high-quality concrete polishing using stabilizing and dust-removing impregnations.

Advice!
If you want to get a purely concrete staircase, then even at the stage of preparing the solution, you can add pigments and decorative additives (glitter, mineral fillers, etc.) to it.

Conclusion

The information presented above on how to make a concrete staircase with your own hands can be taken as a guide to action. The main difficulty in implementing such a project will be its labor intensity, because cement mortar is quite heavy. For the rest, even a beginner can handle the rest, especially if he carefully studies all the recommendations and videos in this article before starting work.

One of the best solutions for interfloor communication is a concrete staircase. Ready-made concrete products have quite categorical standardization and their use in atypical architecture is limited. In this article we will look at the process and technology of creating a concrete staircase with your own hands.

Principles for calculating concrete stairs

The horizontal plane of a step is usually called a tread, and the vertical plane is called a riser. The width of the tread should be sufficient for the foot to rest on it at least 80%. Stairs with a tread of 300 mm are considered the safest and most comfortable; when climbing stairs with wider steps, you are likely to lose your step, and a narrower tread will make the descent uncomfortable. The width of the flight of stairs should be at least 80 cm for comfortable passage of people and at least 120 cm if you plan to carry furniture or bulky objects up the stairs.

Dependence of the height and width of the steps on the angle of rise of the stairs

Knowing the optimal riser height, divide the height difference between floors by this value, and you will get the number of steps in the staircase. The fractional remainder of the division is the height of the first frieze step. By multiplying the number of steps by the width of the tread, you will determine the length of the horizontal projection of the flight of stairs and determine whether the flight of stairs fits in the space allocated for it.

If the flight of stairs does not fit, you can make it shorter by increasing the angle of elevation. The most convenient and safest slope is considered to be a staircase slope of 26-37°; steeper stairs are more difficult to climb, and with a slope over 45°, descent is only possible backwards. To determine the angle of the stairs, use the model of a right triangle, in which the legs are the tread and the riser. You can calculate the angle by dividing the height of the step by its width and using the table of tangent angle values.

Determining the angle of inclination of the stairs by the height and width of the steps

Rules for reinforcement of staircases

A concrete staircase is a self-supporting structure that requires additional support only if the angle of rotation of the flight exceeds 180°. Otherwise, in the central part of the monolithic structure, the fracture load will exceed the standard values and compensation will be required - fastening to the walls or the construction of support columns.

120 mm with a rod diameter of 10 mm;
160 mm with a diameter of 12-14 mm;
180 mm with a diameter of 16 mm;
200 mm with a diameter over 18 mm.

Reinforcement in the lateral projection is performed in increments of 250-300 mm. Reinforcement of platforms is carried out in increments of 200 mm in each direction.

The fastening of reinforcement to embedded elements in the walls is carried out not so much to provide additional support, but rather for the sake of the solidity of the structure and to avoid the appearance of cracks during settlement of the building. However, the staircase monolith must be rigidly attached to the floors by releasing 60-80 mm of embedded reinforcement.

The reinforcement forms a mesh, folded without a gap and placed on plastic clamps that regulate the protective layer of concrete 3-5 cm from each edge. Double-row reinforcement is sufficient for stairs with 18 steps; longer spans will require an additional third row of longitudinal reinforcement located 5-6 cm above the main mesh.

viscous with an overlap of 24 nominal diameters;
welding with a one-sided seam with an overlap of 12 diameters;
welding with a double-sided seam with an overlap of 6 diameters.

The steps do not need reinforcement, but to protect them from chipping it is reasonable to use a 4x50 mm steel mesh under a 2 cm layer of concrete.

Installation of formwork

Formwork for stairs is simpler than it might seem. First, a gutter is mounted from moisture-resistant plywood or OSB, strictly horizontal in diameter and with vertical walls fastened together with tie strips, one for each step. The role of the walls of the gutter can be performed by adjacent walls. On the inner surface of the walls, a thicknesser is used to mark the height of the ramp - the load-bearing slab of the staircase, which is equal to the thickness of the reinforcement plus the upper and lower protective layer. Next, using a ruler, and for a radius staircase - a thread of a fixed length, the vertical edges of the steps are marked on the drawn line. The length of the inclined segment is equal to the square root of the sum of the squares of the height and length of the steps (Pythagorean law).

According to the applied marks, the formwork boards of the steps are installed vertically, securing them to the walls of the gutter, the top of each step remains open. Adjacent boards are fastened with wedge-shaped spacers, one for every 80 cm of span width. The wide part of the wedge is attached at the end to the top board, the narrow part is placed on the upper edge of the bottom one. Particular attention should be paid to the walls of the gutter; they will bear the main load.

The formwork is supported from below with scaffolds or telescopic racks with a permissible load of up to 800 kg. The number of racks is one for every 1.2 m 2 of the ramp surface. To install supports, 40x40 mm transverse bars are screwed to the bottom of the formwork from below to form something like an inverted ladder.

Pouring the stairs

Pouring the stairs begins with the lower steps with gradual advancement as the formwork is filled and the surface is leveled. Concrete must be compacted and, upon completion of pouring, vibrated. Subsidence of the mixture on the steps after shrinkage can be eliminated by topping up immediately or by grouting with M300 cement mortar on grade 500 cement the next day.

Finishing work: how to simplify cladding

Tip 2. Iron the steps the next day after pouring. If the formwork is installed correctly, in the future all that remains is to sand the edges a little.

Tip 3. Provide embedded elements for railings and fences in advance. This will not only simplify their installation, but will also not compromise the strength of the structure.

Tip 4. Don't skimp on spacers and formwork support. Even a slight bend or dent will ruin the appearance.

Tip 5. Make steps of the same height with the possible exception of the frieze.

Tip 6. Start finishing the stairs only after complete renovations in the house.

DIY concrete staircase. How to pour concrete stairs: decades of experience and an innovative approach Pouring flights of stairs

Reinforced monolithic concrete stairs

Concrete grade for staircase structures

How to make a concrete staircase with your own hands

Staircase design

Calculation of stage parameters

Formwork for pouring concrete stairs

Technology for reinforcing concrete stairs

How to properly pour concrete stairs

Decoration Materials

Principles for calculating concrete stairs

Rules for reinforcement of staircases

Installation of formwork

Pouring the stairs

Finishing work: how to simplify cladding

Calculation of concrete stairs for a private house

Installation of formwork and reinforcement cage

Choosing the grade of concrete for the stairs

Mixing concrete

Stair casting technology

Advantages of concrete structures

Design

Choosing the type of staircase

Sizing

Installation work

Construction of formwork

Pouring the structure

Finishing

Conclusion

Principles for calculating concrete stairs

Rules for reinforcement of staircases

Installation of formwork

Pouring the stairs

Finishing work: how to simplify cladding

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