It's nice to see someone take pride in their work like you do. Unfortunately, nowadays many people don't. It's all about getting it done as cheap and fast as they can. I had 30k in concrete poured this year, some of it in rain, other in freezing temperatures, and the contractor didn't take near the care that I see in your videos.
Deal with Mason's directly if you can - I've never gone wrong dealing with the Mason direct , ive done my share of concrete work , however I'm no mason
I have been doing stairs in the uk for 45 years mostly london and I have never had to put any rebar on the nosing , I’m retired now and miss it so much , great channel thank you 🇬🇧❤️🇺🇸
First video that used the 45 on the risers. I saw my Dad do that the times I worked with him. And tilt the riser back a 1/4” or so to prevent heel rubs. Dad was a true master. I did enjoy your video… I learned!
Hey Mike Love your videos, the only problem is you don't use chairs to hold your steel off the ground or Styrofoam. There's no structural benefit when your steel lays on the bottom of your pour, HAS TO BE LIFTED
except it does, the tensile zone increases with depth. the 2cm or 1inch is so the reebar doesnt get affected by moisture. just to confirm id DOES have to be lifted, but only because u want to procect the reebar
I am not a concrete man and so far have tried three times to fix our front and back cement steps. Your video sure helps! We are also in a cold climate so if we make mistakes cracks develop. Thanks for your help!
Mike, your time and effort both in the trade and putting these videos together is to be commended. Thank you for taking the time to share these. I've tackled some small jobs with friends at our homes and used your tips. Great work Sir! Thank you from NW CT.
Nice video and informative. As a new homeowner I saw a few concrete projects in the future around the house so I went a bought a book on working with concrete sure saved me a lot of money and make me proud of what I accomplished. Thanks again.
@@henri6595 Hi , It was “ Build and Repair Concrete “ by “ The Quikrete Companies” my book was copyrighted 1986. I am sure there’s an updated book out there. Again it taught me a lot and saved me a lot of money and yearned something also. Good Luck Dennis
Good work, good advice, good techniques. But I have not seen the finishing video yet, did you upload that? I was really interested in how long you waited before pulling the forms off. I live in California and it can be 90 degrees in the winter, and triple digits in the summer. We definitely have to scramble more so it doesn't get away from us.
I'm getting ready to pour a form for a storage building. I need a hinge with the acme broom handle thread to make an extendable float. I'm using a handle designed for window washing from Lowe's. They don't sell the float adapter. Got any idea where I can get one?
Hey Mike from TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA....... i Love the VIDEO..... very educational... Did you FORGET TO PUT CHAIRS to elevate the REBARS to the middle Thickness of the CONCRÈTE PAD ?
Too much VIBRATION of CONCRETE is NO GOOD because the AGGREGATE STONES in the CONCRETE MIXTURE SINK TO THE BOTTOM causing to lose Strength of the CONCRÈTE....... too Much VIBRATION IS BAD..... Also, TAP THE FORMS WITH HAMMER when pouring the concrete and just after the pour while screeding the concrete.
Man I have done hundreds of sets of steps !! Got to the point I was doing steps in my sleep !! Worked in a new home development and every home had a set of steps from 4ft wide to 16 ft wide !! Angled on the sides ,,,,curved on the sides !! I poured a set of steps one time that bowed out in the middle and the home owner asked me if it was by design or accident ,,,,I said design ,,he said he luved it !! WHEW !!
I built my own house, I'm not a tradesman but rather a businessman. 32 years ago I decided to pour an 18 by 8 foot deck in the back of my house. I built the forms, I installed rebar every 12 inch square. On the 18 foot side one end is resting on the foundation, the center is on a 10 inch tubular pillar (Sonotube) and the other end is held up by the stairs, all this five feet off the ground and 6 inches thick. I called for 4000 pound strong low slump concrete with ½ inch stone. Now here is the clincher: I was alone, the first time iI had ever done this kind of work and it was in August with a 75 degree sunny day. Boy, did I suffer, the concrete was starting to harden before I had finished magging it. I concentrated on the stairs, the forms of witch were cut at 45 degrees, because it had to be done right. After they were ready I got to magging the surface with a 3 foot length of 2x4 and a wood trowel. Fighting with the concrete I started seeing black spots in front of my eyes but I finally made it. Final result: straight set of stairs, a very little bit of wavy surface but with a good slope, some stones showing trough. Not one crack, not even an hairline one, all this standing up after 30 years. I'm so happy to see what you are doing here Mike, I validates what I did way back then and I learn even more with you teachings. Today, I just finished a repair job at my son's home, an 8 by 18 foot deck suffering from a terminal case of spalted concrete. Done with Quickrete product, nice broom finish on a diamond grinder prepped surface. We watched your three videos covering that subject and it turned out to be a success. I'm a 69 year old retiree with a metal hip. Thank you Mike for your excellent teaching.
I noticed you don't use chairs to hold your steel up off the Styrofoam ? Also the steel in the steps was tied to tight to the slab steel. No room to lift the slab steel to center of concrete
Hi Mike I like watching you videos. I want to put in concrete steps on my home here in Texas. I have never done this before , can you offer any advice?
It looks like you took off the vinyl siding and put some type of grey flashing on the house Could you explain your house flashing process in preparation of the pour?
It’s good to hear you sponge out the riser faces, bcz that’s a practice that has largely gone by the wayside down here, in the last few decades. I used to get ⅛” aluminum plate, made for the faces and screw them on to the risers. That was very effective at producing a nice slick finish on the faces if we weren’t going to take the time to sponge them out. It also looked good with the contrasting slick risers to the broomed treads. Obviously only practical for repetitive sets.
Sponging really isn't that much extra work and really makes a difference to the final look. I know some guys just don't dare to strip the forms off too soon. Looking at air voids after pulling the forms isn't a good look to me.
Ive just poured 5 steps right now..waiting for the concrete to settle and suck its water back in so i can finish them...but after seing your video,i regret not doing the 45 angle trick...😢its a great ideea...much easier to finish under that plank...😅
I checked out a couple of your videos. You do nice work, your stamps look good particularly, but you're doing stairs backward in my opinion. Do your top stair in the landing first and go down top to bottom. You don't have all that creep that you're digging and throwing back up top. After you get them in, wet your load up a few gallons And pour the landing like you'd normally do. Makes for a much neater job and less work as stupid as it might sound to you. Any builder I've ever finished for on the east coast wanted it done that way and I've tried bottom to top after thinking to myself it would be easier. I assure you it is not. That's just my two cents, not ragging on you or your guys at all.
I've done a lot of small concrete jobs and small steps in my time... recently Saw this video of these big flights of stairs with wet concrete pouring down like a river.... whats going on there???
@@247KW thanks. Just didn't want to lose the broom finish. Wound up scraping a bit with a 5 in 1 tool and scrubbing with an aluminum brush. Can see the smooth spots. Hoping it will even out in time
Mike I appreciate you and the time to put them together. Do you ever put a control joint in wide steps/stairs? If so I would assume you do both the treads and the risers. What about if you have steps that are on 2 sides?
I've been working with concrete for over 30 yrs. A time or two I've forgotten rerode in stairs lol. You needed that concrete stiff. If you was pouring on sand and dirt you could've loosened it up alittle. But good work
Another good way to set up those steps is run a router on the cove. You can still put bevel cut. Just ends up being more like a 20deree instead of 45. For big set of steps real beneficial. Hope that helps
I like to scrape the access concrete build up on the face of the boards and center kicker so I don't have "crusties" when I strip steps to finish. Good work though
slump does NOT mean how wet or how dry. Slump is the diameter of a puddle of certain volume of cement dropped from a certain height and can be massively changed with additives for a fixed amount of water.
Hi Mike! I've never done concrete but have been watching your videos for a while now and I have a building I'm doing next year that is 48x144. I can either buy or acquire the tools needed but I will only have my dad helping me with it. Do you have any advice on how I should tackle this size with such little help? Half of it will be heated floor and I will have a parameter wall for the building to sit on.
Mike awesome video but this isn't instagram my man. I'm not trying to watch this full 12 minute video just to have to go find a new one to see the finished results which look like they will be awesome. Rip the extra minute to show the people what they want,and give your boys the credit they deserve to finish the project.
Watching a top level professional never gets old.
Never does!!
It's nice to see someone take pride in their work like you do. Unfortunately, nowadays many people don't. It's all about getting it done as cheap and fast as they can. I had 30k in concrete poured this year, some of it in rain, other in freezing temperatures, and the contractor didn't take near the care that I see in your videos.
Deal with Mason's directly if you can - I've never gone wrong dealing with the Mason direct , ive done my share of concrete work , however I'm no mason
I have been doing stairs in the uk for 45 years mostly london and I have never had to put any rebar on the nosing , I’m retired now and miss it so much , great channel thank you 🇬🇧❤️🇺🇸
We need more people like you Mike. Your pride in your work is inspiring!
First video that used the 45 on the risers. I saw my Dad do that the times I worked with him. And tilt the riser back a 1/4” or so to prevent heel rubs. Dad was a true master. I did enjoy your video… I learned!
Hey Mike
Love your videos, the only problem is you don't use chairs to hold your steel off the ground or Styrofoam.
There's no structural benefit when your steel lays on the bottom of your pour,
HAS TO BE LIFTED
its the liner under or does it need both?
except it does, the tensile zone increases with depth. the 2cm or 1inch is so the reebar doesnt get affected by moisture. just to confirm id DOES have to be lifted, but only because u want to procect the reebar
I am not a concrete man and so far have tried three times to fix our front and back cement steps. Your video sure helps! We are also in a cold climate so if we make mistakes cracks develop. Thanks for your help!
The 45 is a wonderful idea, thank you for taking the time to make the video. Very helpful! :)
Mike, your time and effort both in the trade and putting these videos together is to be commended. Thank you for taking the time to share these. I've tackled some small jobs with friends at our homes and used your tips. Great work Sir! Thank you from NW CT.
Agreed. Thank you very much Mike and crews.
I agree this was awesome.
I just poured my own concrete bad for an AC condenser and your channel was a big help! Next I am thinking about tackling some steps. Thanks!
Just make sure you order the mud fairly stiff (about ~4” slump), or you’ll have to fight it and keep shoveling it ‘uphill’.
Also hit the boards to work the cream to the forms to avoid a “honeycomb” look
@@Tom-yb6sl Definitely 👍
Don't forget to 45 the risers
Choose an overcast cold day and ask for a retardant if possible, it will give you some time to fenagle the finish.
Nice video and informative. As a new homeowner I saw a few concrete projects in the future around the house so I went a bought a book on working with concrete sure saved me a lot of money and make me proud of what I accomplished. Thanks again.
What is the name of the book?
@@henri6595 Hi , It was “ Build and Repair Concrete “ by “ The Quikrete Companies” my book was copyrighted 1986. I am sure there’s an updated book out there. Again it taught me a lot and saved me a lot of money and yearned something also. Good Luck Dennis
Learned
I understand that you vibed the steps, but a little form oil is always beneficial ( old retired finisher tip!)
Nice detailed video Mike! I would love to see the framing of the job sometime. Thanks!
That video is coming out tomorrow.
@@MikeDayConcrete whats the reason for the styrofoam?
Nice to have an overcast day for pouring stairs. nice job.
Thanks Chris!
I can't find the 2nd video to this one. Curious of how the end product looks
Mike and his team are trained professionals at concrete. Sometimes the plans are little different than the last job.
Good work, good advice, good techniques. But I have not seen the finishing video yet, did you upload that? I was really interested in how long you waited before pulling the forms off. I live in California and it can be 90 degrees in the winter, and triple digits in the summer. We definitely have to scramble more so it doesn't get away from us.
The finishing video is in my training academy The Concrete Underground!
I'm getting ready to pour a form for a storage building. I need a hinge with the acme broom handle thread to make an extendable float. I'm using a handle designed for window washing from Lowe's. They don't sell the float adapter. Got any idea where I can get one?
Awesome job! We still waiting for last video for the finishing project.
Your videos are the best I have seen. Lots of learning!
Thank you
Those concrete pillars by the steps are massive!
I know, they'll all be covered in stone when they finish.
Hey Mike from TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA....... i Love the VIDEO..... very educational... Did you FORGET TO PUT CHAIRS to elevate the REBARS to the middle Thickness of the CONCRÈTE PAD ?
Too much VIBRATION of CONCRETE is NO GOOD because the AGGREGATE STONES in the CONCRETE MIXTURE SINK TO THE BOTTOM causing to lose Strength of the CONCRÈTE....... too Much VIBRATION IS BAD.....
Also,
TAP THE FORMS WITH HAMMER when pouring the concrete and just after the pour while screeding the concrete.
Where are these Pillars situated ? ..... I cannot see the Pillar Columns ..
Man I have done hundreds of sets of steps !! Got to the point I was doing steps in my sleep !! Worked in a new home development and every home had a set of steps from 4ft wide to 16 ft wide !! Angled on the sides ,,,,curved on the sides !! I poured a set of steps one time that bowed out in the middle and the home owner asked me if it was by design or accident ,,,,I said design ,,he said he luved it !! WHEW !!
🤣
Nice story :)
I’m in Wisconsin is it OK just to have a frost wall footing at the top and bottom of the steps or do you need for the steps in between as well?
Great work Mike from New Zealand! Where is the finishing video?
It's in my training academy The Concrete Underground!!
You are Awesome Man...I wish you were closer I would Love to hire you for my 7 bay carport
Do you use Peet gravel or 3/4" stone in your pours
We mostly use 3/4 stone
Did the finishing video ever get uploaded? UA-cam is not finding it.
Come on Mike, you’re the best that’s exactly the type of content I was just looking for 👏🏼👏🏼
I built my own house, I'm not a tradesman but rather a businessman. 32 years ago I decided to pour an 18 by 8 foot deck in the back of my house. I built the forms, I installed rebar every 12 inch square. On the 18 foot side one end is resting on the foundation, the center is on a 10 inch tubular pillar (Sonotube) and the other end is held up by the stairs, all this five feet off the ground and 6 inches thick. I called for 4000 pound strong low slump concrete with ½ inch stone. Now here is the clincher: I was alone, the first time iI had ever done this kind of work and it was in August with a 75 degree sunny day. Boy, did I suffer, the concrete was starting to harden before I had finished magging it. I concentrated on the stairs, the forms of witch were cut at 45 degrees, because it had to be done right. After they were ready I got to magging the surface with a 3 foot length of 2x4 and a wood trowel. Fighting with the concrete I started seeing black spots in front of my eyes but I finally made it. Final result: straight set of stairs, a very little bit of wavy surface but with a good slope, some stones showing trough. Not one crack, not even an hairline one, all this standing up after 30 years.
I'm so happy to see what you are doing here Mike, I validates what I did way back then and I learn even more with you teachings. Today, I just finished a repair job at my son's home, an 8 by 18 foot deck suffering from a terminal case of spalted concrete. Done with Quickrete product, nice broom finish on a diamond grinder prepped surface. We watched your three videos covering that subject and it turned out to be a success. I'm a 69 year old retiree with a metal hip. Thank you Mike for your excellent teaching.
Nice story! That's good to hear about the videos helping. That's why I'm posting all of them.
Thank you for some stair knowledge! God bless you guys!
I noticed you don't use chairs to hold your steel up off the Styrofoam ?
Also the steel in the steps was tied to tight to the slab steel. No room to lift the slab steel to center of concrete
All I have to say is WOW! Steps have to be the hardest (Mike let me know) and you men did great! From NC KEEP IT UP!
I appreciate that!
Steps are a pain in the ass, but I think steep slopes are worse to pour. Finishing id have to agree steps are the worst.
I miss the concrete, it’s so therapeutic especially a nice easy pour like this one
Yes, I agree.
@@MikeDayConcrete 0p
Ppp p00q
Hi Mike I like watching you videos. I want to put in concrete steps on my home here in Texas. I have never done this before , can you offer any advice?
How much time before you remove the boards??
What’s the white paper under the rebar? Is it better than compacted gravel?
We use a Sawzall without a blade to vibrate the face of our steps. Works really good
Great job man. You guys keep up the good work!!
Is it hollow under the stairs? I don't see you pouring concrete there?
It looks like you took off the vinyl siding and put some type of grey flashing on the house Could you explain your house flashing process in preparation of the pour?
It’s good to hear you sponge out the riser faces, bcz that’s a practice that has largely gone by the wayside down here, in the last few decades.
I used to get ⅛” aluminum plate, made for the faces and screw them on to the risers. That was very effective at producing a nice slick finish on the faces if we weren’t going to take the time to sponge them out. It also looked good with the contrasting slick risers to the broomed treads. Obviously only practical for repetitive sets.
Sponging really isn't that much extra work and really makes a difference to the final look. I know some guys just don't dare to strip the forms off too soon. Looking at air voids after pulling the forms isn't a good look to me.
i like to add lighting or dress up several ways of course its a budget thing safe travels guys !!!
Ive just poured 5 steps right now..waiting for the concrete to settle and suck its water back in so i can finish them...but after seing your video,i regret not doing the 45 angle trick...😢its a great ideea...much easier to finish under that plank...😅
nice work sir and good ideas of work 😊
Mike, Possible to show how to build the house
Thank you so much
You are a great sub-contractor everything came out perfect 👍
Is it true that too much vibrating will make all the rock go to the bottom then the top wont be as strong?
How do you charge to form and pour stairs
Is there a follow on video to this as mentioned? I don't see it
SO IVE SEEN FOAM DETERIORATE IN OTHER SITUATIONS. WILL THE FOAM EVER LOOSE ITS INTEGRITY?
This was a great video thank you
Glad it was helpful!
Hey Mike, do you have any videos on how you would tackle a porch that size?
Are u using a front discharge concrete mixer truck or a rear discharge concrete mixer truck ?
nice diy tutorials... we need that for Madeira 😁
What is underneath the poured concrete? Is that explained?
What’s the point in adding air to the concrete and the vibrating it out?
I was wondering an average square foot Price for flat work in your area?
We're you pouring on top of an old slab?
I checked out a couple of your videos. You do nice work, your stamps look good particularly, but you're doing stairs backward in my opinion. Do your top stair in the landing first and go down top to bottom. You don't have all that creep that you're digging and throwing back up top. After you get them in, wet your load up a few gallons And pour the landing like you'd normally do. Makes for a much neater job and less work as stupid as it might sound to you. Any builder I've ever finished for on the east coast wanted it done that way and I've tried bottom to top after thinking to myself it would be easier. I assure you it is not. That's just my two cents, not ragging on you or your guys at all.
💯💪💪 great job man to you and your crew !!!!!
I've done a lot of small concrete jobs and small steps in my time... recently
Saw this video of these big flights of stairs with wet concrete pouring down like a river.... whats going on there???
Well done. Mike, I came home to find stucco all over my week old concrete steps. Any ideas on how to clean this mess up?
Never had to remove stucco, anyone else in here done that?
Try using a thin putty knife and do a pushing motion. Hopefully it pops it off.
@@247KW thanks. Just didn't want to lose the broom finish. Wound up scraping a bit with a 5 in 1 tool and scrubbing with an aluminum brush. Can see the smooth spots. Hoping it will even out in time
@@rickkinnally7 b
Mike I appreciate you and the time to put them together. Do you ever put a control joint in wide steps/stairs? If so I would assume you do both the treads and the risers. What about if you have steps that are on 2 sides?
Why insulation under the steps ? Frost movement?
How do you do a mono step?
So professional like a BOSS..
Thanks.
@@MikeDayConcrete 77
Good job bless from mauritius island
It would be nice to see the finish article!!
Just curious, why the insulation?
you make it look easy!
Great job but why not do the top first then the steps but great work the only reason I ask what if you pour the top and it pushes the steps out thanks
Thanks for taking the time to share your concrete knowledge on video! Great work!
My pleasure!
I've been working with concrete for over 30 yrs. A time or two I've forgotten rerode in stairs lol. You needed that concrete stiff. If you was pouring on sand and dirt you could've loosened it up alittle. But good work
Thank you!
When using any vibrating poker you should bring it out slow, that is what brings the air bubbles out. Try it next time and see
Interesting video. The only down fall is all the noise in the background. That phone would have ended up sinking into those stairs 😂
In which area u working
Sitting here waiting on the next video. Another great video/job by you and the crew
Thanks Tom!
another great video mike
Thank you Mark!
What state are you in Mike? It always looks cold or wet.
I know there is a stiff slump but where are the braces on the sides just to be safe.?
What model is your DeWalt vibrator tool
I didn't know they had different models, i'm not sure, but it sure does work good.
..it's the urol80.
What's the r-board for?
Mike good work
I don't understand why the rebar is left flat on the styrofoam. Where are your chairs?
For the rise we use 18 m ply three quarters to you and 4 x 3 on the top back of rise and the string the same 👍
wow! superb work. great vid thank you
Glad you liked it!
Rebar with no spacers? What's the point
Another good way to set up those steps is run a router on the cove. You can still put bevel cut. Just ends up being more like a 20deree instead of 45. For big set of steps real beneficial. Hope that helps
Good work 20 plus years here 6 in business lol and yes seen missing rebar right away good you caught it
Easy to forget sometimes.
There sure looks to be enough on the pad!
What’s the styrofoam for?
Where is that finishing video?
Where did you get that dewalt vibrator
The wifes toolbox. lol
I like to scrape the access concrete build up on the face of the boards and center kicker so I don't have "crusties" when I strip steps to finish. Good work though
Nice job buddy
slump does NOT mean how wet or how dry. Slump is the diameter of a puddle of certain volume of cement dropped from a certain height and can be massively changed with additives for a fixed amount of water.
Great job but I always pour steps from the top and vibe it down to level. I get less excess on the lower steps then👍
The first thing I realized in this process was you did not oil the forms I hope I'm right
Hi Mike! I've never done concrete but have been watching your videos for a while now and I have a building I'm doing next year that is 48x144. I can either buy or acquire the tools needed but I will only have my dad helping me with it. Do you have any advice on how I should tackle this size with such little help? Half of it will be heated floor and I will have a parameter wall for the building to sit on.
Mike awesome video but this isn't instagram my man. I'm not trying to watch this full 12 minute video just to have to go find a new one to see the finished results which look like they will be awesome. Rip the extra minute to show the people what they want,and give your boys the credit they deserve to finish the project.
Very Cool! Thanks for sharing.
You bet!
@@MikeDayConcrete Have you ever seen the stair case west coast custom concrete did? I saw it in popular mechanics.
Good job
Nice work leaving the reinforcement on the polystyrene 😂