As we discussed in building a deck over concrete, sometimes the surface below your deck is less than ideal.
After building our deck over concrete, the area where our stairs needed to be was uneven, preventing a typical stair assembly from happening.
The solution?
Building an even, level concrete pad for the stair stringers to land on.
In this post we’ll go over how to measure, cut, build forms, and pour the concrete pad needed for our stair landing. We’ll also discuss how to attach deck stairs to the concrete pad for a secure landing.
Tools needed-
- Variable Speed Drill or hammer drill (hammer and nails will work too)
- Something to mix concrete in
Materials Needed
- Scrap plywood (for forms)
- Many bags of concrete
Concrete Pad Step by Step Guide
1. Measure the area needed for the landing-
You can do this however you want, but I wanted to leave about the width of a typical human foot on either side of the stairs. Just in case there was a misstep. You should also leave a comfortable step-width area below the bottom step of the stairs. Leaving a small, thin step will annoy you, and can be a fall hazard.
2. Build the concrete forms
Once you know how wide, tall and deep the concrete pad needs to be. Build a form using the plywood. Screw the edges together tightly, ensuring no concrete will spill out
3. Mix and Pour in the concrete
by far the shittiest part. These concrete pads can be deceiving; requiring much more concrete that meets the eye. Use this concrete calculator to calculate the amount you’ll need, and buy 2 extra bags. There is nothing worse than having to run back to Home Depot while playing beat the clock because the concrete is setting. You can return extra concrete later
4. Smooth the edges
Once the concrete has set and the forms broken, the edges around the top will be sharp. This step is optional, but I highly recommend it. A shin to the edge of the concrete pad will inevitably draw blood.
Use an edging trowel to smooth out the concrete if it’s still malleable. If the concrete has dried, follow these tips on how to use an angle grinder to achieve a smooth edge.
You’re done!
Anchoring deck stairs to concrete
notch out the middle stair risers to they sit on the 2×4 
attaching deck stairs to concrete pad
Properly attaching deck stairs to concrete is a simple, straightforward task. It only requires another peice of pressure treated 2×4
- Cut the 2×4 to fit in between the stair risers where they touch the concrete
- Drill through the outer stair stringers into the 2×4 to attach them as if they’re one piece. At this time, the stairs and 2×4 will be resting on the concrete.
- Notch out the interior stair risers to fit over the 2×4 as seen in the picture on the left above here. Attach these middle stair stringers to the 2×4 by using deck screws at an angle
- Make sure the stairs are at a place where they aren’t stressed left or right. At this point you’re ready to attach the stairs to the concrete.
- Drill pilot holes through the 2×4 to the concrete. You’ll have to use a wood bit first to drill through the 2×4, stopping at the concrete. After making a pilot hole in the wood, use a concrete bit to drill through the concrete.
- Use a hammer drill and tap on screws to attach the wood to the concrete – securing the 2×4 to the concrete
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You’re done!
After finishing these steps, put weight on the stair risers to make sure they’re secure. if they are, install risers and treads.
I hope this tutorial helped. As always, email me with any questions or concerns. Good luck!
Max
Max Lowrie, founder of MySplitLevel.com® and author of The Live In Flip© bought his first split level house in 2016. During a lengthy renovation, Max noticed that there was little useful content online specific to split-level homes. Max now devotes his time to share his knowledge hoping to help homeowners avoid unnecessary mistakes, and provide a blue print for split-level owners nationwide.
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