New Brick Paver Step Replaces Old Concrete Step at Porch

Paver steps are becoming the best replacement option of old concrete steps

The most popular request asked of me is an estimate to replace old & deteriorated concrete steps with paver steps.  Paver steps have become the most requested option for new patio or front porch steps.  The trend for this application is growing rapidly each year and many feasible options are available.

The past week in Ann Arbor, I was asked to replace an old pre-fab concrete step that was cracking and did not offer a safe transfer from the top of the porch to the existing concrete walkway. Being that the existing front porch was small, this created an unsafe issue when the front door was opened.  Guests or visitors had to step back onto the unsafe pre-fab step to allow the door to completely open.  The homeowner had had enough when a trick-or-treated fell off the porch this past Halloween.

The first objective was to create the proper rise (step down) to the new step and create a safe landing to step onto. I designed the new brick paver step to be 2ft out from the porch and also across the total length of the porch to allow for a safe landing to stand on.  The rises (step downs) from the porch onto the step and from the step down to the walkway needed to be within code.

The second objective was to have a decorative and attractive appearance to enhance the curb appeal of the home.  With out sacrificing function, this objective was easily achieved with the advantages & flexibility of brick pavers and modular retaining wall blocks & caps.  Being a traditional home, we used traditional paver shapes & colors to match the home.

I discussed with the homeowner in the original estimate about replacing the front cement walkway with new brick pavers.  Due to their budget, the new paver step was their first priority.  The new paver walkway will be installed in 2013 so they can budget for the expense.

To install the new paver step, we needed to saw cut the first pad of the concrete walk to properly set the new size & heights.  The pre-fab concrete step easily slid away and we dispose of it properly.  We needed to make sure we removed enough of the first slab of concrete to allow for a buffer row of brick pavers to allow for a proper height transition to the old cement walk.  This is not always necessary to do if riser heights are not an issue but since we will be returning next year to install a new paver walkway, we decided this was the best option at this time.

The end result of our design & installation was a very decorative, functional, and safe paver step that met all the objectives of the homeowner.  Once we install the new paver walkway to match this paver step, the curb appeal will be complete for this traditional home in Ann Arbor.  All brick paver step applications have unique & custom variables that determine the final design and installation.

Proper Paver Steps for Bay Windows

Steps leading to Brick Paver Patio are very important

The most important aspect of any Brick Paver Patio are the Paver Steps that are constructed to lead down from the doorwall.  For years I have watched many inexperienced landscape or so-called brick paver contractors install improper Steps at bay window doorwalls.  These are doorwalls that bump out from the wall of the home and have an open or cantilever bottom.

Many unqualified contractors try to wrap the paver wall blocks & caps around the side openings and enclose the bay window doorwall. If you encounter any brick paver installer who suggests to enclose your bay window overhang, you better run!


There are some important reasons why you should never enclose a bay window doorwall.

First and foremost, a builder will tell you that the opening under this bay window needs to have open air flow to prevent the wood from rotting underneath.  If enclosed, moisture will be constant and the possibility of the flooring inside the home being compromised. Some of these bay window overhangs have exhaust or soffit vents that need to be open.

Secondly, it is virtually impossible to properly pack the base material under the bay window to prevent the pavers and wall blocks from collapsing in over time.  After 28 years, I have never seen a set of paver steps that wrapped around and enclosed a bay window that did not require constant repair maintenance & resetting. It is one of my number one repair requests!

Just as important, constructing a paver step structure that is not encased within itself at a bay window doorwall is an inferior design & installation.  The wrap around approach to closing in a bay window opening with paver step blocks & caps will pull away and collapse over time.  By building a 4 sided structure up against the bay window, this paver step structure is encased within itself and therefore much stronger for long-term success. 

Basically a 4 sided paver step structure has it's own "back wall" to build up against as shown in these pictures. It is structurally sound and allows the proper flow of air under your bay window opening.  We can build them with straight or curved steps in the front leading down to the paver patio.

Most homeowners ignore the importance of the paver block steps leading down to their brick patio. Inferior design and installation will lead to years of frustration and safety issues.  Paver steps require expertise and are not cheap to build.  They are usually the most time consuming aspect of any brick paver installation.  Homeowners take paver steps for granted and pay for it in the (near) future.

A functional and creative set of paver steps can be the focal point of your paver patio, walkway, porch, or front entrance.  If you are going to cut back on expense, make sure it is not on the paver steps. There have been jobs in the past where we installed the paver steps and returned a year later to actually install the paver patio.

If your brick paver contractor is stumbling on recommendations for a paver step design, it would be beneficial for you to move on.  Make sure they supply you with a detailed description or picture of the set of paver steps you will be having installed.  If you ignore this detail of your paver installation, you may have years of aggravation and disappointment.

Here are some more ideas for Encased Paver Steps:

Crumbling Steps at Front Porch replaced with New Paver Steps

Mortared Brick or Tiled Steps in Michigan will fail over time

This homeowner was in immediate need of having there deteriorating Front Steps replaced with a long-term solution.  After many years of frustration and hiring 3 different contractors over the past 12 years to fix these steps, it was our time to come to the rescue.

I suggested we install modular retaining wall block & cap Steps, usually referred to as Paver Steps, because they will give the best performance and least maintenance over the years.  If any of the coping units (caps) come loose, they can easily be adhered without any signs of repair. Any of the riser step blocks can be reset at little cost and effort too.


Outdoor mortared brick steps will fail over the long-term in Michigan due to freeze thaw cycles which break up the mortar and loosen the bricks. Even more so, ceramic or granite tile used for outdoor non-covered porches and steps are also not a long-term solution. The grout will crack and chip and allow tiles to come loose and pop off.


The homeowner really wanted to keep the tile on the top of the porch since that was in good condition . We carefully installed the Paver Steps to meet the finished height of the tile and filled the joint behind the coping with some grey HP Polymeric Sand to match the existing grout in the tiles.


We finished this paver project by power wash cleaning and re-sanding the paver joints of the front walk which completed the whole restoration. There are never any "permanent" solutions to steps in frost states (considering moderate costs) but the best solution is Paver Steps. They offer great performance, very low maintenance, and low repair costs if needed.

Brick Pavers Porch & Steps Installed

Another transformation in Ann Arbor to a new Brick Paver Porch and Steps

In 2011, we have installed over 15 porch & step replacements in Ann Arbor alone.  As homes begin to reach almost 50 years old, porches & steps are beginning to show their age. Aside from their unsightly appearance, old deteriorating porch & steps begin to create water and safety issues that homeowners can no longer ignore.

In early posts on this Blog, I have described the options we discuss with homeowners when considering replacement, enclosure, or overlays of Brick Paver Porches and Steps.  Many factors are in play when considering which option makes both functional and economical sense. Paver Porches and Step are installed best by a qualified & experienced brick paver contractor.

This particular porch slab had sunk, cracked, and pitched back towards the home foundation. The mason bricks had begun to pop & crack, causing leaning and large gaps of missing mortar. The step had sunk creating steep rises and trip hazzards.  It was time for the homeowner to address these issues and create some new curb appeal.

We completely removed the old porch slab, brick framing walls, step, and debris.  We built over the existing footings and created a more functional design that increased the width of the porch in the space allowed.  By bowing out the porch face, we not only improved the appearance, but we increased the landing space for a more comfortable & safer entrance into the front door. We also added an additonal Paver Step to reduce the riser heights for a safer and more comfortable transition to the walk.

It is amazing how a new Paver Porch and Step can immediately change the curb appeal of a home when properly designed and installed.  Though the front porch & steps are one of the most functional & visible aspects of a home, they are often ignored until their appearance and structure have failed.  Bring back that "smile" for your home! Improve or replace that old crumbling porch or steps with brick pavers and modular retaining wall blocks & caps.

Small Brick Pavers Steps Job Gives Big Results!

Versatile & Durable Modular Retaining Walls, Cap Units, & Pavers

Last week in Saline, we replaced crumbling mortared brick steps and a cracked cement pad with a new Brick Pavers Steps System consisting of modular retaining wall blocks, coping units, and interlocking pavers. The result was not only functional, but offered some simple beauty & peace of mind.



This homeowner needed a permanent solution to the years of patching mortared brick steps and sealing cracked cement. Not only was it unsightly and unsafe, but these deteriorating brick steps where costly to have repaired every few years.  I recommended we remove the existing steps & cement pad and replace with a low maintenance solution.

The prior brick steps had very high step rises and a small step tread that made them very unsafe. We created a top landing step that was 2 foot out and all the step rises where within code and all the same rise.  We finished off this brick paver installation with a small brick paver transition pad that connected the steps to the driveway. This project was done for just under $1,000 and eliminated years of aggravation & strife.

Michigan's extreme weather and freeze thaw cycles are brutal on mortared steps or pavers. Using tongue 'n groove, pinning, or interlocking block & cap products make for attractive & durable solutions to the age old problem of crumbling bricks & mortar.

Another Repair of Brick Paver Patio Steps & Porch Step

Brick Paver Steps  Repair

Our continued brick paver repair services took us to another paver patio steps & front porch step reconstruction this past week.  For the sake of not sounding redundant, this blog post will be brief with before & after pics.  My previous post went into more detail regarding the enormous need for paver patio step repair through out Ann Arbor & Saline.

Settled Paver Steps

This raised pavers patio has been in for over 5 years, slowly the brick steps leading into the patio door wall and front porch began to settle & shift.  They were currently in desperate need of repair for safety & appearance purposes.  This client called in the brick paver expert and we began to solve their issue.

Once the base material below is compromised, the complete paver step structure is going to fail. Large gaps begin to allow water to erode behind and below the paver block steps & caps.  The brick paver landing on top begins to sink and tripping hazards begin to appear.

This client's front paver porch steps exhibited the "smiley face" appearance which occurs often when a contractor does not compact the interior base material properly.  They just fill in upwards as they build each step without compacting the base in 2-3" lifts when building brick steps.

Before reconstructing

As we did with the earlier brick paver step reconstruction, we completely tore down the entire structure and rebuilt from the ground up.  Upon tearing down the block & cap steps, we discovered a reason for the paver steps settling.  The landscape contractor did not fill in gaps or holes (see picture) in the modular retaining wall blocks as needed.  This resulted in an inferior step or wall construction that was destined to fail over time.  Open spaces allow for base settling, erosion, and reduces the overall mass of the step structure.  We did relevel, recompacted, & filled all joints and holes.

When properly installed, brick paver patio & porch steps can give years of performance & spectacular appearance. Paver steps do require some basic maintenance over the years but will be minimal in time & costs if addressed in the early stages of settling or erosion. I expect that these newly repaired paver steps will give many years of safety and appearance that a brick paver client expects.

Remember to address the first signs of the brick pavers settling in the top landing, block & caps sagging, or caps coming loose.  Small periodic paver repairs will avoid very costly reconstruction in the future.

Major Brick Paver Step Repair for Paver Patio & Porch

Step Repair and Reconstruction

We spent alot of time & effort tearing down and rebuilding some major brick paver steps for a paver patio and porch this past week in Saline. This was another example of a reputable local landscape contractor installing interlocking pavers and modular retaining wall steps well above their capabilities.  The design was good but the execution of these paver patios, walks, & paver steps was poor. Appearance & safety became the urgency for the paver repairs to these brick steps. It did take some time and expertise to solve this step problem.

Most contractors can install flatwork of brick pavers but the truly experienced brick paver contractor is needed for the proper design, layout, and execution of intricate paver steps, raised or multi-level paver patio walls, or elevation changes.  For the amount of money that customers pay for this premium landscape upgrade of paving stones, they deserve the best installation possible.

From the "before" pictures of these brick paver steps, you can easily notice the amount of gaps through out the blocks & caps. The landscape contractor did not take the time & effort to properly install these paver steps.  Base material behind & below the retaining wall blocks easily eroded and settled and therefore allowed the paver steps & paving stones to shift, slide, and fall.  With a family of 3 young children, this customer needed to address this safety issue quickly and did not have time to haggle with the landscape contractor anymore.

 We tore these brick paver steps completely down and rebuilt them from the ground up. We needed additional retaining wall blocks to help with a stronger redesign and structure.  Aside from the gaps throughout the structure, the paver step structures where installed on top of paving stones instead of anchored below grade for stability. These massive paver step structures were just sliding out over the paving stones. The rises were also way off and inconsistent.  The paver patio step landing had a 11" rise going into the doorwall!

We just performed the simple installation techniques that should have been done originally for these brick paver steps.  We began by using a transit to shoot heights we could set the wall blocks properly to insure safe & consistent rises. It was necessary to add another bottom paver step in the paver patio to eliminate the 11" rise into the house.  We also reset the paving stone areas around this step structure to make sure the water pitched away and into the yard.

We also set the retaining wall blocks below grade on proper compacted base, and though tedious with this particular product, we saw cut each block to close any & all gaps that would allow base material to filter out.  Compaction under, behind, and next to all brick paver step structures is crucial and usually ignored by inexperienced installers. Brick paver specialists pay attention to these details!

As you can see from these "after" pictures of the brick paver patio steps & porch steps that we reinstalled properly, the appearance & safety has been greatly enhanced. The homeowner was so happy that their brick step ordeal was resolved.

 

I always preach that the more intricate brick pavers & retaining wall projects are best installed by the pavers expert. Please do not be a victim of this kind of work by an inexperienced landscape contractor selling you a package.

We are currently on another brick paver patio steps & porch step repair that will be my next post this coming week. The house calls keep coming and we keep getting pavers healthy.

No Heat, Rain, or Sleet will stop our Brick Paver Repair

We are currently working on some severe brick paver step repairs in Saline.  Even though the heat has been 90+ with heavy periodic rains and occasional sleet, we are pushing forward with our paver repair services. Keeping hydrated, taking shade breaks, and ending our work days early has kept us producing. We also have an unconventional way of cooling off (see pic).

As Ann Arbor and Saline has been hammered with severe weather this summer, the need for properly draining interlocking brick pavers and safe brick steps has never been so important.  If current paver patio repairs are not addressed, the sunken areas will increase and become more costly & unsafe for the homeowner.

We are working feverishly through this hot & wet summer to insure safety & appearance of brick paver patios, walkways, driveways, porches & steps, etc.. .  Brick paver repair work will continue into December before the frost sets in. It is never too late to get your brick pavers restored or revived.

The next post will be a pictorial "before & after" of reconstructing some brick paver steps that needed immediate repair & reconstruction.  This week's weather seems more tolerable and we will continue meeting the needs of our customers.