How to Install Precast Concrete Steps | Ask This Old House

In this video, mason Mark McCullough helps a homeowner remove his crumbling stone steps. Then, he tours a factory to learn how precast concrete steps are made and helps install a set at the homeowner’s house.

The front steps appear to be original to the 1940s house and they haven’t aged well. This Old House Mason Mark McCullough demolishes the original and installs a base for the new steps. Then, he takes a tour of the facility where the precast concrete steps are made.

Time: 2 days
Cost: $2,000 and up
Skill Level: Moderate to prep and Professional to make and install steps

Tools:

Shopping List:

Where to find it?

Before the steps can be delivered, the old steps needed to be removed and a new concrete base needed to be poured. The jackhammer used to remove the steps can be rented from any home center, and the other materials used for the job, including the concrete mixes, wheelbarrows, trowels, and shovels can all be found at home centers as well.

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How to Install Precast Concrete Steps | Ask This Old House

[TrueToad]

First-time homeowners are an important niche that Ask This Old House should consider. New owners are normally strapped for money when first starting out. Nice to see how to do things on the cheaper.

[JesusJuenger]

Legend has it that he still hasn't put gutters in and the water damage is just waiting to happen again.

[MusiqTruth]

I've been watching this show since I was a kid lol and now I'm 33 years old and finally need it in purchasing my first home <3 Thanks for all the great years!

[johnny]

This should be archived as the last first time home buyer in history with the prices of real estate nowadays!

[jasonpiekacz]

Great idea! I think I'm gonna just watch and make my customers do all the work. brilliant

[Skammerd]

If Roger was there he'd have used some stone dust somewhere 😂

[joemedley]

Isn’t it an OSHA regulation that you can’t operate a jack hammer without an enormous bear gut?

[charlesviner]

I have that jackhammer. 20 years old and still working great. Like 👍 all your videos

[justanotherguy]

"lot of fun doing it" lol. good video.

[Nill]

The removal of the form for the pad was not shown. The back piece between the house and pad looked difficult to remove, possibly impossible without special tools if it was trapped. Assuming it was removed, what was done with the gap between pad and house?

[therealcellar]

really was a "next guys preoblem" house

[loco]

The camera work on this episode is really good!

[h.collier]

Those hard hats are absolutely necessary when standing to the side watching someone else work.

[airdrummond]

The step up into the house from the platform would seem like a potential code violation.
Seemed like a good time to add a third step and establish a smooth transition into the house.

[bofadeeznuts]

Mark is an absolute beast I love watching him run circles around homeowners twenty years his junior.

[michellem]

Def need to show this to my mom. Our concrete steps are falling apart. Second this guy is 12...he is married & owns a house?

[dalesworld]

New editors using slo mo and pans to make some of this action look like a Wim Wenders film. Should have replaced those couple of rotted shingles before the steps laid in.

[reneeellison]

Thank you for sharing your informative video. We would love to have stone steps. This was very inspirational!

[gmrrnracr]

Ok few questions. Why didn’t they have the top step flush or slightly below the front door threshold?
Why is the first step riser cut so short?
Finally why is there two vertical pieces of rebar near the front step when installing the precast concrete steps? Thank you

[keytothegate]

They skipped my favorite part- digging the hole and filling it with gravel-that is where the work was