Concrete Advice Needed

[mschrank]

Here's the situation:

I have concrete steps up to the front door. On the left side, there's about 6 steps up to a landing that is about 5'x5'. I want to add another foot of space to the landing, on the right side (opposite the steps). I figure it will take right around 1 cubic yard of concrete (5' high x 5' wide x 1').

How do I anchor the new concrete to the vertical face of the existing concrete? I'm thinking along the lines of drilling holes into the existing and somehow anchoring some rebar/J-bolts into it...?

What about the base...do I need to pour a footing first?

1 cubic yard seems too small to have delivered, but seems like a lot to mix myself

My only concrete experience is using the "just add water" mix for setting fence posts. I'd like to do the work myself, but maybe should just call in a contractor? .

[Hellrazor]

Mike:

Pictures..

Pictures..

Pictures..

They would help greatly.

[mschrank]

Mike:

Pictures..

Pictures..

Pictures..

They would help greatly.

OK...

OK...

OK...

I'll try and remember to take a pic tonight...but hey, I was doing good to remember to post this morning!

[crokett]

Cinderblock would be both cheaper and lighter - less chance of it detaching from existing structure. You can pour a few inches over the top and face with red brick.

If you pour, I assume the existing structure is on below-grade footings. You should dig down and start your pour there. Otherwise you have a yard of concrete that can move with frost, etc while the rest of it doesn't. To answer your question, I would drill the existing and epoxy rebar that ties into the new.

[mschrank]

Thanks David. I had considered cinderblock, but was even less sure of how to anchor it to the existing structure. I forgot to take a picture, but the image below shows what I'm trying to do. The green part is what I need to add. All of these surfaces are going to be faced (but not with red brick...don't see much of that in this part of the country), so stability is more important than appearance at this stage.

[TJG]

1 cubic yard seems too small to have delivered, but seems like a lot to mix myself

My only concrete experience is using the "just add water" mix for setting fence posts. I'd like to do the work myself, but maybe should just call in a contractor? .

The general guidelines for concrete:

40 lb bag = 1/3 cubic foot (1' x 1' x 4")
60 lb bag = 1/2 cubic foot (1' x 1' x 6")
80 lb bag = 2/3 cubic foot (1' x 1' x 8")

So, a cubic yard (27 cubic feet) will need 54 of the 60 lb bags, or 41 of the 80 lb bags, and will weigh over 3200 lbs.

Since stability is important, I would at least get some estimates from contractors, and find out about warranties, to help in the decision.

[crokett]

I still say use block. You can anchor to the existing with ties at the mortar joints and or use rebar at the mortar joints. This is tricker since you'd have to make sure the rebar is in straight and placed accurately.

[JimD]

I would agree that cinder block is the way to go. You can shoot anchors onto the existing stairs with a percussion nailer ($20 or so for the one I have). The anchors are cheap little pieces of galvanized steel make to anchor brick veneer to wood framing. You embed the anchors into the mortar joints. If you want things extra solid, you can fill the webs of the blocks with mortar or concrete - you can even add rebar.

Jim

[mschrank]

Thanks for the advice! I am leaning towards cinder block...just seems a lot easier. Lighter, cheaper, no forms to build.

I'm guessing I should dig down to the level of the bottom of the existing stairs and pour a 4-5" slab, Then start building up the cinder block...correct?

[bpottinger]

Wall anchors

Thanks for the advice! I am leaning towards cinder block...just seems a lot easier. Lighter, cheaper, no forms to build.

I'm guessing I should dig down to the level of the bottom of the existing stairs and pour a 4-5" slab, Then start building up the cinder block...correct?

Another thing you might consider doing for stability is to add vertical rebar to that footing at the bottom that will go up through the cells in the block. You can use two or three foot pieces and wire them together as you build the wall so you don't have to lift the blocks 5' each time. I would put at lest one at each end and one or two in the middle. Do this in addition to the wall anchors and fill the cells with the bar with grout. You do that and that wall won't be going anywhere.

Barry