I need to build a small step down between the house and the 4″ lower porch slab to fasten a sliding door track. The small step will be about 6″ wide and 3″ tall. Since this is a small step, I’ll need to mix the concrete myself. Is concrete what I should use? And what ratio of portland, gravel, and sand do I use. I plan on using some #3 rebar and bonding agent. What are your recommendations?
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Simply buy a bag or 2 of premix at a big box store or lumber yard.
That small forget the rebar, if you have a piece of old chain link fence or welded wire fencing, that would work well, otherwise nothing really needed if you mix the concret to a stiff consistency. .
Why use concrete- could you fasten 2 - 2X6 pressure treated you could rip a piece of pvc trim board to finish the front or durock and stucco it. Just a thought.
I thought about building a floor plate out of p.t. or pvc but need the top of the step to be level and felt like the concret would be the easiest way to get the level surface. I saw a bag of high strength concrete at HD and wondered if I should just use that. My fear is that the tap cons the door track will be attached with will break the step. Will mixing my own be any better than the bag stuff? Thanks
the pre-mixed high strength might be ok..
but if you mix your own , you can goose the portland to about 3-2-2
3" thick isn't much so you need more strengthMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
3 parts aggregate (pea gravel) 2 parts sand(masonry sand?) 1 part portland cement
For small concrete jobs here is an interesting "mixer" you might want to look at:
http://www.cretesheet.com/
It's based on a technique used in Africa to mix mud for huts and walls.
"Step" is what I am calling it. Really it's a means to elevate a small area of the slab to install a sliding exterior pocket door track. I think for what I need I'm going to go with the 3-2-2 ratio someone suggested. Thanks
Depending on your location you might be able to find a "U-haul it" site. At least that's what we call them here. They mix small batches for you and you haul it away. I've used 30 gallon trash barrels to transport small loads in the past.
U-cart is one brand name for small batch mix.And it comes in a trailer that holds upto 1 1/4 CY.
3 inches high? 6 inches wide?
These measurements are way off for a properly sized step.
If you gotta go with the step, and IF it has to be 3 inches high, then it needs to be 18 to 20 inches wide.
2 times the rise plus the tread should equal 24 to 26 inches.