Steps - Brick spauling on front steps

[Micks]

Hi,
Has anyone any tips on how to rectify unsightly spauling on the bricks that form my front step. The steps are made of 'faced' bricks with the tread being made from block paving. The facing on the bricks, forming the vertical 'risers' are falling off. I have started replacing the offending bricks but it takes forever and each offending brick that I remove takes three or four other bricks out of the steps, usually in pieces!

Regards
Mike

[carlbeardsmore]

It sounds like the wrong type of brick may have been used.

They may not be very good against the damage from frosts in winter and that is causing the face to shell off.

The best option would be to replace all the bricks with more frost resistant type.

Also, has a dpm been used to keep the ground water away from the bricks?

Any chance of a picture?

Cheers Carl

[Micks]

Hi Carl,

Thanks for your reply. Sorry for delay in my reply I think I may have an option wrong as I was not notified of your post. Still learning on this site.

I would like to post a picture but can't figure out how to do it on this site. The image button seems to require a web address (http://) . How do I just upload an image to the site?

There appears to be some sort of damp proof membrane in the form of a plastic sheet but am not sure what shape it takes within the steps. It is just the vertical part of the steps that is the problem. I was hoping there was some simple way of facing this in brick/block paving finish without having to take the old bricks out. I have started replacing the bricks but as I said it is taking for ever and it might be quicker to rebuild from scratch!!

Regards

Mick
PS Try this for picture

[ABILITY]

Rather than knock them all out to start again, you could face up in front of the risers with new brick, quality frost resistant ones ! then pave the treads with flags. All using the existing as the base.
Looks like you have plenty of room to get the added risers / treads in.
Need to ensure structure is ok first though.

[Micks]

Thanks Ability,
A good thought. It would certainly give a nice professional finish. Not sure how I would deal with the hand rail with presumably overhanging paving flags. Also I suspect, being sods law, that the slabs would need trimming in both depth and width which would be a horrendous job for me with my small angle grinder!
regards

Mick

[Tony McC]

From that photie, it looks as though the steps are built on top of the concrete slab, and given the structure as a whole has already cracked, I'd be awfully tempted to break them out, smask them up, and use a fill for a new flight of steps constructed using proper FL bricks or concrete blocks and kerb units.

[carlbeardsmore]

There appears to be no overhang on the step, so any water flowing down the steps will wet the face of the bricks.

You may be quicker to knock the lot down and start again but do it properly this time.

Cheers Carl

[Micks]

Hi Carl & Tony,

Thanks for advice which seems to advocate 'start again and use the right materials'. This is almost certainly the best thing to do but I would be nervous with my level of skill 'amateur DIY'. Also the photo only shows half the steps so would be a big job and with the earth backed up behind the steps I would be concerned about the path and the earth cascading down into the driveway, maybe taking the house with it!. The land is on a 1:7 slope. Perhaps its a job for the professionals.
I have just purchased a hammer chisel and have found I can chisel out half a brick and replace just that. Also last year I repaired the cracks in the joints and that repair seems to be holding so maybe I'll try the above first before commiting myself to the cost of new steps.
Thanks again for everyones help.
Regards
Mike