How to Turn Broken Concrete Steps into a Stone Masterpiece

Old concrete steps that have cracked and broken can present a safety issue as well being downright ugly. The steps may become unstable as the concrete breaks off. This could cause someone to fall and be seriously injured. Cracked and broken steps should be repaired as soon as possible.

Repairing these steps could be as simple as going to your local home improvement store and purchasing one or more bags of concrete patching material. However, this is only a temporary solution. Once the steps start to crack and break, patching will hold them for a while, but eventually, it will work loose. And you will be able to see the patch.

So what's the best solution? How about covering those old concrete steps with natural stone? Natural stone can change those old ugly duckling steps into a beautiful masterpiece.

This is a project that you do-it-yourselvers can do if you are willing to put some time and work into. How long it takes you will depend on how many steps you have to cover, how much help you have, and how fast your eye can spot the right place for each piece of stone. If you don't feel you have the ability or physical capacity to lift and move the stones or the patience to do the stonework, you might want to just hire a stonemason to do the work.

If you decide to do it yourself, here's some tips and ideas to help you get started. First of all, where do you get the stone? Well, there are stone quarries that sell all types and sizes of stone and some of your home improvement centers may sell natural stone. Be warned, it is not cheap. Most places charge by the pound. You can also hunt out your own supply of stone. Creekbeds often have many unusual rocks. Get different sizes and shapes. And you will need flat rocks for the tops of the steps. Flagstone is an excellent choice for this area.

You will need several bags of mortar mix and something to mix it in. A wheelbarrow works well for this. You will also need a trowel to apply the mortar.

Clean all the loose concrete and dust away from the steps first. Begin on the side of the steps that are least visible. This way you will have time to get the feel of how the rocks should be placed. Start at the bottom by applying mortar thick enough to support the first layer of rocks. You should start placing the rocks at the front and work toward the back of the steps. Do this by picking your first rock and applying mortar to the back of it. Put enough on it so that when you put it up against the concrete, the mortar will ooze out around the sides. Twist the rock several times to work the mortar around and let some part of the rock rest in the bottom layer of mortar. The rock should hold itself.

You will continue doing this until you reach the back. Remember to use different size and shapes of rocks. Try to let the rocks' shapes dictate how they go. It's okay to leave different widths between the rocks. That adds to the natural look of the steps. Fill in with mortar and smooth it in as you go. You'll soon get the feel of placing the rocks. Occasionally you may have to trim a rock to get it to fit in the space. This is easily done. Simply place the rock on the edge of the concrete, letting what you want to break off hang over the edge. Tap it lightly with a hammer.

Do one section of the steps at a time. After the mortar has begun to set up, wipe any excess off the rocks and smooth the mortar out. The mortar should be the same depth or slightly less than the stone.

Do the sides and the fronts of the steps first. The tops of the steps should be done last and should overlap the front and sides. Try to keep the top surfaces as smooth as possible for good footing.

After the mortar has had time to dry and set up completely, usually one to two days, apply a water sealer to help ensure a longer life.

Working with stone may not be the easiest job you tackle, but it is certainly one that you will be proud of every time you look at your beautiful stone steps.