How to Repair Broken Concrete Stairs - Quick and Easy

[@judykonopka9029]

Hey, THANKS! I'm a single woman and do all the work around the house myself. I appreciate this video and it has given me the confidence to tackle my front steps that are crumbling! Thanks again!

[@ciaartin2221]

@ Judy Konopka Girl power!

[@babarhussain2354]

Its very difficult to live single why you are single?

[@davidreynolds4684]

Grinding the damaged area helps with the bond as well. The prep work is as important as the product you use to repair it.

[@lynnobrien9429]

I have to do all mine to. very helpful.

[@robertg9052]

@@babarhussain2354 It's also even more difficult living in a nightmare scenario with another.

[@rubenlujan4618]

I've been a handyman since 1996 and done some corner repairs like that. You did an excellent job. Not many people go on to show it done right but you did. I like how you're so meticulous in making sure that it comes out looking nice as well. Keep up the good work.

[@lisascott7640]

Very beautiful job. I am a single mom and can do projects. You made it very easy and simple. I appreciate your video

[@n.cboone7082]

You know you empower those of us who knew nothing about all this! THANK YOU.

[@GlennStevens-q9g]

I see people commenting on the handrail I think they forgot what the video was all about lol. You’re just showing us how to patch up broken concrete for a cheaper quicker way and I’m sure if the handrail was loose or unsafe you’d have made a video about that as well. Great video keep up the good work, thanks again !

[@TheFixerHomeRepair]

Yes! Thank you, Glenn!

[@michaeljohnson88]

Delivered mud for 8 years, glad to see you doing it right on, especially using the glue and the screws as a form of rebar stand in. seen too many people slap it on and wonder why it lasts for only a little while.

[@ripd97]

I thought it was going to come out crappy, but you proved me wrong. It came out 100X better than I would have done, great job.

[@TheFixerHomeRepair]

😁 Thanks!

[@jakefriesenjake]

Rub in some black earth top soil before its totally hard. Won't be nearly as noticeable.

[@LynnD-z7o]

Wow! You made that look SO easy! I'm a female, and paid someone $600 to repair the corners of my front steps, and the job didn't even last 6 months.. I can't wait to do this myself. Thanks!!

[@ncnuggets]

$600 for 6 months?

[@KimSmith-b9v]

@@ncnuggets She paid $600 to somebody who did a bad job. The repair did not even last 6 months.

[@chrisdavis1722]

The sponge makes all the difference. Great job!

[@beernutsonline]

I use a masonry (grass fiber) brush as well, they smooth everything out really good, and is great for priming the area with diluted concrete/primer mix.

[@jakefriesenjake]

Once it's kinda setup, grab some black earth top soil and sprinkle it all over the new patch. Kinda rub it in. Let it sit. The next day, hose it off. It'll look alot less noticeable of a patch.

[@garymucher9590]

I did basically the same thing on a broken driveway edge. And I too removed anything that wasn't very well connected. Than I mixed up some concrete and applied it and even took some dirt to add to the final to give it the same color as the rest of the drive way. That was a few years ago, and if you didn't know where it was repaired, you never could tell. Always a way to repair things... Thumbs Up

[@carolyncarlson3825]

Thats the best match I've ever seen...great work.

[@ricos4700]

Great idea with the tapcons. Going wrap bailing wire from screw to screw like mini rebar just give more grab in the thicker areas. Thanks for sharing 👍

[@20isaBeast]

I love this channel, It teaches me so much. Things that I can do on my own while saving money. That’s very important to a single Mom😊

[@patrickradcliffe3837]

One thing you should to demo and prep is pressure washing the area thoughly. It's two fold one it gets all debris out and hydrates the concrete giving a better bond.

[@andreiahb7163]

I'm Brazilian. I'm learning English and I like watching your Channel. Very good.

[@andydufresne3635]

I'll admit that I roll my eyes at most of these types of videos, but this one came out nice. Good work, and thanks I learned something too.

[@HepauDK]

If you don't have any "glue", you can use a mix of just water and cement. Mix to a consistency of paint and brush it on like you did with the "glue". Works just fine, and has been used in the trade for as long as concrete repairs has been done. And the rougher the old surface is the better. If the surface is too smooth, the new concrete won't bind properly and delaminate. Btw, my dad was tasked to patch the corners on the foundation on my house some years ago. The old man insisted on doing it at around 90°F and in bright sunlight. It didn't take long for the repairs to start flaking off. When covering a repair with plastic to trap the moisture, make sure the plastic doesn't touch the fresh concrete, or you can end up with "zebra stripes" in it.

[@TheFixerHomeRepair]

Awesome tip! I didn’t know that! Thanks, Henrik!

[@johnready630]

Use portland cement to do this.

[@EarendilTheBlessed]

@@TheFixerHomeRepair Just to add on that. To promote chemical bonding between the old and new concrete, you should wet the existing concrete for a couple of hours for it to be wet inside but dry at the surface (SSD). You also want to remove all the delaminated concrete (we can see cracks on the right portion of the repair... so that one won't stick).

[@teebo5298]

Yup slurry for big patches a must with glue if it’s on hand

[@petermathews9298]

Thanks

[@donnaweaver6462]

Thank you very much. This video was very helpful. Great job.

[@Geoduck.]

This video was very well done. I like how you clearly showed exactly how to affect the repair including materials needed. Thanks!

[@GirlOnTheRox]

Single gal here that just bought a house in Central PA. Corner front step was hit apparently before I bought it. I've asked several guys about how to repair and have been told impossible. Thank you for showing me it IS possible. Can't wait for Spring!

[@jerrimclaughlin8432]

Thanks this is exactly what I need to do on my bottom step. Can''t wait to fix mine.

[@MoPoppins]

Some of the people in the comments were talking about the rusting steel railing and how it’ll blow out the concrete patch again. Maybe you already know about that, but w/ SO many projects to attend to, you’re probably just doing what’s manageable for now. Hope the repair holds up long enough until you can replace the railing. Thanks for another great video! 👍 I also saw that some people use your vids to learn English-you’re the first home improvement channel I’ve seen to receive those kinds of comments, and what a compliment-educational on multiple levels!

[@luckyduckie2000]

Perfect timing! my steps took a real beating this winter. They look alot like yours. Nice repair

[@veroniquepeltier3631]

Mine too! 😊

[@xeatcrowsx]

Great video. I'm helping my 80yo neighbor with her very old Philly home. This is exactly what she needs help with.

[@anniejones2640]

So that turned out fantastic!!! I never would have thought that groove would have looked as original as it does but wow!

[@pennihersh7069]

THANK YOU! First time home owner, and was nervous about repairing my steps. This video is perfect. Very much appreciated!

[@jilliantipton6897]

thank you! This is a great video - clear, no fluff, and easy to follow. I will be repairing our steps this weekend (after putting it off for years because I was intimidated) and your video gave me the confidence to do it. Thank you!!

[@TheFixerHomeRepair]

Glad to hear you're tackling the project! Let me know how it comes out. Good luck, Jillian! 😃

[@lawrencefieselman3803]

I learn from you videos because you solve issues that we all face around our homes and you explain what and why you're doing what you do and your instructions are easy to follow. I look forward to the next one.

[@xandersage6994]

Looks great. Incredibly accurate video. I'm glad there are still people out there with integrity and pride in their work👍👍

[@steph5200]

What a great job you did. I have to repair my front step and now I feel like I really can do this. ❤️🙏

[@oooicedteaooo]

I am planning to repair some concrete curbs in my garage and the timing of this video couldn’t have been more perfect for me! I really enjoy the details and explanations you go into.

[@jcm4923]

That corner looks so darn good. Even the edge groove blends with the original one. I like that you put those cement screws to anchor the cement and that you showed how to use the trowel to see if they were sunken enough. All it needs now is some kind of epoxy cement paint over the entire step...and a spritz of white Rust-Oleum on that icky rusted metal bannister!

[@tsbrownie]

When patching older concrete, keeping soaked rags on a cleaned face overnight (or until the cement stops absorbing water) prevents the old cement from vampiring water from the new which causes it to pull away /crack. It looks like the adhesive is latex type, which can also be mixed into the new cement for strength, adhesion, and waterproofness, but it raises the cost and causes it to set REAL slowly.

[@kennethamend8557]

I had no idea you could mix the adhesive with the concrete!! I have a project where I will definitely put that to use. Thank You!!

[@tsbrownie]

@@kennethamend8557 Take note to mix per instructions, too much and the cement never sets or is very weak. It also causes it to set very slowly (hence in increase an strength). Again, check the instructions, but my experience is at least 2x longer.

[@spconrad9612]

Excellent point about wetting the existing surface, so it does not draw moisture from the fresh concrete. As an inspector it is always a fight to get the crews to wet dry stone or existing concrete surfaces that they are pouring up against. If I don't do it, it doesn't get done.

[@WaczhWhatchasay]

I appreciated the details to what you are doing. The details really make the difference. Thanks

[@scotthardwick3216]

Nice work. I’ve used this product in my basement for various repairs. It’s easy to use and shape. The sponge is a nice additional touch!

[@floobertuber]

Yes, and the edge-profile matching was some nice attention to detail, too!

[@jennifertorrance9277]

Such a great, thorough video at a good speed! Thank you for making this!

[@talram3347]

“Im gonna say that looks pretty good” mate it doesn’t look good, looks bloody incredible, great job there

[@miamiller2794]

Wow, thanks for this tutorial! Our front concrete steps are doing this and it's really bad! Hopefully we can get a warm enough day to complete before winter sets in!

[@blakesylvester5366]

I am an engineer and have fixed this many times in parking garage stairwells. More than likely the post is completely corroded out in the concrete. We had to weld a sleeve onto the post about an inch and a half above the step and add sealant to stop water from pooling, then redo the entire corner of the step. We did use tapcons to hold the repairs!

[@Urz75z]

This is the exact reason for the tragedy in south Florida, those buildings that were constructed 30-40-50 years ago were reinforced with rebar,the salt in the air seeps in and thru the concrete rusting the rebar,untill it cracks the concrete.mamy thousands of these now death traps are all along our coastlines, it would be very sad if this is ignored by owners and state laws designed to protect people.

[@feliksplotnikov6408]

@@Urz75z No easy way to do something with rusted reinforcement inside of old concrete. Epoxy coated reinforcement did not exist then. And even if you can do something, the price of repair is too high. Who will pay for that? Try to convince the owners of those condos in high-rise buildings that they have to bay 10, 20, 30 thousand for a repair, which they feel unnecessary!

[@nedcramdon1306]

@@Urz75z Not just your coastlines either.... Can't even fathom the cost to society.

[@jerrybrito100]

If you can weld correctly, you need to cut the old post flush on the surface, extract the old embedded piece of metal with a core drill bit (2” diameter or larger if metal shims were used) install a new post and use hydraulic cement. Then you can fix the step. I do this for a living.

[@supporterofeverythingyouli6255]

You're a maintenance engineer then.

[@HowCommunicationWorks]

Great looking work. Thank you.

[@jermainehenry7180]

This was such a helpful video, thank you. I am tackling a similar project this weekend, so watching somebody do it step by step is great for the average DIYer like me.

[@seanoreilly915]

Needed a reminder and this is the best, most concise video I've seen on KZbin. Thank you sir!

[@jentran2713]

Thank you so much for your very informative video where even a dummy like me could understand it and feel brave enough to try and tackle my own crumbly step in my garden. Really appreciate your time in showing us what to do!

[@TheFixerHomeRepair]

Hey, Jen! I hope the video helps! Be sure to come back and let me know how it went if you fix your steps!

[@patrickbuechel2599]

A young man with skills,,,great. Good job,,,

[@Maz3-1]

I don’t have a step to repair but enjoyed the method all the same. Nice job!

[@mikestanbro6619]

Thank you for this excellent video. I had never done concrete work and I had steps that needed repair. Your video gave me the confidence to do the repair work and to do so without building a form.

[@tombarnes1871]

Just from observation. It looks like the asphalt was right to the stairs with no expansion strip. If the asphalt heaves faster in the winter than the stairs you have an upward motion pushing on the front and the corner. I note the asphalt has not been sealed which allows water to get between the cement and the asphalt. It’s hard to tell if the asphalt is tapered away from the concrete. In a northern climate you have road salt and beet juice two corrosive chemicals that can be brought to the stairs by shoes, snow shoveling and the like. Finally, the finished product looks very nice, but it is best if a sealer is used all the stairs; probably several coats to the repair and flat surfaces. A well done video for the home owner!!!

[@tumlumtumla3485]

I learned some English from this video and I will follow the same instructions to do similar repair next week. I'll keep coming back. Thank you

[@TheFixerHomeRepair]

Awesome to hear! Thanks so much for letting me know and thanks for watching!

[@iamwhoiamd7056]

Wow, amazing fix to the broken cement!!! I love it.

[@on0er0il0he0el]

Nice job! I also put screws in, but i also use some rebar tie wire to loop around the screws for extra holding power

[@thebaconfamily2535]

You are truly a lifesaver. I have this exact issue and you’ve shown me how to properly fix it.

[@aznative_]

His concrete work was nice. But he didn't fix the root problem with the metal pole. It'll just happen again.

[@Mark-m9z4q]

Fixer, yours was an outstanding presentation. The tapcon usage as mini-rebars seems to be a good idea that I wouldn't have thought of. Thank you and may God Bless.

[@rebeccamckenzie5037]

Nice! I have some concrete on my patio that needs fixed & you showed me what to do (I'd have never thought to add the tapcons & wondered how I'd prevent this from happening again). Thank you!! 🙂

[@perspicator5779]

Now top-coat it for a brand-new finished look! Beautiful!

[@jayumble8390]

Absolutely beautiful! This was very helpful...being a painter, I'd then use a cement paint on those steps! Thank you!!

[@koshar44]

What brand do you recommend?

[@jayumble8390]

@@koshar44 Two products: 1) BEHR Premium Porch & Floor Paint and 2) Sherwin Williams Porch & Floor Enamel (Satin).

[@graytieman]

@@jayumble8390 thanks for the recommendation. I’m repairing painted steps today and glad you added this info.

[@jayumble8390]

@@graytieman Oh, one more thing...I noticed that the metal post has some rust going on there and I can recommend the best anti-rust paint that exists. It's by a company called "Imperial" and the paint is call "Rust No More". I've only been able to get this paint online. I've used this paint on jobs and 7 years later there are still no signs of rust bleeding through. It's quite expensive...I bought a Qt. for $35 and was charged $15 for shipping, so a Qt. cost me $50. Of course you have to pass this cost along to the customer.

[@j3ens740]

Thanks for the tutorial, it helped me a lot. 👍 10:04 I'm not sure if it works well on concrete, but to get a nice curve you could use a popsicle stick. I work in plumbing and use a regular popsicle stick to get my perfect curves in the silicone. You don't get your fingers dirty and you get a nearly perfect shape. Greetings from Germany 🇩🇪

[@muslarache7754]

Love the content and like how you explain the process, helps me understand more and pick up tips in diy

[@nicolefrappier4918]

Ce vidéo sera une aide précieuse pour faire la réparation de mon balcon en béton qui en a bien besoin. Merci beaucoup.

[@teresab6383]

So glad your back

[@andreachastain222]

Thank you for giving me the confidence to tackle my front steps.

[@DanaConquersBoutique]

That looks great!! Glad the weather is warming up for us all finally.

[@KINGBEEFHN59]

Mrs/Ms Foster fine🔥

[@detailin_dave926]

The concrete looks great, but you are beautiful Dana Foster...

[@mtanyctrainatlantamartatra7164]

I wish the warm weather would stick around, now it's almost over

[@ucheazuakolam8172]

Aye there just wanted to thank you for this video it was spot on. Got everything u said and followed your steps an saved myself 400 dollars. Much appreciated from 617.👍🏽👍🏽💪🏽💪🏽

[@jeffthewhiff]

It looks great and you did a great job! I thought it was interesting how you installed the screws to act as a rebar to strengthen the bond.

[@greggilmartin6691]

Excellent tutorial on cement stair repair in actual real world scenario. Thanks and keep it up!

[@chrisw443]

Neat video, loved the way it feathered nicely.

[@selfselfself]

The end result is incredible and so neat. Top job.

[@lesliecas2695]

Wow! I didn't think concrete could be improved that much. Looks great!

[@ehcatsfaneric2211]

Fine work..patience is the key

[@Allen-eq5uf]

It helps to tie a piece of coat hanger wire between those tapcons for added “rebar” strength.

[@davidr3648]

I just repaired steps at my daughters home.. I would have used the coat hanger trick if I had known.. oh well they are moving anyway..

[@ydobeoN]

@Allan Ruschman Won't a coat hanger promote rust inside your concrete?

[@Allen-eq5uf]

@@ydobeoN not to a point that it would be detrimental; also, a coat hanger has some sort of coating on it. I did a repair around a foundation window replacement where blown out concrete was a huge mess. 18 years later you can’t even tell.

[@gunfisher4661]

Coat hanger won`t last because of being a soft steel. A miniature rebar called pencil rod can be obtained from supply houses it also comes in a fiberglass version also.

[@yigamaster6693]

Hi you really helped my mom and was very clear now tomorrow we’re gonna fix our stairs

[@sparrovski]

Preparation. The most important step.

[@Cat_Ciao]

I’m so glad I found this!! Our back steps are in a little bit of rough shape and I can’t really afford to have someone come out to do it for me. But, I think I might be able to patch a few smaller areas now. This was so helpful!!

[@rickhinojosa5455]

That rusting iron bar will continue to rust and eventually explode that concrete out. Could try treating the iron with rust killer, and then seal the area where it meets the concrete with a flexible sealant designed for exterior surfaces.

[@calebwiebe7826]

He should waterproof the base of the metal poles. Even a sealant would’ve stopped it. However it’s rusted now all the way now, so he may just want to tear the stairs out. Start fresh

[@JackTRyan]

The topic is concrete repair; he said he’d deal with the post later, dude.

[@luisazpurua1]

No. No further rusting once the cement is applied. The lack of oxygen will prevent any rust formation.

[@rickhinojosa5455]

@@luisazpurua1 That's true. So long as no oxygen, through air or water, gets to the iron, it won't rust. Unfortunately, the iron is being used as a stairwell rail and if it's pulled on enough, it will start to loosen at the base. A very tiny bit at the time. In this case, probably take theory years to have a problem. And that's IF it is exposed to see.aerious stress from people pulling on it. So yeah, the repair should last a long, long time.

[@luisazpurua1]

@@rickhinojosa5455 Well, yes...if the base loosens up or if they don't keep the tubes painted, rust will eventually find its way in.

[@Urz75z]

Concrete allows moisture to go right thru it,any steel that is in concrete will rust ,and expand as it rusts,it has very strong hydraulic like pressures then it will crack it easily.I have used this method on purpose to break off slabs of granite,drill holes along a line,hammer in rebar, soak with salt water,let it set,come back in a few weeks and it's cracked right along the line. Thank you for informative video

[@ronnieves2398]

That looks awesome ! Not sure why anyone would give this a thumbs down🤷‍♂️

[@Grendelbc]

Beautiful. Adhesive and tapcons - I always did it that way myself. In fact I add some adhesive to the grout as I mixed it. Your mix is pretty wet. I'm surprised that stuff held on so well. Turned out nice.

[@schrodingerscat1863]

You shouldn't have any problems after using the bonding adhesive, without that it would have all crumbled away again as soon as the frost gets to it because the old surface will be soft and needs the bonding to stabilise it. Pretty good finish as well by the way, though would have been nice to see it a couple of days later when it had set up and dried out.

[@4WorldPeace2]

What a huge improvement! The old existing mix was terrible. The sand didn't seem to mix well and properly bond together to create adhesion.

[@chrisMcG17]

Nice work. Would love to see you resurface cement steps or pretty them up with tile or veneer. I need to do that some year

[@fungayoyo]

feathering was key to make it blend nice. nicely done

[@addicted2rubberbands]

You're awesome...great job 👏 👍

[@davidreynolds4684]

I use the quikset fast setting mortar repair and i swear by it. You can use it over head on the ground or side walls most situations no forms are needed. Its so moldable. I replaced a corner of my slab foundstion that was knocked out with a backhoe. I mixed and pressed it in place with a trowel layer by layer about 6 " deep. No milk(bonding agent) no rebar. Youre right about the tapcon screws. Or even drilling out and sticking rebar in. Its only going to strengthen the repair but the mortar repair is amazing. I havent used the cement youre showing.

[@TheRichardhubbard]

Fantastic! Love these videos. Never know what I will learn.

[@stevekopcial129]

Never knew about the anchoring method... Great video...

[@docdoctme]

Great video! I always love your simplicity in teaching. Thanks for sharing your talent.

[@TheFixerHomeRepair]

Awesome to hear! Thanks for checking it out. I hope it helps you if you are ever doing a repair like this!

[@r.shelton7793]

Damnyuuum!!! !!!!!😲 That' s good work. Everything you used was heads on...most important was the bonding agent. Without that, your new concrete patch just falls off within a few days or weeks!!!👍

[@TheFixerHomeRepair]

Happy to hear the feedback! Thanks! And thanks for checking out the video!

[@Valgef]

Looks nice, you did a great job. Your stairs look like mines, yours are a bit more damaged. I can always attempt to repair them. The men in my house are useless when it comes to that stuff, gotta do it myself. 😉

[@francoisross2480]

Way to keep it simple and easy.. The one thing I do different is I use a margin trowel to mix in the bucket, but awesome job!!

[@franceleeparis37]

Just something to consider: the iron railings should be inserted in a lead base. The chemicals in the concrete reacts with the iron and makes it rusty. The lead base prevents the rusting because lead, like gold, is neutral and doesn’t react with most things..

[@luisazpurua1]

No new rust will form once the steel is sealed with concrete. No oxygen, no rust.

[@adammacer]

​@@luisazpurua1 I'm not sure why you think that but you're wrong - steel reinforcement inadequately embedded (but 'sealed' from the air) will rust.. Take a look at any number of concrete projects from the 50's. 60's and 70's and you'll find occurances of concrete spalling off those structures, forced off by the rusting, and expanding, steel rebar that's too close to the surface of the concrete..

[@thecatfighter1]

Although steel's natural tendency is to undergo corrosion reactions, the alkaline environment of concrete (pH of 12 to 13) provides steel with corrosion protection. At the high pH, a thin oxide layer forms on the steel and prevents metal atoms from dissolving.

[@adammacer]

@@thecatfighter1 then there must be a lot of concrete out there with a low ph - ‘concrete cancer’ is real

[@camwhitefoot6643]

@@luisazpurua1 all I can say about this is in Pittsburgh you can walk down a single street and see almost every single concrete step or porch with a steel railing in it is cracking out from rusting/expansion of the steel...so either everyone is doing it wrong (I mean, that's definitely possible!) or this doesn't work in practice.

[@cynthiaamador5145]

Thansk for this video! I’m a mom and do most housework myself❤ thank you for this here

[@sjr7822]

You've got a good eye, looks great except that cuddy post looks worse now :)

[@surveyguyor8958]

ya. but probably even just a little sanding and paint could help the appearance until fixing it properly.

[@7775Kevin]

Thanks! This is the ONLY video I found that actually helped me with the repair I need to do. I appreciate it.

[@dr.manhattan4537]

Nice!!!

[@tobysnelgrove3934]

Thanks ... never repaired cement ... you got me on track ... thanks

[@ronpeck1488]

One thing you should mention, wet a couple times during curing. Keeps the cracking down and makes the concrete stronger.

[@mikethk]

Plastic on it, would work way better. Concrete can cure in 30 days, but only if its wet.

[@TheWtfnonamez]

Really nice craftsmanship mate

[@sydthegoat88]

The sort of job you could avoid for years, but will annoy you everyday until u do it

[@kilderramos6098]

Wow! What a great detailed video! Thank you for this🙏!

[@FullRythym]

Ah man, I wanted to see it once it fully cured. Maybe in your next video as an update?

[@TheFixerHomeRepair]

Well when I do the handrail you will definitely see it cured. Stay tuned! Thanks for watching!

[@jl591]

Prep prep and prep and then prep some more, great video!