Pouring a Concrete Pad For Stone Veneer Steps

[@j.y.5699]

Almost to 10K sub. Just a few more videos and hopefully just a few more day to reach it.

[@TheChristianHardscaper]

I honestly can't believe it man, I feel blessed to have the support from all you subscribers. I'm having a blast making these videos. The feedback from others in the trade / Do it Yourself homeowners has been fantastic. The channel seems to be helping quite a few people with their own projects and that was a big goal of mine going into creating the channel. So yea, couldn't be happier with the progress, Thanks for noticing and for the support. It is very motivating! ✌

[@jonnyrotten9755]

Man I love your stuff.. I have exact steps to be replaced as well as a sidewalk.. as much as I enjoy DIY , I really would like a quote to replace

[@TheChristianHardscaper]

Thanks man, some projects can be a bit much for a DIY project for sure... Getting quotes is not a bad idea. Where do you live?

[@suziplease]

Love the videos… I’ve noticed on some jobs you don’t pour a concrete pad, you just used the retaining wall blocks directly onto the 4”-6” gravel base…why? Is there a reason to pour a concrete pad in some cases & not in others? Thx!

[@TheChristianHardscaper]

Thank you! I always pour pads when doing natural stone, not always when I use just concrete wall block.

[@antoniobaldiviezo8140]

Nice videos great job again

[@TheChristianHardscaper]

Glad you like them!

[@laurapalumbo353]

Enjoyed your video. Thanks for the great content. Would you explain why the steps aren't built on a footer that is below the frost line? Thank you John

[@TheChristianHardscaper]

So the frost level is explained as 4 ft here in Massachusetts, however... it would take an ice age basically for the frost to ever hit that low. The depth of the frost typically only reaches about a foot to a foot and a half here. And even that is after a few weeks of low 20"s and less. Our base stone goes down a foot. Taking the height of the steps into consideration, the base stone is 2-2.5 ft below ground. The steps themselves act as an insulator as well. For front steps, there is no code that you have to be below the 4 ft "frost" level. Most contractors don't even go down to a foot like I did here.... But anyway, with the 8 inches of clear base stone and a 4" pad, reinforced with rebar and pinned to the foundation, this stoop will not go anywhere. It would take serious cold weather for any frost to form under this pad, like serious cold.... And even if it did, the gaps in the 3/4 stone will allow for moisture to expand into when frozen, preventing movement and shifting of material.

[@laurapalumbo353]

Thanks for the explanation ✌️

[@TheChristianHardscaper]

No problem at all! ✌

[@gregoryc5989]

Great video, good job

[@TheChristianHardscaper]

Thanks!

[@thebigroy]

How deep did you put the rebar into the foundation? Great videos!

[@TheChristianHardscaper]

5-6 inches ✌

[@christinemastorides6344]

Hi, I have to do a similar pad for my steps. How many bags did you use of the high strength? Thanks

[@TheChristianHardscaper]

I believe I used about 20 bags... If you look up a (quikrete calculator) online, you can calculate just how many bags you need depending on the depth and square feet of the pad.

[@josephrottina1901]

Come on 10,000 subs.👍🏻🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@TheChristianHardscaper]

Yeah Buddy, almost there! ✌

[@SamCanada1]

👍

[@richardyates1033]

Don't you want to raise the rebar off of the stones? Drive a couple more pieces vertically and tie the rebar to it suspended above the gravel. Also, do you need vertical rebar coming out of the foundation to tie the block into?

[@TheChristianHardscaper]

The rebar is lifted above the stones and in the center of the pad. They were anchored into the foundation and elevated before I poured the concrete. The rebar driven into the base would be basically pointless, simply because we use a loose, clean / crushed stone which would not hold the rebar. And if the pad ever decided to move, rebar driven into the ground would not hold it whatsoever... I can bend rebar with my hands, it is not strong in that aspect. It is only strong when surrounded by concrete. As for the vertical rebar for the blocks, that is optional. I would maybe do that if we were installing 6+ steps, but we are only installing 3 here. So mortaring the block straight to the footing is just fine. ✌

[@PattiRay-c8t]

I see you poured your pad right up to the foundation. In your next videos, you leave a gap for drainage against the foundation. You don't need a gap between the pad and the foundation for drainage?

[@TheChristianHardscaper]

I'm glad you are paying attention to the details! So for pads that will hold steps, we want it to be connected to the house foundation to prevent it from shifting / sinking under all the weight. With concrete blocks / pavers, you want a gap to allow for slight shifting and moving through the winter months, it is the same reason flooring guys leave gaps around the edges of a floor. So that when the house expands and contracts through different temperature changes, it does not pinch or squeeze the flooring. For a patio, you want some breathing room in between structures to allow for slight movement throughout the seasons.