Mending a broken step

When I did something similar to repair a gully surround, it seemed to work reasonably well with a bag of ready-mixed concrete.

I think the key is to try to get the mix well compacted into the shuttering, and in the absence of a vibrating poker, just take time over working it.

I guess getting the wetness just right may also be significant.

I think someone once suggested that using a sander pad to vibrate the formwork might help.

Chris

The only way to make a good, long-lasting job would be to remove all the existing concrete to below ground level and start again.

Bill

Looks about the right sort of size for a 900 c 600mm paving slab with bricks supporting.

williamwright pretended :

I agree, there is nothing salvageable there.

When I had a similar job to do, I asked here for help. In the end, I used this stuff from Toolstation:

Epoxyset 105 Standard Concrete Repair 4kg By Everbuild Product code: 46209 Pack size: Each

It has done a fabulous job. But, it cost 35 quid for a 4 kg pot, which is not very much at all.

I suggest filling most of the hole with ordinary sand and cement, then wait for that to dry, and fill the edge with the Epoxyset stuff.

Sorry for the typo. £25. It's still too expensive for the whole job. :)

It looks as if it has been "repaired" many times before and most, if not all, the repairs have failed or are just about to fail Probably better to remove most of that step before attempting to rebuild.

The layer of concrete on the top of the existing step looks way too thin to prevent cracking up, especially if the uneven block infill beneath is somewhat unstable. Weeds growing through the step is a clue that there is more damage than may be assumed.

Can that bottom slab be removed and form the top of the new step? Is it by chance local stone that is often used in some areas for paving but in fact splits like slate when wet and frozen. A friend in Shropsire had something like this that was totally unsuitable for steps as any weight on the edge caused splitters to break off.

If you don't want the pebbles showing perhaps use two mixes - one with cement and ballast for the bulk of the infill and cement and sharp sand for the bits that butt up to your shuttering an top layer. Make your shuttering robust enough hold the weight of the infill and to allow you to vibrate the infill (maybe use a hammer on the shuttering).

I agree with others you need to remove what is left it will only cause problems in the future. As far as getting a smooth and pebble free look to the shuttered edges, firstly you do not want the mix too dry. The tamping action near the shuttering tends to cause the concrete to rub against the shuttering bringing the fines nearer to the surface. Getting the right consistency and careful tamping have given me many acceptable finishes over the years.

Richard

Might look nice as an exposed aggregate block.

However, I do think the easiest thing to do is to get rid of what's in the way, lay a few bricks, and slab it.