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Projects | Replacing
Front Porch Steps
I have since learned that any project you begin on an Old Home needs to start on a long weekend. That is, unless it is a plumbing repair and those should only be started early Monday morning. That way you still have time to go to the local hardware, not find what you need, have lunch, and still get someone who really knows what to do before the whole family gets constipation or blows out a kidney from lack of sanitary facilities. Working with wood is a whole other story. I had already carefully studied each step and determined that it would take about the same amount of money as the gross national product of a small third world country to have someone who really knows what they are doing to fix the steps. Besides, they did not need replacing, just repair. So, I got the crow bar, hammer and cool eye wear and carefully, and I do mean carefully, removed each piece of wood. I used great care because this wood really is two inches thick. The thought of trying to replace true two inch thick wood in 6 foot lengths can make you grow faint. Further proof of the potential cost was the sight of bankers circling the house. Whoever installed this set of steps made me feel better. They had placed the ends of each of the three stringers on DIRT! I bet that the original steps extended all the way to the front walk, but this particular set of steps fell short by about 4 inches. Instead of pouring concrete, I dug out the soil, dumped in a bunch of gravel, then placed cinder blocks level with the walkway. It has been several winters, and so far, no movement to note. The three stringers were replaced with four and the nails with galvanized screws. My luck held and I was able to re-use all the existing steps by just turning them around so that the worn edges were against the porch side. Bear in mind that if you do more than just repair the steps, city codes may apply. Be sure to check with your city or county. When all was done, just in time for a big party, my real reward came. Got to have my Dad jump up and down on each step, cock his head toward me, smile, then say "good job, son." |
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