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Posted by JimL on July 15, 2006, 4:17 pm
wrote:
>My ex-girlfriend has a porch with a set of 3 nicer than average cement
>steps, I think 3 feet wide (maybe 4, I can check). The steps are most
>likely hollow, right?
>
>The porch is where it was, but the steps have sunk 4 to 6 inches.
>
>Is there any way to lift the steps back to where they were? I think
>the porch has a cement apron in front, as tall as the steps were.
>
>I had in mind using 10 long 2x4's to lift the thing up, maybe oiling
>the porch apron and the wall next to the steps with something, or
>using a pry bar, so the steps would slide up along side the porch and
>wall. Then when it is up there, filling the hole with cement, or
>with big and small rocks (and gravel)and cement.
>
>Do you think this would work, and since it is more work than I want to
>put into an ex's house, do you think we can talk a contractor or a
>handyman into doing it this way? I have a feeling most will want to
>break up the old steps, cart them away, build forms and pour new
>steps. These seems like it would cost much more money and her old
>steps are nicer than average. Each step has a lip on 3 sides
>overhanging the risers and the sides, that are attractive and give a
>person more space to put his foot.
>
>If the project fails, it will only sink a little at a time I think and
>no one will get hurt. And it probably won't sink as low as it is now.
>Now her mother has to go around back and enter the house a half-flight
>down, then walk up another full flight, because she can't make it up
>the step that is 4 or 6 inches higher than normal.
>
>
>
>As to cement, I was helping someone years ago who had to erect some
>thin poles, 20 feet by 2 or 3 inches (some of each), and he told me
>that he used to mix up the cement and pour it in the hole to
>stablilize the poles, but someone told him all he had to do was put in
>the pole and hold it in place, pour the dry quickrete into the hole
>and then pour in a bucket of water, and everything would harden up
>well enough for his purposes. It's been 10 years since he did this
>and everything is fine, so it must be true.
>
>Does anyone else have experience with this fly-by-night :) technique,
>and how big a volume do you think could be done this way?
>
>Specifically, I'm wondering if this could be enough to hold the steps
>above. This would mean we wouldn't have to have cement or concrete
>delivered, and wouldn't have to mix it ourselves.
Hydraulic water bags would be ideal but hard to find and expensive.
So the cheap way would be getting a hydraulic jack at walmart or
harbor freight and digging a trench so it will fit and start lifting
and proping and lifting and proping.
.
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