How to remove outdoor wooden steps?

[Kvic]

I have a staircase in the backyard garden and I want to remove it to clean and add drainage under the steps.

Messy

I do not see a easy way of removing these steps.

Can not see anyway of removing the step on surface.

I don't want to destroy the steps but I see no other choice unless some one a better solution?

[MitchellMc]

HI @Kvic,

The stairs would have been assembled as one unit, placed in position and then Dynabolted into the concrete blocks. You won't be able to remove the stair treads as the side stringers will be screwed into them. The only real option would be to remove the whole staircase in one piece and this in itself could be a reasonably difficult task. You'll need to locate the bolts that go through the stringers into the blocks to remove the staircase. You have a couple of them in your pictures. Undo the nut and try to pull out the Dynabolt. I imagine you'll have great difficulty removing the bolt as, once installed, they can be near impossible to remove due to their expanding nature.

Can you tell whether the stairs treads are rebated into the side stringers? Typically slots are cut in the stringer, and the stair treads slide into those. If the stair treads are not rebated into the stringer, then you could possibly cut them out with a reciprocating saw and long blade.

Remember your PPE, including gloves and safety glasses.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[Kvic]

Hey Mitchell

Thank for the response.

I think the treads are pressed into the stringer.

There are no cut-outs in the stringer to slide the treads out.

Will have a think about this one

[Dave-1]

@Kvic 

Man, looks painful whichever way you go.

   I have removed dynabolts before by tapping the shaft of the bolt once the head is removed down into the hole that was originally drilled. You may be lucky and have it fall straight into an empty cavity of the bessa block? For the round headed bolts, ummmm maybe grind the head off and tap the bolt through the same way (hopping the bessa blacks arnt filled with concrete)

   Second option tho painful. A hacksaw blade if it can be slid between the steps and the bessa blocks could be used to saw through the bolt shaft. Would be very time consuming and prob a little too dificult. 

Would love to see what you do.

Best of luck.

Dave

[Kvic]

Hi Dave

Thanks for the response.

Hacksaw will not fit between the wall and stringer and the Besser has been filled.

The simplest way is to cut treads in half and hole saw around the bolts in the stringer then it should fall apart.

Grind off the bolts and fit new steps.

Will sleep on it.

[Dave-1]

@Kvic 

Ugh... I feel your pain. When you replace the steps any ideas so the nbext time around you will be able to remove them?

Dave

[Kvic]

Galvanised Steel Stair Stringers where the treads are bolted on from the top and easily removed.

https://www.advansa.com.au/STGBOC_dash_2S/STAIR-STRINGER-BOLT_dash_ON_dash_CONCRETE-_dash_-2-STEP/pd...

I have to cut the concrete to fit a drainage which I would like it to be under the bottom step to collect the rain water with was very muddy from the upper backyard. Since running a 18mtr drain pipe system across the upper backyard a small amount of clean water still comes from under the steps.

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/t5/Outdoor/How-to-improve-drainage/td-p/142122

[Dave-1]

@Kvic 

I like the solution, and best bit the steps  can be pulled out if needed!  

And yeah was following the convo and that is a LOT of water to deal with. 

Dave

[Kvic]

I have started cleaning this morning

I found woodSpray with mould cleanerI found the concrete floor is painted

I am wondering if I need to paint the stairs and besser with something after the clean? 

[MitchellMc]

Hi @Kvic,

To protect the timber, you can coat it with an exterior timber oil. There's no requirement to paint the Besser blocks, and given the issues you're experiencing with drainage, I wouldn't advise that, as the paint with be quickly blown off the wall from the captured water behind it. A yearly clean with your pressure washer should keep them in reasonable shape.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell