Like an interview or first date, first impressions mean everything. To give your home curb appeal, beautifully laid brick steps are one way to go. Your guests will be impressed with your classic design.

It is even better if you can regale them with anecdotes about how you did everything yourself. To do this, you need to learn how brick curbs are built.

Check out instructions on how to build brick steps below.

Initial Preparation

For this, you’ll need a screed, mason trowel, mixing tub, hammer, level, rubber mallet, paintbrush, brick set, mortar bag, a small sledgehammer, a carpenter’s pencil, jointer, and a burlap rag.

The materials you will need are cement, bricks, stones, type M mortar, three-quarter inch plywood, two by 4-inch plywood, one by four plywood, and one and a half inch screws.

You will need to leave forms in place to mortar brick onto newly poured steps. Add a half-inch extension onto them.

Cut half-inch plywood strips the same length as a tread for each step. Secure each strip to two six-inch lengths of one by fours top edges flush.

Lay each slip on the top edge of your forms and secure the one by fours to the forms. The strips serve as a screed overlay for your mortar bed. You need not contain the side stresses wielded by concrete.

 

Stage 1

Prepare some premixed mortar in a box of mortar using the instructions on its bag. With a mason’s towel, spread half an inch of mortar on the bottom and face of the first step riser.

Put the first riser brick into place. Joints on both the riser and landing need to be three-eighth inches thick.

Ensure the top brick is flush upon the top step and butter the end of the following bricks, securing them in place.

Next, set a level across them to ensure they are flush and level.

Upon the surface of the first tread, apply a layer of half an inch deep mortar, spreading it on the upper edges of the laid riser.

Cut one-by or two-by screed onto the outside width of the forms. Pull the screed across the mortar and work from side to side, as you proceed.

 

Stage 2

Set the bricks upon a tread and start from the rear. Maintain the bottom joint at three-eighth of an inch while spacing each brick on the surface with three-eighth or half-inch plywood spacers.

Tap each brick onto the mortar using the end of the handle of a trowel. Remove spacers as you go and level each brick with the straight edge.

Using a similar technique, lay riser and tread bricks, space, and level each step. Allow the mortar to set in thoroughly. Squeeze mixed up mortar into the joints using a mortar bag, filling each one completely.

Firm Up, Smooth And Scrub

As the mortar in the joints starts to set, use a jointing tool to firm them up. Smooth the horizontal joints first, followed by the vertical joints.

This way, rainwater will have a free avenue to follow as it runs off the front face.

Allow the mortar to set before scrubbing off excesses using a wet burlap piece. Finally, let the mortar cure for seven days before you can use the steps.