Concrete steps are one of the heaviest things out there. Moving them is hard and time-consuming. Even a small mistake can be costly and jeopardize the process. So, you’ve to be really careful and calculate the process before attempting it.
So, how to move concrete steps safely?
First, you’ve to take the measurements of the steps. Then load the concrete steps on your truck using a forklift. You’ll also need a forklift fork adapter with it. After that, you need to unload the concrete steps using a step handling bar. Finally, place some PVC pipes underneath and place the steps.
Anyways, that’s only a small portion of the entire process. Keep reading if you wish to know more about how to work with concrete steps.
We will come back to this further down the article but here’s a link if you want to see more about the special and best product for concrete repair.
So, let’s not wait around any longer and head right in-
How To Move Solid Concrete Steps Easily?
Moving the concrete steps isn’t easy and requires a lot of pre-planning. So, you’ve to plan far ahead and complete each step properly.
To save your time, we’ve simplified the process for you.
Step-1: Take Measurements of The Concrete Steps
The calculation is fundamental when placing concrete steps. Because you’ve to keep the concrete steps beside the house frame as near as possible.
Most concrete steps have a 7-inch height per step and are 28-36 inches wide. Make sure that the top of the steps is on the same level as the floors. This will enable a smooth transition between the house floors and steps.
Now, you’ve to factor in the length of the steps. This is necessary because getting it wrong might prove fatal.
It will create a gap between the step and the wall. Too much gap means you’ve to adjust the steps by lifting. It can also make the step bump into the wall. This will cause a significant amount of damage to both the wall and the step.
So, plan ahead by taking account of all the surroundings.
Step-2: Lift the Concrete Steps On Trailer
Lifting the concrete steps is a major inconvenience since they are very heavy. That’s why whenever it’s about concrete steps, the first concern is always about lifting.
But before that, you have to wear gloves. Because we don’t want you to hurt your hands.
Thus, here are the gloves you can use-
Once you have chosen the gloves, you can start working.
So, how to lift precast concrete steps without breaking too much sweat?
In general, small concrete steps weigh around 700 lbs. Also, the bigger ones weigh around 1500 lbs to 2000 lbs. That’s why you’ve to use a forklift to lift the steps. But unfortunately, forklifts aren’t enough for this job. You’ll also need a forklift fork adapter to lift these things.
For transportation, light trailer cars are the best. They are the easiest to place the steps to. You can also use big trucks or trailers if you want.
But you can also manually lift concrete steps for a short while. For that, you’ve to use a step handling bar. You can easily place it on the steps and it’ll grab firmly. Then two people can easily lift it to cover small distances.
However, don’t try to lift the steps on your truck with a bar. Because it can cause accidents and there’s no reason to take a risk.
Step-3: Unload the Concrete Steps
After lifting and transporting, all that’s left is to unload and place the steps. This part of the process requires precision and some pre-planning ahead.
When unloading the concrete steps, you’ve to move the steps several times. This makes the job really hard if you don’t know the right way to do it.
So, what is the best way to move concrete steps?
First, bring the trailer car as near as you can to the house frame. If the place is inaccessible to trailers, use a staircase trolley. Install the step handling bar on the steps and lift one side of the steps. Place 6 pieces of PVC pipes and push the steps to the edge. Then use the bar to bring the steps down.
If you don’t have access to a staircase trolley, ask your dealer to provide one.
You can use it to transport the trolley through narrow spaces. They can easily go underneath the steps.
First, use the step handling bar to put down the steps. It has to be as close as possible. That way, you don’t have to lift it too much.
The closer you unload, the less work it is. Now, all that’s left is to place it near the exit.
You can use the PVC pipe method on the floors as well. The procedure is the same as before. All you need is 6 small pieces of PVC pipes with a 1-inch diameter. The length of the pipes will be 6 inches.
When the steps cross the PVC pipes, get them and put them in the front again. Do it multiple times until you reach the desired place.
When it’s done, lift the bar on each side and get the pipes out. After that, lift the steps one last time and attach them to the wall. Then check whether it’s leveled or not.
Lastly, it may seem too hard for you but we understand that. So, don’t hesitate to call the service if you can’t manage it yourself.
Related Questions
Question: How do you remove prefab concrete steps?
Answer: Removing prefab concrete requires sledgehammers or a jackhammer. While sledgehammers take a lot of strength to work with, jackhammers do not. But jackhammers are really expensive and range between 1000$ – 1600$ usually.
Question: How do you move a heavy concrete slab?
Answer: A 10 ft x 10 ft x 5 in concrete slab will weigh around 6000 lbs or 2700 kg. You’ll need at least 5 people to move it. Place some big metal pipes beneath the concrete slab and slowly move it.
Question: How heavy are precast concrete steps?
Answer: Most precast concrete steps are heavy. The small ones mostly weigh around 700 lbs. But the ones with 8-inch height per step and 30+ inch width weigh around 1500 lbs to 2000 lbs.
Take Away
That was everything we could provide on how to move concrete steps. It’s a daring task no doubt. But we hope you’ve found your answers here.
Good luck with the process on how to lift precast concrete steps.
Finally, best of luck!
