(**) Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning our company, JCHQ Publishing will get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through the links, but at no additional cost to you.
When it comes to the summer season, I always spend the time to see what improvement or fixture I could do to my backyard. After all, this is where my kids and I will be spending most of the time together.
Last week, I noticed that one of the stone steps in the yard was very loose. When I stood on top of it, it would flip out from its position. Since there was a tripping hazard, I immediately gathered the necessary tools and started the afternoon project.
So how to fix a loose stone step? To repair a loose stone step, you would need to remove all debris underneath, then attach it with concrete patch and glue.
It might sound complicated, but don’t worry. In this post, I’ll go through the exact steps I took for this repair and the tools required for this fixing. I can also share some photos I took during the process so it would be easy for you to follow.
Interesting Things in this Post
Essential Tools Needed to Fix an Outdoor Loose Step
- Concrete patch
- Construction Adhesive
- Finishing Trowel
- Construction gloves
- Leaf blower/Broom
- Bottle of water
- Plastic container
- Heavy item (i.e., Sandbag, tree log)
5 Step to Make a Loose Stone Sturdy
Step 1 – Check the weather forecast
It takes time for the concrete patch mix to dry, so make sure it won’t rain in the next two days. Also, the concrete patch is quite dusty, so try to mix them when it isn’t too windy.
Step 2- Wear Safety Equipment
Although this is not a heavy duty job, you should still wear protective gloves and goggles. This is to prevent the concrete patch from sticking on to your hands or caught into the eyes. Since the concrete patch is quite dusty, you could consider wearing a mask to prevent inhaling it.
Step 3 – Remove debris underneath the stone
When I remove the stone, there were tiny rocks, sand, weeds, ants, and other debris. It is important to clean them off so that the concrete patch would stick firmly onto the stone. I just used a leaf blower to blow them away.
This is the leaf blower I have. It’s cordless and very handy for gardening work. I use it whenever I finish mowing the lawn. Here’s a link to the Amazon for your convenience. (This is an affiliate link. We do get a commission if you make a purchase. But at no additional cost to you.)
I also cleaned off the back of the stone. Some people suggest to scrap it with a wire brush. I didn’t do that because it looked pretty clean to me after I blow off the dust. I guess it only applies when the back of the stone is not flat, where you need to sand off uneven parts.
Step 4 – Mix the concrete patch
I poured the concrete patch into a plastic container. (That’s just a recycled take-out food container. The size is around one liter). I filled it up halfway and added two squeezes of construction adhesive.
Then I poured about 500 ml of water into it. Don’t worry about having too much water. I initially poured a lot less, but the concrete patch at the bottom would remain dry. It’s like you’re drinking a powdered mix hot chocolate milk, but there are still unmixed ones.
Then stir up the mixture so that it would look like a pudding. I just stirred it with a disposable chopstick.
Friendly tip: Definitely, don’t do this when it is windy. The concrete patch is quite dusty and could fly all over the place. Always stand in an upwind position. If needed, wear a task or do the mixing in your garage.
I tried searching online, but couldn’t find the exact concrete patch and glue that I was using. I bought them from my local hardware store. But I found these at Amazon which also have great customer reviews. Here are the links for the concrete patch and construction adhesive.
Step 5: Apply the concrete patch mixture
Pour the solution to the spot of the empty step. Also, apply it at the back and all the different sides of the stone. Then you should use a trowel to flatten the concrete patch.
Gently place the stone back into the empty spot. I put a large wood lot on top of it and left it there overnight. The next morning, it became very sturdy. I weighed about 170 lbs and tried jumping on the fixed stone step. There is no wobble at all.
Conclusion
Rather than hiring an expensive contractor in repairing the stone step, I was able to get it fixed with minimal effort and cost. The entire fixture took me around 30 minutes. Since I have most of the equipment already, I only needed to buy the concrete patch solution (around $10) and the construction adhesive (around $10). So the entire project only costs me $20.
Disclaimer: This content of this website is for general information, and do not intend to provide any specific advice. Although we tried our best in providing accurate information, we cannot guarantee they are error-free. Information displayed on this website could be subjected to change. For any medical-related question, you should always consult with your family doctor. For safety or product related question, you should consult with the actual manufacturer or qualified technician. You should also check the laws of your local government.
Affiliate Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking on the link. Please understand that we include them based on our experience or the research on these companies or products, and we recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions we make if you decide to buy something through the links. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your goals.
Jacob is a father of two daughters. He loves spending quality time with them in the backyard. Playing sports, blowing bubbles, and planting are some the favorite activities Jacob and his daughters like to do together. He believes it is essential to spend quality time with them while they are still young.