Repair Damaged Concrete Stairs with Fusion-Crete
SEVERE DAMAGE TO STAIRS AT SHOPPING MALL
that seemed beyond repair in 2010.
with Fusion-Crete, looking good in 2020.
PROBLEM: In 2010, this exterior staircase at a premier shopping mall in Denver was in dire need of stair repair and restoration. The stairs are essential, as they provide pedestrian access to a mall parking lot below. The mall’s management company sought to rehabilitate the stairs without having to tear out and replace the stairs because of extended loss of use during replacement and the extremely high cost of tear-out and replacement for such a large staircase.
Other obstacles:
- 4 failed concrete repair products that needed removing
- All 500 linear feet of stair nosing fell apart during hammer prep
- Over 80 linear feet of traction strip cast into the treads completely detached during hammer prep
- Water collected on areas of the landings, then froze, increasing liability through slip and fall hazards
- Virtually every part of the staircase needed repair for divots, rot, spalling, walking/liability hazards and just plain ugly concrete
SOLUTION:
- Removal of all 4 old “repair products” with hammer prepping
- Repair of stair nosing with the Fusion-Crete process of formless curb and stair repair (see video below)
- Re-casting of traction strip was re-cast into the treads with Fusion-Crete modified mortar
- Use of Fusion-Crete overlays to correct drainage problems on landings
- Removal of degradation through prepping and filling of divots, rot and spalling with Fusion-Crete modified mortar
- Restoration to a “like new” appearance by applying a Fusion-Crete finish coat on the entire staircase after the concrete profile corrections were made (see video below)
WATCH CURB REPAIR USED FOR THIS STAIR NOSING
HOW THE FINISH COAT WAS APPLIED TO THE STAIRCASE
BENEFITS OF USING FUSION-CRETE TO REPAIR DAMAGED CONCRETE STAIRS
- Interruption to pedestrian access to and from parking lot was minimized
- The cost of the stair repair was about half of the tear-out and replacement option
- The work was done without forms and heavy machinery
RESULTS: The contractor provided the management company with a 5-year warranty for the stair restoration. The management team was happy with the cost savings of Fusion-Crete and the staircase remains in excellent condition in 2020.
USE OF FUSION-CRETE IN REPAIRING RESIDENTIAL FLUID-BASED HEAT SYSTEM
PROBLEM: The front entrance steps at this luxury resort home suffered extensive damage due to water intrusion under a failed non-slip urethane coating. Repair considerations:
- Stairs contain a fluid-based snow-and-ice melt system (see photo above left).
- Access to the stairs is over a lawn with an irrigation system on a steep grade.
- Stairs are surrounded by flower beds, shrubbery and stone masonry.
- Full removal and replacement of the stairs would require the heating system to be redone, driving up costs and increasing the likelihood of damage to peripheral items through use of heavy equipment.
SOLUTION: After careful prepping and removal of all rotten concrete, Fusion-Crete modified mortar was used to restore the staircase to its original beauty.
BENEFITS OF USING FUSION-CRETE TO REPAIR DAMAGED CONCRETE STAIRS
- Because there was no tear-out and replacement of the concrete, the original radiant heating system was left in place, saving the homeowner exorbitant replacement costs.
- The steep grade of the front yard posed no issues because no heavy equipment was brought in.
- Flower beds, shrubbery and stone masonry remained intact and in good condition.
- The cost of the stair repair was a fraction of the replacement alternative.
RESULTS: Completed in July 2010, the stair restoration still looks great in June 2020. The homeowner was extremely pleased with the relatively low total cost of $3,500 and the restoration Fusion-Crete delivered.
Concrete repair can be lucrative for the contractor!
Check out our blog Profitability with Concrete Repair Products .