How to build this doorstep

**Arron** · 10th December 2021, 08:10 AM

Hi. I’m trying to think of the best way to build a small doorstep below the glass sliders which lead onto our balcony.

Due to a number of changes made while building, our balcony is quite a bit lower then our floor level and hence door frame. I now want to tidy up this unsightly gap.I envisage a small doorstep about 100mm deep by 40mm high.
This is what it looks like
2E0BFF4B-65FB-4CFF-B31C-46A5C7EA955C.jpg

House is timber framed. Balcony is timber framed with structural steel girders and lvls on 650 centres. Scyon sheet flooring on balcony. The balcony will eventually be tiled.

The downstairs balcony was the same so I built a small concrete doorstep.
918A5B8E-0252-48EF-9023-8985A322996F.jpg

Here I poured the doorstep in place using high strength concrete over reo rods held in place by fixed dowels. It is holding up well but this is on a concrete slab so I was much less concerned with waterproofing. I could do the same upstairs but that would mean driving the dowels (which stabilise the reo) through the waterproofing. That doesn’t sound like best practise. Although the balcony is covered, and the doors set back, water will find its way there I’m sure.

So how do I do this?

The doorstep doesn’t have to be concrete. I’ll consider any alternative material. Any ideas anyone ?

Cheers
Arron

**rwbuild** · 10th December 2021, 12:34 PM

Just do a riser tile under the door sill. I am fairly confident that the one you have done on the lower level will become obviously painful to negotiate as it is greater than a natural walking stride in width and you will clip your heal/toe on it. You may get used to it and compensate but visitors may well curse you, just my observation of years of building.
Depending on the diligence of your certifier they may knock it back for not complying with the code re rise and going of treads/steps.

**Arron** · 10th December 2021, 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by rwbuild

Just do a riser tile under the door sill. I am fairly confident that the one you have done on the lower level will become obviously painful to negotiate as it is greater than a natural walking stride in width and you will clip your heal/toe on it. You may get used to it and compensate but visitors may well curse you, just my observation of years of building.
Depending on the diligence of your certifier they may knock it back for not complying with the code re rise and going of treads/steps.

There must be a problem with the camera angle. The entire width of door track plus the doorstep is only 250mm, so therefore it’s an easy step.

The certifier was happy with it too and we have the OC for that part of the build.

The problem with a riser tile is that it would leave the outside edge of the door track unsupported - or at least appearing to be. So I’m still wanting advice on a doorstep please folks.

Thread: How to build this doorstep

Thread Tools

Search Thread

How to build this doorstep

Similar Threads

This turned up on the doorstep with a couple of friends

Found on my doorstep:

Look what I found on my doorstep today

It just turned up on my doorstep, can I keep it?

Posting Permissions