Sidewalks & Steps in Tuscaloosa, AL

Sidewalks and steps are where worn concrete turns into a safety problem. A walk panel that lifts an inch catches a toe. A stoop that settles pulls away from the house and opens a gap where rain runs toward the foundation. Steps with uneven risers throw people off their stride. Tuscaloosa has a large stock of older homes, with about 27 percent built in the 1960s and 1970s according to Point2Homes' Census summary, so many original walks and stoops are reaching the end of their life.

What causes the damage here

Tree roots. Big oaks and other shade trees are common in older Tuscaloosa neighborhoods, and their roots lift walk panels as they grow.

Moving clay. Walks are thin slabs, so they react quickly when the clay underneath swells after rain and shrinks in dry weather.

Water at the stoop. Gutters that overflow or downspouts that empty beside the steps soften the ground under them, and the stoop tips or sinks.

Warning signs

• A raised lip where one panel meets the next
• Panels sloping toward the house
• A stoop separating from the foundation wall
• Chipped, rounded or crumbling step edges
• Risers of different heights
• Water that sits on the walk after rain

Rebuilding a walk

The old panels come out, soft soil is removed and a stone base is compacted. HomeGuide's sidewalk guide says most walkways are 4 to 6 inches thick, with thicker concrete for heavier traffic. We give the walk a slight cross-slope so rain runs off into the lawn. Joints are tooled at regular spacing. If roots caused the lifting, we talk through the options before pouring, because a new walk over the same roots will lift again.

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Stoops and poured steps

Poured steps are formed in place to fit your door and landing. Every riser should be the same height and every tread the same depth, so feet land where they expect. The landing at the top needs enough room to stand while a storm door opens. HomeGuide's steps guide notes that stairs taller than 5 feet usually need a landing platform. Because a heavy stoop on loose fill will tilt, we check what is under the old steps before we design the new ones. Precast steps are an option on some houses, and we can price both.

Public walks and the street

A walk along the street usually sits in the public right-of-way rather than on your lot. The City of Tuscaloosa's Office of the City Engineer, (205) 248-5380, lists right-of-way permits among its applications, and Tuscaloosa 311 at 205-248-5311 takes questions about city property. We quote the walks, stoops and steps on your property and confirm any permit needed where our work meets the street.

Handrails and care

Steps with more than two risers are safer with a rail. When we pour new steps we can set anchors in the fresh concrete so the rail bolts down solidly. After that, keep gutters clear so water does not pour onto the steps, seal walks and steps every few years and fill small cracks before water washes soil out from underneath.