How do I get even steps in a staircase?

There is nothing so disenchanting as uneven steps (called risers in construction parlance) in a building. It is even more annoying to discover the uneven steps can be easily avoided if basic care and attention to detail was given during the construction period. Concrete stairs are built by pouring concrete into a wooden (usually) formwork which reinforcement (steel rods) have been placed. When the concrete hardens, the formwork is removed. It is not rocket science to understand that if the concrete stairs will take the shape of the formwork.

So it therefore stands to reason to ensure that the formwork, which is to be built by a carpenter, is built to the exact specifications of the drawings. The risers steps must be of the same height, width and depth. Even an untrained eye would be able to see that if the boxes that make up the stairs are not even. Do not accept that any mistakes will be corrected during casting (the pouring of the concrete) as this is a case of ‘what you see is what you get’

It is not enough that the risers are all even. ‘Accidents’ can happen during casting so the carpenter must ensure

that good strong wood planks are used and they are braced properly. This is to ensure that the formwork is rigid during casting: otherwise the concrete will take whatever shape the formwork moves to. The workmen pouring the concrete must take great care to ensure that the concrete is poured evenly and any movement of the formwork must be reported with the carpenter in place to repair the breach.

Ensure that the concrete is properly set before the form work is removed and you should have perfectly even stairs. The threads (the top of the stairs should be leveled into evenly. Some builders argue that uneven stairs can be corrected by chiseling and during the tile laying process. It is true that some remedial work can be undertaken at this stage but it can never beat the results that would be obtained if things were done properly the first time.