How the verdict works
The quiz weighs what you see in three buckets:
- Surface signs — light scaling, popouts and crazing. On their own, they point to a resurface: grind off the weak skin and put down a new surface, often a quartz system.
- Local damage — broken nosings, a few hollow spots, open but level cracks, a small gap at the house or early rust stains. These point to a repair: rebuild the edges, fill the cracks, reset a settled precast set, treat the steel.
- Structural signs — widespread hollow sound, cracks with one side higher than the other, steps that rock or have sunk, water running toward the house, or bare rusted rebar. These point to replace, because no coating or patch fixes a failing base or delaminated concrete.
Age only tips the balance when several problems stack up on old steps. Old steps in good shape still get a “resurface” verdict.
Why we built it this way
Most step companies only sell one thing — new steps, or repairs. We do both, so we can afford to be straight with you. A resurface or repair now, done properly, keeps you happy. That’s worth more to us than a replacement you didn’t need yet.
Before you start
You’ll need good light and a hammer or something solid to tap with. Look at the treads, the front edges (nosings), the risers, and the joint where the top step or landing meets the house. Then work through the questions above.
If you’re not sure what you’re looking at, the damage dictionary below shows the eight most common types of concrete damage, what causes them and what they usually take to fix.