Big Tread Stock

[Meanix]

Does any one have any ideas on setting wet laid 2" thick by 16" wide by 9' long tread stock? They will be wet laid. They are treads for stairs over existing concrete. Four of them total. I was thinking of using a couple of straps (one on each fork). Then using a 3/4 scrap so I could pull the straps out. I was wondering if anyone else has done this and had a better idea. I don't want to have to pick them up once I lower them into the mud.

[CaptainsLS]

I have done it with 8' pieces at 20" thick. We placed the tread as close as possible, laid out the mortar, and lifted it into place with 2 men. Worst case you could use two 4 1/2 pieces over the 9'ers or just a couple 6" blocks for shims and try to mud under the tread as it sits on the 2 blocks. I have also seen guys not mud where the straps will need to be removed and then point that area, but I dont like that idea much.

[Meanix]

Thanks for your advice Captain. I will be the only one on the job. I should have mentioned that in my original post. I don't want any joints.

[GDK]

Ooo well the only one on the job isn't too fun, but you will be just fine...I would say whatever you do, don't mud too close to the edge, so that the squeeze out doesn't go everywhere and avoid sliding the piece around too much. I have done it with straps or just forks alone. If I use the forks, then I just slide each side off a bit at a time.

[MuirView Design]

That's a long piece. Working solo requires ingenuity in cases like this. A couple of solutions come to mind.

1. Perhaps try strapping it at the ends and having them "Y" to a central strap that hooks around the forks. That way you could probably just tuck point the ends where the straps are.....I wonder about stress in the middle though.

2. Create a fulcrum in the center of the step and teeter the stone on it. You could put weight on one end to lift the other while you butter the block, then do the other side. Getting the fulcrum out would be the tricky part. You could prop one end of the stone and lift the other with the forks, then set it down.

3. Set the stone in place. Use a hydraulic jack on one end and forks on the other to lift it high enough to butter the block, then lower back into place.

If it were me by myself....I'd probably take the easy road and cut it down to a manageable size, but I understand not wanting a joint.

[STLPONDS]

Set it up so you have a helper for the most labor intensive part of the job and than go solo.

[Meanix]

Here are some pics. They are phone pics so they are not the greatest quality. I already installed the lights and my brother is doing the planting. These pics are a couppe days old. The previous owner packed a bunch of crap in and it is way overgrown (instant gratification,couldn't wait for the plants to mature).

[4seasons]

nice treads! So how did you end up setting them?

[Meanix]

Set them in mud with the forks. Didn't have to pick any of them up again. Which would have been a nightmare with the suction. Then I just tuck pointed the gaps from the forks worked pretty well