Expert: Bruce E. Johnson - 5/11/2010

Question
My husband just installed a screen security door at the front entry with a concrete slab porch that goes up 3-4" for the foundation slab which holds the threshold.  Due to a painted lintel that goes around the wood frame of the entry door (which has two sidelight flanking the door), he had to build out the moulding on either side of the front door jam in order to be flush with the top lintel.  The problem now is that we have a wide (6") opening at the bottom of the door from the threshold to the door.  It starts out with the 2 1/2" x 30" foundation to the depth of the porch slab.  Do we need to frame out and pour concrete, creating a wider step at that area, or are there any other options for us to finish this off?  We live in Arizona, if that helps, and our home is a 25 year old stucco construction.

Answer
Hi Tina, it would probably be a good idea to extend your stoop in this area.  The best way I can see to do this is to form a step and pour it out of concrete.  I recommend drilling into the existing slab in a couple of places and epoxy some bolts or rebar dowels up to connect the new concrete to the old concrete.  Adding a piece of horizontal rebar will help hold the new stoop together also.  Home Depot or Lowes have small pieces of rebar you can buy for these things and bags of premixed concrete, just add water.  If you need to cut the rebar an inexpensive metal cutting blade can be purchased that will fit a standard skil saw.  I hope this information helps, please feel free to write again regarding this or other matters, sincerely bruce e johnson..bejohnsonconsulting.com