How do you lay cinder block for steps?
Clean up the area where you will be putting the steps, and dig down about 3 inches lower than the grade. Put a pad of compacted road mix down over the flattened and leveled area. Using a level, and a stringline, put out the first level of blocks using sticky mortar (cement, road mix, water,) to create secure bases against the road mix, and use the level and the stringline to match the blocks and make them even. Continue building the steps on this layer, using the capstone blocks for the steps(if you have them), but now use cement, sand, and water in a 1:2 scoop ratio of cement to sand to secure the blocks together. Use a neat and modest amount, creating nice tight joints. Always stagger the blocks when you place them, so that there are not straight line fissures running up and down what you are building. As in, put the crack between the blocks underneath directly under the very middle of the block you are currently setting. You will have to use a half peice on the edge to make it fit.
