Doorstep dilemma

[noj]

Lowering ground levels in front of one of my blocked off doors reveals the rotted remnants of the step. I obviously need to do something appropriate to fill the hole - what would you suggest?

The door is boarded over on the inside (and tiled over twice) so opening the door and properly fitting a new step isn't therefore a practical option.

My thoughts:
1. I could just pull out the most rotten stuff from the outside and bodge in some non-hydraulic lime mortar and probaby brick/tile as a literal stopgap which would be realtively easy to remove if the door was ever reopened
2. Maybe I could get down there with chisels and the multitool, remove pretty much all of the step and figure out some way of inserting and securing a new hardwood one - shaping to fit the revealed space
3. As option 1, but face the bodge with the facade of a step by screwing a strip of hardwood to the front once the mortar's gone off a bit
4. Expanding foam and a bit of painted softwood to cover it!

Any better ideas please? Or opinions...

Thanks

 

[paulc]

I think I'd go for option 1 - Rake out as much of the rotten timber as possible, fill in with a mix of NHL mortar and brick slips. Use a weak mortar mix so that it is easier to remove at a later date.

Certainly wouldn't go the final option. Not unless you want a future owner to be posting on the Worst Bodge thread. :roll: