No matter how well concrete steps are built, their edges are the weakest point of their construction. Once edges start to break and crumble, the concrete will keep eroding until the steps pose a safety hazard. For a quick-fix, try the following steps: Break out the loose material -- down to solid concrete -- with a hammer and cold chisel. Rinse clean with a garden hose. Paint the raw patch area with a concrete bonding agent, and surround the location with form boards made from scrap plywood. Support the forms with stakes or bricks. In a mixing container, combine a concrete patch material with water. Vinyl concrete patch or polymer cement works best. Use a wooden concrete float to force the patch material into the opening and to remove excess material. Finish the patch with a metal concrete trowel and remove the forms the following day. And that's the On The House tip for today.