Construction of garden steps

Steps present an ideal opportunity to beautify the outdoors like any other item on your gardening agenda. The materials that can be used vary from cut logs to concrete, brick or stone.

The standard dimensions of outdoor steps should be the same as those of interior steps, particularly in frequently used areas. The tread should be 10 inches deep and the risers 7 1/2 inches.

Rungs should be 1/4 inch lower at the front than at the rear to allow for drainage. For any step other than log rounds, a good foundation is essential. The base should extend 6 inches below the frost line.

Concrete is a frequently used material for steps, although it is not always the most attractive. A simple shape can be constructed from a series of boxes, of lx 6 or lx 8 inch scrap wood, each box the same width but 10 inches shorter than the bottom step box.

The boxes are placed one on top of the other and held together by external turning dowels. The corners should be well buttressed. Use 1 part Portland cement to 3 parts sand and 6 parts gravel. Cement is poured and the steps are leveled using the flat edge of a board.

If you use precast concrete blocks, the need for formwork for the construction of steps is eliminated. The cost is roughly the same as poured concrete construction steps, although the job, especially for a one-man operation, is easier.

It is important to bond the blocks well and a good appearance can be obtained by applying an overall thin coat of concrete.

Brick steps are built in the same way as concrete blocks, although more skill in masonry is required. First a layer of gravel is placed on the subsoil as a base. The weakness of brick steps is the many joints that are required.

When building stone steps, the main difficulty is finding the stone. While this presents no problem in some areas, stone must be purchased in other areas, and when this is true, stone steps are by far the most expensive type to build. They are also among the most attractive.

Stone steps can be built without gluing masonry, if large enough stones can be found. The principles of plaster wall construction will be applied. If the steps are independent, mortar should be used. The base must be prepared as for brick steps.

The concrete used to make the stone beds must be placed carefully to maintain a good pattern. Leveling must be done accurately (rope level recommended).

It is best to remove the spilled mortar from the stones while it is still wet, because when it is dry it presents a problem. However, dry mortar can be removed using muriatic acid.

Rounds of wood cut from large logs make a beautiful and easy-to-build set of steps. The bottom round is placed in the ground and the next one is placed to partially cover it, leaving a riser. The soil is backfilled under the top round and firmly rammed, and this procedure is followed to the desired height.

Informal wooden steps can be used for long slopes where there is no need for actual steps, but they are too steep for just one path. The steps of the ramp can be made with risers of large stone slabs, logs or squared wood.

The paths leading to the steps must be the same width as the steps. The ramps should not go up too fast, the largest climb is 3/4 inch per foot.