Any suggestions for building simple garden steps?

Hi All,

I need to build some garden steps in a small garden that I am doing. The fall of the area is around 690mm over a distance of about 1800mm. I could probably build up the bottom of the steps with a small slope towards a path to reduce the fall to around 600mm.

I am thinking of building them out of treated pine sleepers (either 75mm or 50mm) and basically making a series of boxes which I stack on top of each other and fill with crushed rock. Over that distance I could either have three steps with 200mm risers and 600mm treads or four steps with 170mm risers and 450mm treads. The steps are only going to be about 500mm wide.

Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions or thoughts on what I am planning, or any alternative to make some simple steps.

Simple and quick solution is to use 50mm sleepers as side stringers, set into place at right angle of the fall, mark out your step spacings and use a level and square to get them plumb. Then take out the stringers, cut your steps to the width of the steps, and use batten or bugle screws to put it all together. It will be bloody heavy, so you will need a hand or put it together at the top so you can drag it down.

Then just put in some steel star pickets to screw it to for firmness, bevel the edges and corners, and fill with rock and gravel compacting as you go. The step falls will be 200mm (sleeper width), but you can drop this by 10mm to make it 190mm which is a standard step drop.

Thanks for the reply. Sorry if I'm a bit dumb but I'm not sure that I follow. Are you saying to lay the side stringers down the slope to mark out the steps and then move it away to assemble? Are the steps that I cut from 50mm sleepers as well and do I use those as the risers and then fill with crushed rock to make the actual tread once they are back in place? Does it also mean that the steps sit on top of the slope without me needing to cut into the slope?

I make them the same way as the parkies: I cut a bit of sleeper to the width of the tread I want, use a shovel to cut out a recess for it, then belt in a 400mm star picket at each end and screw through the post into the sleeper which is sitting on edge. Then I back fill with soil (in my case clay) and top with blue metal or whatever gravel I've got laying about. But then I like the rustic look.

PL's idea is something I was going to give a go next time. The problem with mine is that they are silt traps and a bit mucky in wet weather.

Depends on the look you're after I suppose.

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Originally Posted by Fozzy

Thanks for the reply. Sorry if I'm a bit dumb but I'm not sure that I follow. Are you saying to lay the side stringers down the slope to mark out the steps and then move it away to assemble? Are the steps that I cut from 50mm sleepers as well and do I use those as the risers and then fill with crushed rock to make the actual tread once they are back in place? Does it also mean that the steps sit on top of the slope without me needing to cut into the slope?

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Sorry mate it is a bit hard to describe without a pic a link is here http://plannedlandscape.com.au/uploa...54937-2976.jpg

Best to trim up the slope 1st to get the right fall and so it slides in when done. All steps and stringers are from 50mm sleepers.

Once in place, check for level and put in a few star pickets below finished level and screw in. I usually put 1 stake at each end then more in behind the steps to keep it all secure.

Then just fill the treads up with rock compacting with your feet as your go, water in and your set

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Originally Posted by silentC

But then I like the rustic look.
.....
Depends on the look you're after I suppose.

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Thanks for that. I actually like the rustic look, but for these steps I will probably want to go for something that looks a bit neater.

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Originally Posted by Planned LScape

Sorry mate it is a bit hard to describe without a pic a link is here http://plannedlandscape.com.au/uploa...54937-2976.jpg

Best to trim up the slope 1st to get the right fall and so it slides in when done. All steps and stringers are from 50mm sleepers.

Once in place, check for level and put in a few star pickets below finished level and screw in. I usually put 1 stake at each end then more in behind the steps to keep it all secure.

Then just fill the treads up with rock compacting with your feet as your go, water in and your set

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Thanks for that, the picture helps and it is what I thought you were saying. Nice looking stairs by the way.

How have you found 50mm treated pine sleepers, do they warp and buckle over time or are they pretty stable?

Do you use 100mm batten screws?

How wide (deep) do you usually make the treads on your steps?

Yup, very stable....as long as they a staked securely (use600mm pickets for more hold) at each corner, backfilled on the sides and then filled with rock they are fine. From memory I used 100mm batten screws, the steps inbetween the stringers holds the whole lot square and stops warping that would otherwise happen if a single piece was lying on the ground.

The tread depth will vary according to the slope, usually I put the stringers up each side and get the overall length and divide it into equal lengths so the steps look all even, as long as the tread depths are comfortable and safe for walking on.

Thanks for that. If the weather holds out tomorrow I might get some sleepers and have a go. I think it seems easier than the method I was going to use.

One thing worth noting is the batten screws need a strong drill to get them in, they put huge strain on it. I have blown up a Makita last year with them and a mate just blew up a brand new DeWalt electric drill, which apparently wasnt covered under warranty as the guy said it is to be used primarily for drilling holes and not screwing things in?

Pre drilling with a pilot hole works good, sometimes the screws are a bugger to get in the last bit

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Originally Posted by Planned LScape

One thing worth noting is the batten screws need a strong drill to get them in, they put huge strain on it...

Pre drilling with a pilot hole works good, sometimes the screws are a bugger to get in the last bit

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Thanks for your help. I drilled a pilot hole and it made it heaps easier, still a bit of a strain on the drill though.

I managed to get most of it done yesterday. I just have to secure them to the star pickets and backfill. Then I need to finish off the small path leading to the stairs.

This ended up heaps cheaper and easier than the method I was going to use. It only took about 3 hours and cost less than $100. All I needed was 4 sleepers, 4 star pickets, a packet of batten screws and a metre of crushed rock.

I've attached a before and after shot. Like I said I still need to finish off the bottom part and tidy up, but overall I'm really happy with them.

Thanks again.

Good job mate

It's a good feeling constructing things and seeing the finished product, which is why I love my job.

It's hard work at times, but seeing the before/after improvements are worth it