Hardscape Design – Replacing Outdoor Patio Steps for Safety Reasons (Part 4)

As part of our outdoor patio renovation project, we tore down and replaced the old steps with newer ones, which allow for a landing once we step outside.

If possible, I always opt to have a landing when it comes to steps going either inside or outside a home. I hate having to step up and over a threshold – I don’t feel safe walking in and out of the house, especially carrying things in my hands.

As this picture shows, the steps leading into the house from the back patio, are not level with the base of the door. Imagine carrying dishes and glassware from inside the house and having to step down when leaving the kitchen. I find this to be a safety hazard and the chances of falling seem high…especially after a cocktail or two 😉  So even though the steps were in pretty good condition, (unlike the patio), we tore them down to build new ones.

So how are we going to level the steps to the door? Instead of having two steps, we will build three steps, and the top step will be level with the bottom of the door frame.

The steps were torn down as part of the patio demolition. After the rubble was removed, rebar was laid and a new concrete foundation was poured.

After the concrete for the patio was in place, work on the new steps began.

A concrete gravel fill is prepared to use with the cinder block foundation.

Cinder blocks outline the base of the bottom step and gravel is used to fill the space.

The process is repeated for the second and third step, filling in the cinder blocks with gravel and cement.

Once the cinder blocks are filled and the foundation is stable, work begins on the face of the steps.

It looks like a puzzle, trying to properly fit these rocks onto the steps.

The gaps are filled with cement and now it’s starting to take shape.

We had to make a decision on what size of travertine tiles to use and how wide the overhang should be.

The first option was to lay all 12 x 24 inch tiles, thereby eliminating the need to cut larger stones into smaller pieces. The second option was to use larger stones and cut each one.

I chose option one – to have uniform stones already cut at 12 x 24 inches, I was worried about cutting the larger stones and not having them look straight.

The steps are complete, looking good and they are now level with the bottom of the door. Safety hazard eliminated!

Check out prior work on this project below, it’s been a slow job. We had to wait six months for the stone to arrive delaying the project into this Spring, but it’s almost complete!

Hardscape Design – Laying a Concrete Foundation for the Backyard Patio (Part 3)

Hardscape Design – Outdoor Fireplace Demolition (Part 2)

Hardscape Design – Patio Demolition (Part 1)

I hope you are enjoying this outdoor series and gaining inspiration for your next project. Coming up, I will show you the rest of the patio! Do you have any outdoor projects planned this Spring or Summer?

Denise

XO

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