Landscaping Stairs
In the front yard the most homes you will see is that the
stairs made out of concrete or brick. Most homes seem to be built on
some sort of the slope even in a residential area. The reason for the
slope is usually due to water drainage therefore requiring some form of
stairs leading up to the front door. Landscaping stairs are also common
in the backyard where you have some sort of a steep or hilly area. Some
people prefer to create a hilly or raised area in the backyard this will
require either a sloping sidewalk or a set of stairs.
1. Think safety, always build your staircases with safety in mind. This
isn't always the case with front yard, backyard or even public stairways
that are part of the landscape. I've run across some extremely dangerous
stairways, that create trip hazards.
2. Make sure that your risers and treads meet local
building codes.
Remember, public stairs and private stairways have different building
codes and often fall into different categories of construction.
3. Try to avoid using smooth building materials for your stair steps.
Smooth stair treads are slippery and even more slippery when wet.
4. Try to position your sprinklers to avoid soaking down your
landscaping stairs. If you're stairs are built correctly, you could end
up with random puddles of water, through out your stairway, walkway and
landings.
5. Plan and design your landscape stairway, around your landscaping.
Some building materials don't work well with others and some building
materials are difficult to work with.