Adding Steps to your Landscape Design

Choice of Materials

The first decision in exploring options for steps is the material that you plan to use. The material that is right for your project will be largely dependent upon the look and style that you want to achieve. You’re most likely going to be deciding between manmade pavers or natural stone, such as sandstone, for your step project. Here are a few points to consider about each.

Concrete Pavers
Concrete is a durable material that makes for a nice landscape step. If you have steps leading from your paver patio or connecting to a paver walkway, this is probably going to be your material of choice. With today’s manufacturing process, concrete pavers can be made to resemble any number of materials ranging from brick to natural stone or even just a preferred color choice.

Natural Stone
Natural stone, such as sandstone, can create a very unique look for your landscape stairs. Stacking large slab rocks to form a staircase is a bit more of a rustic look that is going to blend naturally with your surrounding landscape.

 

Other Key Considerations

A lot goes into series of steps work for your landscape project including the width of the steps the height of the riser, and the ultimate depth of the steps. These elements can have a tremendous impact on how your landscape staircase looks as well as how “comfortable” it is to walk on it as well as how appropriately it fits within your space. For instance, it is most appealing to have a series of wide steps leading to the entry of a landscaped space. When going from inside the home to the great outdoors, you want a nice wide step that is going to give you that open and welcoming feel of stepping into your backyard paradise.

Failing to build steps properly can also cause problems. The biggest problem we see is when the riser on exterior steps is too high and you have to take an uncomfortable stride to walk on it. It is a subtle detail that makes a big difference in how comfortable it is to walk up and down the stairs each day.

With such subtle—but important—considerations to bear in mind, it’s critical that you work with a knowledgeable design/build firm like Exscape Designs, who is going to make informed decisions and ultimately create a finished product that is not only beautiful but highly functional. Everything from location to surface drainage to step specifications are all details that come into play and must be accounted for in the planning process. With a reputable company like Exscape Designs leading the project, you can be sure all of these important elements are given the attention they deserve.