Laying stairs in the garden – a decorative element or necessity

Stairs in the garden concrete slab under-lighting

Stairs in the garden are designed to overcome differences in height, but at the same time to be an integral part of the room composition and to use an aesthetic accent in the outdoor space. They not only make it easier for us to walk on steep terrain, they also decorate the garden landscape. With their help, the garden will be made even more interesting and it will look different. This means that you can create the garden stairs on slopes as well as on flat terrain by creating a height difference yourself.

Stairs in the garden – tips on landscaping

Stairs in the garden stone-design-integrated

Different altitude levels create new and unusual places where you absolutely must Stairs in the garden require. In this way you often get varied landscapes, an interesting play of light and shadow in your garden. There you can undoubtedly create your perfect place to sit outdoors. Two flights of stairs are enough to mark the beginning of the stairway. You can design different corners for rest and relaxation, with benches, garden figures or a pavilion. When your garden is big enough, you can consider the idea of a small playground for young and old. So your garden will be really unique and reflect your character and style.

Building stairs in the garden – the shape depends on the degree of slope and location

Stairs in the garden concrete-seat-floor-cushion-plants

The garden stairs can be combined in a stairway or just a few stairs apart, a few minutes’ walk away from each other. Their type depends on the terrain, on their position in the garden in relation to the house. Before creating the garden stairs, there are several questions you need to consider. To have a safe, reliable, and comfortable stairway walk, you should properly estimate how long you want it to be. Also, the height and depth of the steps are critical. These dimensions are calculated mathematically. It’s a simple formula that will help us construct the stairs correctly. It is believed that a human step is approximately 61-65 centimeters. This makes an average of 62.5 cm. According to the criteria for comfort and safety, this dimension corresponds to the sum of two step heights and one width. For example, 16 cm + 16 cm + 30 cm = 62 cm

Design stairways in the garden

stairs-garden-asymmetrical-laying-concrete

In contrast to the house stairs, the stairways in the garden give you greater freedom in design, because the dimensions of the step are not absolutely necessary. They can be much wider than those of the internal stairs, or they can be designed in an unusual shape. If you have a really steep terrain and want to create the garden stairs there, they should by no means be too steep – the height of the stairs should not be more than 10-15 cm. A good stairway in the garden is no less than 30 cm wide, otherwise there will be uncertainties in traffic. The width should be at least 50-60 cm to allow at least one person to pass through. If you want, you can make the garden stairs one meter wide. The stairs on steep terrain must be secured with a handrail, at least on one side.

How do you spice up your garden design properly??

Stair garden concrete slab water feature decorative element

In the case of terrain with a small degree of inclination, you can still consider more decorative elements when creating the stairs. For example, you can put interesting decorations on both sides of wide sloping stairs. The garden decoration inscribes itself wonderfully there. At both ends of the wide steps you can put flower pots, decorative sculptures, vases. Ornamental grass can also be planted on both sides of the flower beds. Interesting solutions arise when you use different step shapes – a circle, semicircle or other irregular shapes are also popular. It is not recommended that you only create a single level. Do this only if necessary and then the step must be clearly marked so that there is no accident while walking.

Which materials are recommended for the garden stairs?

Minimalism in landscaping materials - geometric stairs - overgrown with grass

the Stairs in the garden are mostly made of reinforced concrete, finished concrete blocks or natural stone. Their surface should be inclined slightly, this will ensure easy drainage when it rains. After you’ve laid out the garden stairs, take care of any decorative elements around them too so you can achieve a striking look. Don’t forget, everything in your garden must also match the architectural style of the house. The material of the stairs must be durable and weatherproof, with a rough surface for easy walking even in wet and rainy weather. Any risk of slipping should be avoided there.

Match stairs in the garden to the house architecture

Concrete flat roof house with garden overgrown staircase design

The garden stairs can be used to emphasize the dominant architectural style of the house – romantic, rustic or modern – or to make the garden design stand out more clearly. The most used and most suitable materials for the garden stairs are natural materials – stone and wood. Together with carved stone slabs or sliced stone, you can form small blocks of stone. This gives you several options for the decorative arrangement and design of stairs with irregular shapes. Innovative solutions can be created by combining small and large stone blocks, stone and bricks in contrasting colors.

Wooden garden stairs

Build modern wooden stairs yourself - design in the garden gravel paths

Recently, artificial stone slabs that successfully imitate various natural materials have become widespread. Very elegant covering of the steps can be achieved with wooden panels. This is a special type of wood that is weather resistant and has been treated against moisture and rot. Such a coating is beautiful, but capricious, it requires annual maintenance and care.

We hope that this information can be of assistance to you today.

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