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Scale and Speed
Step dimensions determine the pace of the garden visitor and this influences the mood of the garden. Steep steps force you to move and gain or lose height quickly, while shallow, deep steps encourage a more leisurely pace and encourage you to look and appreciate the garden and the plantings.
If the risers are too short you'll feel as if you are 'pitter-pattering', often taking every second step and increasing the chances of tripping.
Shallow steps that don't leave enough space to put your foot are dangerous. Very deep steps can feel uncomfortable if they make you over-stride or take two. Very short steps.
Too shallow a tread will not give you enough space to put your foot down safely, too deep and you may feel as if you are over-striding.
Narrow steps are awkward and claustrophobic and, if densely planted, wet plants can drench you in rainy weather. Wide steps have a generous feel and are more convivial as they allow more than one person to walk abreast.
Test steps near you home and in public places to find the fit, and the look, you want. Take you tape measure and notebook with you so that you can be sure to get it right when you get home.
Safety
Steps cannot be skimped on, as safety is a key issue. Steps can be dangerous when badly constructed. On steep sites a professional surveyor, engineer and builder should be called for any but the smallest steps. And the same professional help is need for any major terracing or steps on any site.
Balustrades and handrails make for safer steps and should be incorporated on long or steep flights. A series of three to five steps generally does not need a handrail unless the garden is to be used by children or anyone unsteady on their feet.
Surfaces are a key safety issue. Think through the impact of wet, frost and the growth of moss on surfaces. All of these can make steps dangerous. Steps under trees or in shade need more planning and care in construction as they can easily become wet and greasy, leading to accidents.
On high use or entrance steps good lighting is key. It is impossible to navigate steps in the dark with any feeling of safety. There are great options available for outdoor lighting from cats-eyes and lanterns. Advances in solar lights means that costly outdoor wiring is not always necessary. Lighting for steps should be low, often inset into the bank or wall beside the steps, lighting up the pathway and not glaring into the eyes of pedestrians.
In areas that will see a deal of wheeled traffic (wheelbarrows, garden carts etc) steps can present a headache. In Venice, where there are no cars, all the bridges with steps also have a ramp for carts and barrows. You can replicate this with a narrow ramp to each side of the steps.
Styling 'Natural' Steps
Simple steps that fit into a relaxed, informal setting can be made from logs and gravel. For this style of steps use stakes to hold the plank, metal or log risers in place. Weed cloth topped with a thin layer of builder's sand or crusher dust underneath gravel will help the gravel to pack and form a firm surface.
Gravel has the advantage of being safe in shady, frosty positions but they will allow seeds to germinate - some you may want but others will be weeds. An alternative surface is sand, but this tracks on the shoes of walkers and can end up in your living room! Please do not take beach sand or river gravel - you can all too easily destroy a natural environment.
Bark, easily available, is a good alternative surface material. Try for neat small nuggets and not coarser bark as the long strips scatter easily and can trip the unwary. Wood chips are less likely to become weedy, but do not have the soft natural look or gravel and bark.
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A long, slow flight of steps at Dumbarton Oaks, Washington DC., USA
Cottage garden style
General Step Guidelines
Treads minimum of 30cm (12in) from front to back
Risers higher than 18-20cm (7-8in) are uncomfortable to use
Width less than 60cm (24in)wide is uncomfortable and narrow |
Planning and building
To work out how many steps you need and their dimensions, measure the height and depth of the slope. Place a plank horizontally from the top of the slope and rest the outer end on a stake, using a builder's spirit level to ensure that it is held level. Measure the height where the plank and stake meet, and the length of the plank.
Measure the amount the slope falls (BC) over the distance (AB) to plan your steps
Divide these measurements in suitable step dimensions. E.g. a height of 1.0m will need about seven steps of 15cm. Do not use inside step dimensions outdoors - we expect and need more space outside the house! Estimate the width, making the steps as generous, as wide, as you can unless you are looking for a more intimate, secret progression in your design.
See Design Projects for more on building steps |
Simple steps in a relaxed, informal setting, planted with NZ natives
A single steps marks a transition in a woodland garden |
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