outside steps

[Sigarms]

Wife up in Vermont for a week for work, so I'm taking a week off to do some "honeydews".

Put new door in the garage today (which my wife wanted), I would of prefered other side where main house door is and on level brick outside, but...

Bottom left of door from ground is 18", bottom right of door to ground is 26", will need to make some steps (after screen door goes in).

Thinking of leveling gound in fround of door, laying some bricks on the left side, then perhaps building some wooden steps.

I know cement blocks will be out of the question.

Any ideas or thoughts? Anything to make life a little easier?

Figure I won't be able to buy anything simple "pre made", just wondering.

Duh, I won't event delete (edit) that last sentence. If I level the gound, pour cement, it will be level from base of door to ground underneath. Long day with the saw and I'm not used to it!

On a side note, wifes birthday this weekend and I know she really wants a new cook top stove in the kicthen island. Have an older Jen Air (sp?) which she really wants another one, and the only one that will fit PERFECT (and a newer style) is actually at Home Depot. Went in last night, the only one they had sitting there for the year is now on "managers special", close to $400 off original price!! Looked around the internet, way below anything I could find. My lucky day, just wondering when things will balance out.

Thanks

 

[Sigarms]

one more pic of exterior.

 

[goaliedad]

Not sure of the layout of the yard- but... how about using treated posts and having the steps parallel to the house? come up from the right side ( near the ladder) to a small porch? If you level the ground, aren't you going to have to do so out a ways from the building? Hope this makes sense- and good luck.

 

[dmccarty]

Can you just put down gravel as a walkway to the door and use said gravel to raise the grade so that it is only a step into the doorway?

Later,
Dan

 

[scott_vt]

Hi Sig,
I just had the same situation with the back door to my garage. Uncharacteristic to myself I spent a few bucks and built a small pressure treated landing 10' x 10' or deck out of 2'x8' frame. That back corner of the garage got very little sun and nothing really grew very well so thats why I put the small deck up. I used 18" x 18" x 2" concrete blocks as a base for the corners. And just leveled everything off. If I have to I could actually move the whole thing because its not attached to the house ! I will get a picture of it if your interested. We ended up putting 4 chairs and two small cocktail tables and a couple small flower planters on it. It seems like it will be much more useable space now. I think it was about $300 for the lumber and I had enough blocks laying around to level it out.

 

[Sigarms]

I may be thinking about this to hard.

Picture is of the side of the house, you can see the new garage door on the left.

All "tan" T11 board is the first floor, anything you see in brick under the board is the basement.

Honestly, last year when we bought the house, used close to 40 gallons of deck sealant on the decks you see behind the house, and I don't want any more deck space!

Thinking I may just pour some footers, place some post and build some steps.

Scott, if you could supply a pic, would appreciate it, as they say, a pic is worth a 1000 words.

From the sideview, you can see how the grade continues all the way down to the back of the house. One reason why I thought coming directly out and down from the door would be easier (although it may of been easier puttin the door on the other side, but...)

By the way, wife is in Waitsfield for the week, and she told me they had over 90 degree temps (and she thought she would get away from the N.C heat

Not to get off the subject, but since i have a pic up of the side of the house, will need most likely to paint the exterior next year being wood. I think I asked this question before, but is there anything else in a "synthetic" material like wood, but easier to maintain? Will need to replace the exterior sooner or later (most likely next year than later) and was wondering? Somthing like "fiber cement" or in that area. Don't think vinal (sp?) siding will be an option.

Thks

 

[Dishpointer]

If you are dead set on coming straight out then you will have to dig some of the slope out. You could then add it to the down hill section until you are level. Use concrete garden pavers to create the base for your steps. By just eyeballing the picture it would only be about 3 steps. Later on you could put in a little retaining wall on the uphill side finish it off by landscaping the area by the corner tree and shrubs.

 

[wushaw]

Whichever way you do your steps I would suggest some type of deck/platform before the door entrance so if you are carrying anything in you will be level with the door.

 

[WhyNot]

If you want to spend a little money you could dig up all them shrub's build a circular (sp) retaining wall from the drive to the wall of the garage, backfill the wall put in a paver walk from the drive to the door and replant all of the shrub's

 

[EddieWalker]

I think the simplest, easiest and cheapest thing to do is copy your wood decking. Just build a platform off the door and some steps leading up to it along your plants.

Since you have brick already in place, I'd float the deck and not use a ledger board. Four posts at the corners shouls be plenty if it's no more than a 4 foot platform. I'd probably make it three feet myself, but it's your call.

Then just run the stairs down until you hit the ground. A concrete pad at the bottom would give you good support and make a good transition to the lawn.

Looks like a fun project,
Eddie