If you want to compensate for height differences in your garden area, a terrace with steps to the garden would be the right solution. At the same time, however, these can also be an essential part of the room composition and represent a visual highlight in the outdoor space. This allows you not only to overcome slopes more easily, but also to decorate the garden. With the help of these elements you can also create an interesting anddynamic atmosphere in the garden. So this means that you can create garden stairs both on slopes and on flat ground by creating a height difference yourself. For this reason, we have put together some inspiring examples for you in this article. Browse the following ideas and choose your favorite to beautify the garden.
TheAdding steps to your garden patioor the yard is a great way to improve your outdoor landscaping. These can fit perfectly flat or randomly into a slope fixture. On the other hand, a terrace with stairs leading to the garden provides easy access to move from one level to another and also serves as a walkway. Garden stairs are also less formal than indoor stairs. However, you can adhere to precise measurements and choose them according to your wishes and the theme of the garden. The most popular material for building stairs is stone. Stone steps and stairs look natural and free. In addition to natural stone, rustic wood, concrete blocks and even railway sleepers and bricks are also ideal materials for building garden steps. Stairs made from any material allow you to add important and stylish details to your outdoor space. However, when designing your garden with a terrace, you should also pay attention to the area around the stairs.
Outdoor stairs are one of the first things to do, which people notice in the backyard, so these should also be well maintained. Stairs can also be made by combining two different materials, such as concrete with colored pebbles. Corten steel or patina are also a good choice in combination with concrete for grass areas. You can also integrate lighting to ensure that the stairs are safe to climb at night and look good at the same time. If you are using wood for a patio with steps to the garden, the steps should match the rest of the design. Classic or vintage style furniture works best with the steps of rough cut stone or something cheaper than concrete. Today on the market you can find concrete slabs of different shapes, sizes and colors. In addition, there are inspiring collections and many creative ideas to help you decorate your garden.
Stair construction according to your own needs
Different heights create new and unusual places, and you definitely need stairs in the garden to reach them. For this you can use a variety of landscapes and interesting plays of light and shadow. There you can certainly create a perfect place to enjoy being outside. However, you can also equip various corners of peace and relaxation with benches, garden statues or a gazebo. If your garden is big enough, you can even do thatIdea of a small playground for childrenand consider adults. This will make your garden area unique and reflect your style and character.
You can combine garden stairs so that some of the steps are individually accessible on foot and are therefore far apart from each other. Their type depends on the soil and the position in the garden in relation to the living area. However, before you create the garden stairs, you need to be able to answer several questions. In order to have safe, reliable and comfortable garden paths, you should correctly assess how long they should last. In addition, the height and depth of the steps are crucial. These measurements are usually calculated mathematically with a landscape architect. However, there is also a simple formula that will help you correctly build the terrace with steps to the garden. It is believed that a human step is about 61-65 cm. This gives an average of 62.5 cm. According to the criteria of comfort and safety, this dimension is the sum of the length and width of the two steps. For example 16cm + 16cm + 30cm = 62cm.
Terrace with steps to the garden
In contrast to stairwells, garden stairs offer more design freedom because the dimensions of the step mentioned are not absolutely necessary. They can be much larger than the interior stairs or designed in an unusual shape. If you have a very steep terrain and want to locate the stairs there, they should not be too steep. In this case, a step height should not be more than 10-15 cm. A good staircase in the garden is not less than 30 cm wide, otherwise it will be unsafe. The width should be at least 50-60 cm to ensure the passage of at least one person. If you want, you can also get a one meter wide oneBuild garden stairs. You can also support stairs on steep terrain with a railing on one side for greater comfort and safety.
If the terrain has a small slope, more decorative elements can be considered for creating stairs. For example, you can add interesting decorations on both sides of a wide staircase. Garden decorations will create a wonderful effect here. At both ends of the wide steps you can place flower pots, decorative sculptures or vases. Ornamental grass can be planted on each side of the flower beds. Interesting solutions arise when using different step shapes - circles, semicircles or other less typical shapes are also popular. However, creating a single stage is not recommended. Do this only if you have to and remember that the garden path must be clearly marked to avoid an accident while walking.
Recommended materials and adaptation to architecture
As mentioned above, stairs in the garden are usually made of reinforced concrete, concrete blocks, wood or natural stone. You should leave the surface slightly sloped so that drainage runs smoothly when it rains. After creating the garden stairs, also take care of the decorative elements around it to give it an amazing look. Don't forget that everything in your garden must match the style of the house. However, the material of the stairs should, above all, be durable, weather-resistant and have a rough surface for a nice and safe walk, even when the weather is wet and rainy. In addition, you must avoid any possibility of sliding there.
Through the garden stairs you can also show the dominant architectural style of the house - romantic, rustic or modern. But this allows you to highlight the garden design just as clearly. The most commonly used and most suitable materials for garden stairs are natural materials – wood and stone. Together with the cut stone or stone slabs, you can form small blocks of stone. Various options are also available for decorating and designing stairs with irregular shapes. Innovative solutions can be created by combining small and large stone blocks or stones and bricks in contrasting colors. Recently, artificial stone slabs, which successfully imitate several natural materials, have been used much more often. An elegant step covering can be achieved using wooden panels. This is a special type of wood that is weatherproof and protected against moisture and rot. This coating is beautiful but temporary and requires annual maintenance and care.
Select the design of the terrace
The appropriate design of a garden terrace can be a challenge from both a functional and decorative perspective. This depends primarily on the landscape and the overall concept of the garden and the house. However, with enough imagination, such a terrace with steps to the garden can become a striking focal point and contribute to a better mood in the garden area. The design can be formal and elegant, symmetrical or romantically curved, as well as minimalist and consist of only a few stepping stones. For example, steps that are as wide as the adjacent terrace give the feeling of spaciousness and open up the room. A zigzag pattern requires a deliberate pace to allow the person to take in the changing perspectives. A terrace with steps leading to the garden can also be a focal point where, for example, water flows or is enlivened with plants. Wide stairs can also serve as seating or a place to relax.
For example, wooden stairs can provide access to different levels of a terrace equipped with different design elements such as a water feature or even a whirlpool. Straight and especially floating steps of a staircase also emphasize a modern and linear appearance and design. Polished hardwood or rough and natural stone add beautiful contrast and textural accents to hard surfaces, while wooden steps can add warmth and sophisticated character to the garden.
Contemporary garden design
You could also integrate an elegant wooden bench as a step to the garden and thus connect the upper and lower parts of the terrace. This will make the stairs seem like a design feature. This also provides more functional seating for the entertainment area. The simple and minimalist design made of paving stones can also consist of a short series of steps. The paving of the steps contrasts with the deep green tones of the garden and the privacy screen, if you have one.
A large family garden usually has only curves and slopes with no straight lines. Rounded steps are not only suitable for this, but also very functional. In addition, you can use it to control the changes to the terrain and enable a decorative, circular garden design. In this case, the steps can be made of different materials such as stone and brick, providing both texture and color contrasts. Adding wide patio stairs to the garden can also be a practical and stylish solution. These emphasize the view of large, impressive areas and offer an additional entertainment and lounge area.
