Steps to dock / water

[MadDogMike]

I'm looking for ideas for steps from my house to the dock. I can't use conventional steps because the slope is more shallow than standard household stairs ... about 3 or 4 horizontal feet for every foot of drop. This is what I currently have:

Unfortunately, the wood is rotting, so I want to replace it with something that's rot proof.

I'm looking at doing something like this:

However, the landscape timbers can still rot, so I'm looking for other options for the vertical portion. I looked into synthentic / composite / recycled plastic railroad ties, but they're expensive, very heavy and hard to cut without special equipment. Considering Allen block or stained cement blocks for the vertical portion of the steps. Any ideas?

I'd love to hear & see some ideas & suggestions, and if you have steps down to your dock, please post pics!

thanks,

Mike

[MalibuTime]

That doesn't look all that steep. What about just putting in a sloped paver walkway?

[foiler1]

I'm looking for ideas for steps from my house to the dock. I can't use conventional steps because the slope is more shallow than standard household stairs ... about 3 or 4 horizontal feet for every foot of drop. This is what I currently have:

Unfortunately, the wood is rotting, so I want to replace it with something that's rot proof.

I'm looking at doing something like this:

However, the landscape timbers can still rot, so I'm looking for other options for the vertical portion. I looked into synthentic / composite / recycled plastic railroad ties, but they're expensive, very heavy and hard to cut without special equipment. Considering Allen block or stained cement blocks for the vertical portion of the steps. Any ideas?

I'd love to hear & see some ideas & suggestions, and if you have steps down to your dock, please post pics!

thanks,

Mike

use granite for the ends. Looks great and will outlast you!

[David78337]

What about stamped concrete..

Edited August 12, 2009 by David78337

[Sixball]

[scottserena]

What about stamped concrete..

Stamped concrete and pavers are about the same price installed. Both would be expensive I am a concrete contractor and do stamped concrete.

I would use composite wood, such as Terex. I have it in my place in Havasu and it is bulletproof.

[Michigan boarder]

It would be interesting to see a pic of the house, to make sure the path matches the outside decor. Most likely though, I'd steer away from any rocks or sharp edges and stick with composite, just in case of tripping hazards or toe-stubbing, especially at night time. Then again I'm a bit of a klutz, as well as my kids. Either that or leave bottles of peroxide and bandages at opposite ends of the path.

[MadDogMike]

Thanks for the suggestions. A few comments:

That doesn't look all that steep. What about just putting in a sloped paver walkway?

Yeah, I thought about that. Uphill from the steps there is a sloped path. I find it uncomfortable walking down it. Not sure why, but the steps seem more comfortable to me.

use granite for the ends. Looks great and will outlast you!

Sounds pricey. Do you mean like granite curbing? That might be doable. I wonder how much a 4"x12" granite curb weighs per lineal foot?

I would use composite wood, such as Terex. I have it in my place in Havasu and it is bulletproof.

The problem with that is the Trex decking is only the surface that you step on. They don't make joists or other supports from that material. The surface boards are not what's rotting. What's rotting is the wood that is touching the ground, which in this case was made from pressure-treated landscape timbers. I found a company that makes composite landscape timbers, (Xpotential) but I can't find anyone who carries it. I found someone who carries their 6x6 composite railroad ties, but those are 160 pounds per 8' piece, and I'd need special equipment to cut it. (And they're not cheap, either!)

I'm thinking about using these for the vertical portions:

Thanks for the ideas ... keep 'em coming!

Edited August 12, 2009 by MadDogMike

[MalibuNation]

What about natural stone ... ain't cheap and we know it's heavy. Looks soooooo nice though. I really like the natural look.

Edit: I think Flagstone is a good stone to use in this situation.

Edited August 12, 2009 by MalibuNation

[MalibuNation]

Sixball, is that your house? Nice

[scottserena]

I have worked with a wood called Ipe. Looks like teak, but doesnt need oiling. LOOKS INCREDIBLE!

Expensive, but will last 40+ years

[Baddog]

Sixball, is that your house? Nice

I'll take it.

Can you move it to Cincy for me? Thanks so much.

[Sixball]

Sixball, is that your house? Nice

Ya we had a cottage on the site and said we would retire and build and we did. My wife and I designed the house and I need to pinch myself now it doesn't seam real, until you make payments.

We had a slopping cement walkway but did not like it so we put in the natural rock and like it. Rock is not cheep around here.

[MalibuNation]

Sixball, is that your house? Nice

Ya we had a cottage on the site and said we would retire and build and we did. My wife and I designed the house and I need to pinch myself now it doesn't seam real, until you make payments.

We had a slopping cement walkway but did not like it so we put in the natural rock and like it. Rock is not cheep around here.

Bet that seawall wasn't cheap either.

Back to the subject:

I've got some pour aggregate (sp) steps ... with the little exposed stone ... very nice, ain't cheap.

[MalibuTime]

We have a lot of pavers in our yard, so I made a set of steps by basically using retaining wall block (similar to your photo, but flat faced concrete color), setting them in place, filling them in and squaring them off with concrete, then mortaring in risers made of roman pavers, then mortared on top of the steps treads made of roman pavers. This works well because you can incorporate it into a paver walkway and all of the surface material matches. Hauling all of the block, pavers and concrete is a PITA, but it will never rot, and relatively speaking is not too expensive compared to formed concrete, or a trex type replacement and probably a lot less than placing limestone or granite or what ever you have available for large landscaping steps. I had Lowes deliver everything for an extra $75 and the only special tool you really need is a diamond blade for your skilsaw (about $15).

Edited August 13, 2009 by TheBlackPearl

[MadDogMike]

We have a lot of pavers in our yard, so I made a set of steps by basically using retaining wall block (similar to your photo, but flat faced concrete color), setting them in place, filling them in and squaring them off with concrete, then mortaring in risers made of roman pavers, then mortared on top of the steps treads made of roman pavers. This works well because you can incorporate it into a paver walkway and all of the surface material matches. Hauling all of the block, pavers and concrete is a PITA, but it will never rot, and relatively speaking is not too expensive compared to formed concrete, or a trex type replacement and probably a lot less than placing limestone or granite or what ever you have available for large landscaping steps. I had Lowes deliver everything for an extra $75 and the only special tool you really need is a diamond blade for your skilsaw (about $15).

Sounds good, can you post a pic?

Thanks,

Mike

[Calexan]

Looks like a good opportunity to add a good drinking patio to the walkway....

[MalibuTime]

We have a lot of pavers in our yard, so I made a set of steps by basically using retaining wall block (similar to your photo, but flat faced concrete color), setting them in place, filling them in and squaring them off with concrete, then mortaring in risers made of roman pavers, then mortared on top of the steps treads made of roman pavers. This works well because you can incorporate it into a paver walkway and all of the surface material matches. Hauling all of the block, pavers and concrete is a PITA, but it will never rot, and relatively speaking is not too expensive compared to formed concrete, or a trex type replacement and probably a lot less than placing limestone or granite or what ever you have available for large landscaping steps. I had Lowes deliver everything for an extra $75 and the only special tool you really need is a diamond blade for your skilsaw (about $15).

Sounds good, can you post a pic?

Thanks,

Mike

I don't have one from head on, the edge condition is a bit scrappy but is getting covered by the ivy. This stairway curves and has different length treads to follow the hill, but it is not so funky that you can't walk on it.

Edited August 14, 2009 by TheBlackPearl