Thanks for explaining the tools and accessories as well. Looking to do something like this on a pond bank. Would be steeper, but the concept is the same.
Really well-done! Thanks for sharing this vid. I wish the "professional" that we recently paid to build somewhat similar steps, had watched your vid first! I will now need to rebuild them, and will use your technique as a template. Cheers.
Looks great! Thanks for sharing! I will be doing this soon in my back yard leading down to my putting green and was starting to feel a little over-whelmed at building the stairs myself. You've made me feel better about tackling this project myself. Thanks!
Really good video. Im starting on a step project very soon and plan to follow this. Thanks for taking the time to make the video to help others out. My only slight change might be more gravel on the bottoms of each side to help with drainage and prolong life. But I am in a really heavy clay soil so theres no drainage at all. Yours looks better than mine. Those stairs should last a very time.
Good luck with your project! More gravel is always better. It ends up being a balance with how much digging you can or want to do. I’m over a year in, and the stairs look great! I’ll need to add a little gravel topping next spring, as it has settled down a bit. Thanks for watching!
I’m doing similar steps, except I tied the two side pieces together with Spax screws, and also the upper step to the lower step just to give it more strength and prevent steps from shifting. Instead of the black gravel I put in 8x16 concrete patio pavers. Also I put a small radius on the step edges with a router to prevent splinters.
Thanks @Christopher Orapello! They’ve held up great for me the past couple years. I just need to top off the gravel a little bit, as it has settled with the freeze-thaw.
Hi. Thank you for the well explained building of steps. Helps me a lot. I am pretty much doing the same idea up the side of my house partially from a shed to flat ground. I’m wondering about the possibility of weeds growing up through the dirt and sand. I thought I should put landscape fabric in the steps before filling them with the dirt and sand and gravel. We might also use boards nailed on the 4X4’s instead of gravel. Like a boardwalk look. Any thoughts or help with this? Also do I need to calculate how many steps I need according to the rise and distance? Thank so much again. Lynn
Hi Lynn- landscape fabric or even just poly sheeting isn’t a bad idea. Because each of my steps is filled with a packed, very inorganic, sand, I chose not to use fabric. On the rocks toward the house I definitely used plastic sheeting. The idea of using planking is great! Should work out nicely. For estimating your materials, it is nice to measure the total height, then divide by your chosen step height. This gives you total number of stairs. Winging it is certainly ok too!;) Good luck!
Great job and looks fantastic. I think DG (decomposed granite) would be perfect for the fill as it compacts and doesn't wash out although is not pleasant on bare feet.
Good comment! I dug out the top inch or so and refilled with a crushed product from a local mine. It’s sort of like class 5. It’s hard on bare feet, but not nearly as messy as the black sand. That stuff got everywhere!
As others have said, Exceptional video, amigo. I’m considering a similar project on the side of my house that stays icy and frozen longer come spring. I was thinking on slab goshen stone steps with four inches of gravel and crushed stone as a base, but now I am reconsidering and looking at your technique. BTW....I Couldn’t help but laugh at the end there, where the final distance from your final tread to the porch deck was equally divided by 7. Sometimes, just once in a blue moon, the landscaping gods are working in our favor!!!
Hey GM Andres! Thanks for the comment. Yes, the measurements on this project were total luck! And you’re right, it seems to never go that way. Just yesterday I was pounding on a wall to try to gain 1/4” that I needed to squeeze in the final cabinet. That’s more normal for me! Good luck with whatever method you choose!
Excellent video dude I got a similar project and I was trying to figure out in my head how this would work and it's exactly like you're doing thank you so much I can go ahead and finish this job with confidence
Looks great! Your plan/approach will be perfect for what I am trying to do. Question, how long are the rebar stakes? Do they go past the wood into the ground?
Doing some work recently. Someone just shared with me the messiness of the decomposed granite(black sand) that you used as well they ended up treating it with a stabilizer which reduces washout and binds it a bit.
Yeah that’s a good idea. I scraped out the top inch or two and replaced it with a crushed gravel product. It packs tight and doesn’t get on everything. Tough on bare feet though.
As I landscaper, I recently ripped one of this style of Timber framed steps out for a customer. It was a home they bought with the steps. The prior person put in thin rectangular pavers that sunk about 4 inches below the top of the timbers. When I lifted them out, the base was several inches of loose material with no crusher run gravel base. I offered to redo with a better base, but the customer was so frustrated, and some the timbers were rotting and attracting bugs that the customer refused. It was pressure treated, but I think some of the timber stock must have been from poor quality wood. I had an offer on stone steps, but customer opted for concrete. It was tough getting the screws to turn out, I used a sawz all. very well constructed. Then customer wanted all timber cut less than 3 foot, so the garbage pick up would not charge then extra.
@@elaineclark6210 Curious if you used pressure treated 4x4's, looking at the wood it didn't look like it was. Was thinking of doing a build using your process but with treated wood.
On the list of tools you forgot to mention an important item that is sitting on the rock behind you and that is a nice cold one. There is a nice sense of achievement that everyone should do during a project and that is to step back and appreciate how well a project is doing and sip on a nice cold one
Very informative. Can you tell me, when you lifted the top soil from inside the steps, did you take out all the soil and replace it with sand or just the front section? Thanks.
Hello- I did not remove all the topsoil and grass from inside the steps. I ended up taking out only what I needed to, as I didn’t want to bring in more fill sand than necessary. So the sand is certainly thicker near the front of each stair and thinner near the back. I hope that helps!
Hi Steve ! Looks great ! Nice job ! How did you come up with a calculation of the slop ? And yes , you are lucky that you have a nice soil that you can simply dig up ! I have a lot of rocks here in CT , so wish me good luck to dig this up 😀
Hi Igor- my method was very crude. I stood at the bottom of the hill and sighted across a level to a point higher up the hill and marked that spot. Then I measured from the ground to my eye. That measurement is then the rise between the base of the hill and the point I sighted in. Then starting at the top, I was able to use a 4’ level and measure down to my sighted in point. Adding those two measurements together have me the total rise I had to deal with. Very rudimentary, but it works! You can then divide that rise by your stair height (7” in my case) to get the total number of steps. Finding the tread depth is trickier, as you need to get a true horizontal length measurement. You can probably estimate it, then divide by E number of steps. That is your average tread depth. Mine was 39”, but I varied each tread to match the existing slope. Some were 42”, some were 32”, depending on the adjacent ground. Good luck with the rocks!
Hi Jason! Yeah I think you should do that. At first I was thinking about ease of replacing the top riser piece, but in reality I can just pull the whole riser off by backing out the screws going into the tread pieces. Fewer holes exposed to the elements is always a plus! Good idea and good luck!
Yeah, you could pre-drill the holes if you didn’t want to use the huge wood auger bit. You’d need something long and skinny to align the holes before pounding in the rebar. Not a bad idea! The wood auger bit was a beast to use. Thanks for the feedback!
Use a MAX SDS drill with a rebar attachment. Makes doing the rebar not only a lot faster but also limits damage from missing the rebar and hitting the wood and also limits causing unwanted movement in the steps.
It looks perfect this spring! The only thing I see is that my gravel topping settled a little bit, but it will only take a few buckets worth to top it off again. Thanks for the feedback! Good luck!
@@NashwaukSteve I have finished the stairs. Not as many as yours, and I had to change the length to match the changing grade. If you are interested in seeing what your tutorial has inspired, I'd love to share some pictures with you. I don't know if you have a social site for something like that. Either way, thank you so much for your help. The path that was quite treacherous in the mud is now safe.
I’m so glad to hear that your project was a success!! It is so satisfying to hear your feedback, so I can share in your sense of satisfaction and pride. I’d love to see the final product, but I don’t know the best way to do that from here.
Good stuff Steve. Did you also nail the two 4x4 treads to each other? Or are they just resting on top of each other and secured to the risers? Any particular reason if you didn’t ?
The treads are just stacked, but the rebar spikes from the riser above go through both to keep them aligned. You certainly could attach them. I just didn’t want to add extra holes or spend any more... I’m a bit cheap!
Hi Troy- yeah I think you could probably rotate 10-15 degrees. You just might need to drill your rebar holes closer to the edges of your riser or angle them slightly to still get into the tread below. If you were willing to make each riser custom, you could measure each one on the angle you want before making it. That would be a more aesthetic way of doing it. Honestly, my plan A was to make my stairs on a curve going around the house. Plan B won. Good luck!
Incredible work and even better explanation. Looks great. Curious as to how things have settled a few years later? Would you do anything different now? Thanks for the great upload!
It’s held up really well actually. The only maintenance is adding some gravel to the treads every spring. If I did it again, I’d lay fabric below the gravel so it wouldn’t sink into the existing soil. I’m very happy with it !
Hi. Nice job and thanks for sharing. I may have missed it but wondering how you kept it square going up for the whole length? Did you measure off the house to the edge of each step? Thanks😊
Hi Ian- yes I made a line parallel to my house and aimed for that. Also the “tread” pieces pairs were always the same length, so as long as each upper step overlapped the lower treads equally, I’d stay straight. Hope that helps!
Nice informative video.Quick question on how you got started. Did you use 2- 4x4’s back to back and then rest your 4x4’s on the side in one of these? Hard to explain but perhaps you know where I’m going with that.
Hi Martin- not sure I completely understand, but I’ll try to explain. I started by digging out where my bottom stair goes, then adding in some gravel for a base and leveling. Then the first step is just like the others as I show. 2- 4x4’s as the riser and two more ick from the riser on each side. I hope that helps, but feel free to clarify.
When it rains, is it possible to have material from the above step wash down to a lower step? It appears like there is a little gap that might allow that to happen. Did you consider attaching landscaping fabric at the bottom to contain the fill or am I just not seeing it right? Also, my application is not straight up a hill. My path curves to the left, eventually ending in a 90 degree similar to yours. Do you think I could angle each tier slightly to accommodate the curve or would I be better served looking at a different method? Really informative video btw!
This is my exact thought. I have some steps like this and the fill washes out through the step below. When I redid them I made “boxes” for each step so the step front above sits on the step back piece below. This provides a full block so the soil can’t “bleed” through. Basically imagine what he did in the video, but with an additional piece of wood in the back.
Nice video. Are your runs different lengths? It looks like they may be when looking from the top down, in which case they will be a potential tripping hazard. In any flight of stairs, the rise and run should remain constant, excepting predictable landings, within a small tolerance.
Hi Samuel- yes my runs were differing lengths. I did that intentionally to match the grade of the surrounding terrain, as I wanted to avoid any extra cut or fill. I see your point about the tripping hazard. It’s good to mention that. The previous access was walking up a hillside that was very slippery in rain or snow. I biffed it a few times! These stairs are certainly a safety improvement over that.
Great video mate! (From austria - no kangaroos) :D no realy.i looking for a solution like yours. and this seems to be a good and madeable one for me. Thanks for the inspiration
Awesome instructional video. I am working on a raised garden bed. Can you guide me on what type of bit I should use to drive the SPAC screws. I don't think I have that type of bit.
@@NashwaukSteve Thanks very much. I ordered SHOCKWAVE T30 Torx 2 -inch Impact Duty Steel Power Bit as I couldn't find the right answer in google. I will order the T-40 bit. The other aspect I am wondering is about the rebar. Is it necessary and if so is there a way I can get "cut rebar" as I don't have the tools to cut it. Thanks
Hi Natarajan- yes I think the rebar is necessary to keep the steps from moving around relative to one another. Without the rebar, I think the stairs may shift over time. But yes, it looks like Lowe’s sells “rebar stakes” that are precut to around 18”. I hope that helps!
Thanks for watching, B. Chaney! Yes I did put rebar on the first step to anchor it. I have a tendency to bump things with the mower, so I want to give these some strength!
First off thanks for this video you don't know how much it helped for a Landscaping job I just did quick question though how did u know how to figure out the measurements of the steps from bottom to top or did you just build it up w 2 4x4s n figured out the even out elevation once at the top?
Hi @jose suarez- I was pretty unsophisticated. I stood at the bottom of my hill and sighted across the top of my level to a point on the ground. Then I measured the height of my eye and knew that that point on the ground was exactly my eye-height value. Then my point on the ground was tall enough that I could use a 4’ level and tape measure to figure out the test of my rise. Number of stairs needed = total rise divided by stair height (7” in my case) Average tread depth = total length or run divided by number of stairs needed Good luck
Hi Dave- I actually didn’t use the long screws on the tread pieces, so that’s why you don’t see screw heads there. The fronts are screwed to the riser and the rebar holds the backs in place. You certainly could use screws to hold the treads together, not a bad idea at all- I was just being cheap!
Yes, certainly. I almost did that on mine. After thinking about it, I wish I would have. My initial thought was “if I ever need to replace a piece, having access to the screws would make it easier.” Now I realize with the rebar stakes in there, it’ll be some work anyway. I vote for hiding the screws now.
Hi Steve, question on the rebar spikes. I plan on using 6”x6” timbers so my spikes need to be mighty long. Do your rebar spikes have heads like nails and what length do you suggest to go through both timbers and go into the ground enough to make a difference?
Hi George! Yes your spikes will need to be long, but nothing too crazy. If it were me, I’d shoot for 24” spikes. Mine did not have heads on them. I just cut the pieces out of some 10’ lengths I bought at Lowe’s. Good luck!
I’m so glad to hear it worked out for you! It warms my heart to know that someone gets some sort of help or inspiration from my videos. I appreciate you letting me know how it went. That is very fulfilling to me!
Looking to do something similar in the summer / fall but first need the fence installed to get my baseline as to where the steps would start/end. The biggest question I’m not too clear on yet and I’m gonna look for a diagram is how to determine how many steps you need for the slope of the hill. I think I could essentially pound a tall steak or rod into bottom area and the tie a string to the top then extend to where the stairs start by fence gate entrance ensure the string is level and take that length plus height measurement. Then divide that by the number of steps I want ect
Hi Joshua- yeah your method would work, I think. I was pretty unsophisticated. I stood at the bottom of my hill and sighted across the top of my level to a point on the ground. Then I measured the height of my eye and knew that that point on the ground was exactly my eye-height value. Then my point on the ground was tall enough that I could use a 4’ level and tape measure to figure out the test of my rise. Number of stairs needed = total rise divided by stair height (7” in my case) Average tread depth = total length or run divided by number of stairs needed Good luck!
Amazing and very interesting video again. Great information and very helpful.. Do keep posting more ideas Warm regards and best wishes The UnknownManCub 👍😎👨🏭
Do you NEED to put gravel under the 4X4s to level, or if it's level with tamped dirt, is that sufficient? Also, if you MUST put gravel, what kind is best? Thanks!
Gravel with a nice mix of fines through 3/4” will pack nice and firm. This will keep the 4x4s from shifting seasonally. Tamped soil may settle over time, especially if freeze-thaw is a concern. Class 5 gravel is really good, but I use whatever is available to me. A crushed gravel with angular rocks, rather than rounded, natural ones will be best. Good luck!
You were Fortunate to finish with 21 Inches from the Lower Landing up to the Main Deck (Qty3 Steps at 7 Inches). I'm going to have an Odd Dimension for my Final Step ... But it will be okay. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Much appreciated.
😊😊 😊😊3 years later, how is it holding up?? I have clay soil and like your plan. But I am considering putting down crushed gravel covered with a fabric cloth under the steps and putting in a high quality grass on each step. I will have 5 steps. What do you think?
The stairs are doing great! The only maintenance is adding a little gravel to the stair treads to level them off in the spring. It seems like my gravel is slowly sinking into the native soil. Your idea sounds good to me, especially the fabric, as that’s probably why I’m losing gravel. Go for it and God speed!
Hi David- yeah you might be able to drill the 4x4s ahead of time. My concern would be keeping the drill holes perfectly plumb so the hole exits the bottom of the 4x4 exactly where it was started in top. If the bit wanders or if you hole isn’t plumb, then your fit will not be flush when you pound in the rebar in to join the pieces together. Thanks for watching!
@@NashwaukSteve i was so inspired by your creativity I am going to make a couple. Thank you for sharing. If you glued them wonder if nails would work just as good?
Good luck! I’m glad my project inspired you! I think construction adhesive and big nails would work just fine. “Liquid Nails” is a staple for me around my place.
Nice job! Can you take post updated pictures so I can see how it looks after a year. I have the same problem and you this would help me a lot before I start. Thank you In advance.
The sand will drain but I would be worried about it washing out with a hard rain. I would probably have used what is called Pack. It is part decomposed granite and stonedust. It will easily perculate thru but also stay in place when tamped. There is als Polymeric sand that when wetted will get a firm surface. Did you think about boards on the surface? If you painted the boards with a texture paint they will maintain traction. It looks like you have a problem with washout along the foundation I saw behind you. Do you have a problem with water infiltration in the basement area?
Hi Michael- I ended up removing the top inch of sand and replacing it with a crushed rock gravel product from a local iron mine (free!) The sand wasn’t washing out, but it was tracking around on bare feet. The gravel is cleaner and packs better. I considered boards, but wanted the gravel, state park, kind of look. No washouts anywhere, just a place that gets no sun and has no vegetation. It’s actually all ballast rock now. I’ve got a drain tile around the basement, so no water gets there. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for explaining the tools and accessories as well. Looking to do something like this on a pond bank. Would be steeper, but the concept is the same.
Thanks for the great advice mate, I'm keen on giving this a go. Regards from Australia 👍
I don't know about stairs but I could definitely use that concept for garden beds on a slope. Thank you kind sir for posting this.
Hello- certainly this would work for garden beds! Just backfill with some organic soil and off you go! Thanks for watching!
but then what would you use for stairs to attend to those beds?
Some people say not to use treated lumber for garden beds, but the general construction method could still be applicable.
Great job, great ideas, thank you!
cool !That gives me a starting place . Thanks !
Thank you Steve. Appreciate your response.
Thanks. The stairs look super useful.
Thank you the posting this I've been looking all over the Internet for someone that could explain it to where I understood
This is exactly the info that I needed. Well done!
Thanks Steve, great job. I have the same project planned for Spring ‘22. Your video is a huge help.
Ditto... but Spring in Wyoming may not get here until August.
This is awesome. Thanks for sharing
Really well-done! Thanks for sharing this vid. I wish the "professional" that we recently paid to build somewhat similar steps, had watched your vid first! I will now need to rebuild them, and will use your technique as a template. Cheers.
Sorry to hear you had a bad experience on the first run. Good luck on the rebuild!
Looks great!
Looks great! Thanks for sharing! I will be doing this soon in my back yard leading down to my putting green and was starting to feel a little over-whelmed at building the stairs myself. You've made me feel better about tackling this project myself. Thanks!
Hi @Ben Minus! I’m so glad the video helped! Good luck with your project!
Thank you for the fantastic video!
You can add a super slide on the other side for the kids and quick delivery to the bottom. You made it look so easy.
Great idea!
Great work, looks wonderful!
Thanks for watching, John! I appreciate your comment!
Thank you! This video helps immensely. I feel much better about the steps we will be making on our side yard hill.
Thanks for watching Gaby Hidde! I’m very happy with the stairs. Good luck with yours!
Great job, Looks like you invested alotta time, labor, and money in this project.
Great video mate! (From Australia!). :)
Thank you. Very helpful. Doing this job now. Glad I came across your excellent video
That’s great! I’m happy you can get some use from the video! Good luck!
Well done thanks for sharing.
Really good video. Im starting on a step project very soon and plan to follow this. Thanks for taking the time to make the video to help others out. My only slight change might be more gravel on the bottoms of each side to help with drainage and prolong life. But I am in a really heavy clay soil so theres no drainage at all. Yours looks better than mine. Those stairs should last a very time.
Good luck with your project! More gravel is always better. It ends up being a balance with how much digging you can or want to do. I’m over a year in, and the stairs look great! I’ll need to add a little gravel topping next spring, as it has settled down a bit. Thanks for watching!
Looks great!! Nice clean job and inspiration for my own step project. Thank you
Hi @Donald Ritchie - Thanks for watching and sharing your kind words! Good luck on your project!!
I’m doing similar steps, except I tied the two side pieces together with Spax screws, and also the upper step to the lower step just to give it more strength and prevent steps from shifting. Instead of the black gravel I put in 8x16 concrete patio pavers. Also I put a small radius on the step edges with a router to prevent splinters.
Hi Ken- sounds like some nice touches you’re adding! Should be a solid project! Nice!!
What do u do about wood rot? If it's pressure treated and cuts are made to the wood, does the cut side need to be treated?
Cut and Seal is the product I use to seal cut ends.
Nice job. Thanks.
Making stairs into our new greenhouse and love this design!
Hi Lisa gr! Thanks for the comment! Good luck with your project!
That came out awesome! Thanks for the video
Hi mike- thanks for the comment!
Looks great! Love how it was constructed and your presentation was excellent. Thank you!
Thanks @Christopher Orapello! They’ve held up great for me the past couple years. I just need to top off the gravel a little bit, as it has settled with the freeze-thaw.
Really looks good and safe. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching and commenting! I appreciate it!
Thanks for watching and commenting! I appreciate it!
Excellent work my Midwesterner neighbor!
Thanks for the comment!
Excellent tutorial. Thanks
You did a great job on the steps and the video! It will help me tremendously on my backyard step project....thank you!
Hi gregmgm06- thanks for the kind comment! Good luck on your project!
Turned out pretty nice!! I am looking to something similar with railroad ties and brick!!
Railroad ties are toxic - I’d consider using a material that won’t be carcinogenic for family, pets, wildlife, etc.
Nice work!!! Thank you for the video.
Thanks for watching!
Hi. Thank you for the well explained building of steps. Helps me a lot. I am pretty much doing the same idea up the side of my house partially from a shed to flat ground. I’m wondering about the possibility of weeds growing up through the dirt and sand. I thought I should put landscape fabric in the steps before filling them with the dirt and sand and gravel. We might also use boards nailed on the 4X4’s instead of gravel. Like a boardwalk look. Any thoughts or help with this? Also do I need to calculate how many steps I need according to the rise and distance? Thank so much again. Lynn
Hi Lynn- landscape fabric or even just poly sheeting isn’t a bad idea. Because each of my steps is filled with a packed, very inorganic, sand, I chose not to use fabric. On the rocks toward the house I definitely used plastic sheeting. The idea of using planking is great! Should work out nicely. For estimating your materials, it is nice to measure the total height, then divide by your chosen step height. This gives you total number of stairs. Winging it is certainly ok too!;) Good luck!
Nice work Thanks!
That turned out really nice.
Hi PS- thank you for that kind comment!
Awesome. Your method has given me inspiration for my project. Very similar.
Hi Paul! Good luck on the project! I’m glad my video helped out a bit.
Looks great
Great job and looks fantastic. I think DG (decomposed granite) would be perfect for the fill as it compacts and doesn't wash out although is not pleasant on bare feet.
Good comment! I dug out the top inch or so and refilled with a crushed product from a local mine. It’s sort of like class 5. It’s hard on bare feet, but not nearly as messy as the black sand. That stuff got everywhere!
As others have said, Exceptional video, amigo. I’m considering a similar project on the side of my house that stays icy and frozen longer come spring. I was thinking on slab goshen stone steps with four inches of gravel and crushed stone as a base, but now I am reconsidering and looking at your technique. BTW....I Couldn’t help but laugh at the end there, where the final distance from your final tread to the porch deck was equally divided by 7. Sometimes, just once in a blue moon, the landscaping gods are working in our favor!!!
Hey GM Andres! Thanks for the comment. Yes, the measurements on this project were total luck! And you’re right, it seems to never go that way. Just yesterday I was pounding on a wall to try to gain 1/4” that I needed to squeeze in the final cabinet. That’s more normal for me! Good luck with whatever method you choose!
Great video. Very educational. We're just starting a similar project. Glad we saw this.
Glad it was helpful!
Great job !
Thanks for the comment!
nice job with the steps and the video,, thank you.
Excellent video dude I got a similar project and I was trying to figure out in my head how this would work and it's exactly like you're doing thank you so much I can go ahead and finish this job with confidence
Glad it helps! Good luck my friend!
Looks amazing! Great Job!
You should try using the mulch / gravel glue on the black sand. Should help with not tracking it all over.
Thanks for the comment! The tracking isn’t bad, but you have a good idea!
This exactly what I was looking for my project - Thank you
Glad I could help!
Good video. Thank you. I'm going to do the same thing next weekend, but I'm going to add the rubber pavers as my step treads instead of gravel.
Hi David Stout- yes, the rubber pavers are a great idea! Good luck!
Looks great! Your plan/approach will be perfect for what I am trying to do. Question, how long are the rebar stakes? Do they go past the wood into the ground?
Hi Dave, yes they do go somewhat into the ground, just to anchor the stairs if I bump them with the mower, or whatever. The stakes were 18-20” long.
Good job. At today’s lumber prices---.
Turned out nice 👍
Thanks! Still loving the stairs years later!
Ah-mazzing video man covered a lot thank you!!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the comment!
Looks awsome thanks.
Thanks for the comment!
nice job and calm cool and collected explanation
Thank you kindly!
Brilliant job
Thank you! I’m happy with the end result!
Doing some work recently. Someone just shared with me the messiness of the decomposed granite(black sand) that you used as well they ended up treating it with a stabilizer which reduces washout and binds it a bit.
Yeah that’s a good idea. I scraped out the top inch or two and replaced it with a crushed gravel product. It packs tight and doesn’t get on everything. Tough on bare feet though.
As I landscaper, I recently ripped one of this style of Timber framed steps out for a customer. It was a home they bought with the steps. The prior person put in thin rectangular pavers that sunk about 4 inches below the top of the timbers. When I lifted them out, the base was several inches of loose material with no crusher run gravel base. I offered to redo with a better base, but the customer was so frustrated, and some the timbers were rotting and attracting bugs that the customer refused. It was pressure treated, but I think some of the timber stock must have been from poor quality wood. I had an offer on stone steps, but customer opted for concrete.
It was tough getting the screws to turn out, I used a sawz all. very well constructed. Then customer wanted all timber cut less than 3 foot, so the garbage pick up would not charge then extra.
Yeah mine's rottening out after ten years😢
@@elaineclark6210 Curious if you used pressure treated 4x4's, looking at the wood it didn't look like it was. Was thinking of doing a build using your process but with treated wood.
Great video you explained the process very well
Glad it was helpful!
On the list of tools you forgot to mention an important item that is sitting on the rock behind you and that is a nice cold one. There is a nice sense of achievement that everyone should do during a project and that is to step back and appreciate how well a project is doing and sip on a nice cold one
Very informative. Can you tell me, when you lifted the top soil from inside the steps, did you take out all the soil and replace it with sand or just the front section? Thanks.
Hello- I did not remove all the topsoil and grass from inside the steps. I ended up taking out only what I needed to, as I didn’t want to bring in more fill sand than necessary. So the sand is certainly thicker near the front of each stair and thinner near the back. I hope that helps!
Love the video man doing the same thing and was wondering how much material as in wood you had to get. Thanks man
Hi Jacob- I bought 30 six-foot 4x4’s and about 15 eight-food 4x4’s. It took a lot of lumber! Good luck!
Hi Steve ! Looks great ! Nice job ! How did you come up with a calculation of the slop ? And yes , you are lucky that you have a nice soil that you can simply dig up ! I have a lot of rocks here in CT , so wish me good luck to dig this up 😀
Hi Igor- my method was very crude. I stood at the bottom of the hill and sighted across a level to a point higher up the hill and marked that spot. Then I measured from the ground to my eye. That measurement is then the rise between the base of the hill and the point I sighted in. Then starting at the top, I was able to use a 4’ level and measure down to my sighted in point. Adding those two measurements together have me the total rise I had to deal with. Very rudimentary, but it works! You can then divide that rise by your stair height (7” in my case) to get the total number of steps. Finding the tread depth is trickier, as you need to get a true horizontal length measurement. You can probably estimate it, then divide by E number of steps. That is your average tread depth. Mine was 39”, but I varied each tread to match the existing slope. Some were 42”, some were 32”, depending on the adjacent ground. Good luck with the rocks!
Nashwauk Steve Steve , thank you very much for reply sir!
Thanks for the video. I was thinking of installing the riser "upside down" so that the screw heads are hidden
Hi Jason! Yeah I think you should do that. At first I was thinking about ease of replacing the top riser piece, but in reality I can just pull the whole riser off by backing out the screws going into the tread pieces. Fewer holes exposed to the elements is always a plus! Good idea and good luck!
Hide the screws by using joining plates with screws in buried under the fill material.
Great video thanks, very informative. Is there a reason the rebar holes can’t be pre-drilled?
Yeah, you could pre-drill the holes if you didn’t want to use the huge wood auger bit. You’d need something long and skinny to align the holes before pounding in the rebar. Not a bad idea! The wood auger bit was a beast to use. Thanks for the feedback!
Nashwauk Steve 👍 Thanks again for taking the time to film and share your knowlege.
Use a MAX SDS drill with a rebar attachment. Makes doing the rebar not only a lot faster but also limits damage from missing the rebar and hitting the wood and also limits causing unwanted movement in the steps.
Hi Von Trap, yeah that seems like a great way to install the rebar. Thanks for the comment!
This tutorial is well done. Starting to try this now. I was wondering how it's held up for the past 9 months.
It looks perfect this spring! The only thing I see is that my gravel topping settled a little bit, but it will only take a few buckets worth to top it off again. Thanks for the feedback! Good luck!
@@NashwaukSteve I have finished the stairs. Not as many as yours, and I had to change the length to match the changing grade. If you are interested in seeing what your tutorial has inspired, I'd love to share some pictures with you. I don't know if you have a social site for something like that. Either way, thank you so much for your help. The path that was quite treacherous in the mud is now safe.
I’m so glad to hear that your project was a success!! It is so satisfying to hear your feedback, so I can share in your sense of satisfaction and pride. I’d love to see the final product, but I don’t know the best way to do that from here.
Good stuff Steve. Did you also nail the two 4x4 treads to each other? Or are they just resting on top of each other and secured to the risers? Any particular reason if you didn’t ?
The treads are just stacked, but the rebar spikes from the riser above go through both to keep them aligned. You certainly could attach them. I just didn’t want to add extra holes or spend any more... I’m a bit cheap!
Great video and instruction. If I need to add a slight angle to align to the stair, can the steps be rotated 10-15 degrees? thanks. Troy
Hi Troy- yeah I think you could probably rotate 10-15 degrees. You just might need to drill your rebar holes closer to the edges of your riser or angle them slightly to still get into the tread below. If you were willing to make each riser custom, you could measure each one on the angle you want before making it. That would be a more aesthetic way of doing it. Honestly, my plan A was to make my stairs on a curve going around the house. Plan B won. Good luck!
Incredible work and even better explanation. Looks great. Curious as to how things have settled a few years later? Would you do anything different now? Thanks for the great upload!
It’s held up really well actually. The only maintenance is adding some gravel to the treads every spring. If I did it again, I’d lay fabric below the gravel so it wouldn’t sink into the existing soil. I’m very happy with it !
Hi. Nice job and thanks for sharing. I may have missed it but wondering how you kept it square going up for the whole length? Did you measure off the house to the edge of each step? Thanks😊
Hi Ian- yes I made a line parallel to my house and aimed for that. Also the “tread” pieces pairs were always the same length, so as long as each upper step overlapped the lower treads equally, I’d stay straight. Hope that helps!
@@NashwaukSteve Thanks and thanks again for the great video!😊 We are using it as the 'base' of our project😉
Nice informative video.Quick question on how you got started. Did you use 2- 4x4’s back to back and then rest your 4x4’s on the side in one of these? Hard to explain but perhaps you know where I’m going with that.
Hi Martin- not sure I completely understand, but I’ll try to explain. I started by digging out where my bottom stair goes, then adding in some gravel for a base and leveling. Then the first step is just like the others as I show. 2- 4x4’s as the riser and two more ick from the riser on each side. I hope that helps, but feel free to clarify.
When it rains, is it possible to have material from the above step wash down to a lower step? It appears like there is a little gap that might allow that to happen. Did you consider attaching landscaping fabric at the bottom to contain the fill or am I just not seeing it right? Also, my application is not straight up a hill. My path curves to the left, eventually ending in a 90 degree similar to yours. Do you think I could angle each tier slightly to accommodate the curve or would I be better served looking at a different method? Really informative video btw!
This is my exact thought. I have some steps like this and the fill washes out through the step below. When I redid them I made “boxes” for each step so the step front above sits on the step back piece below. This provides a full block so the soil can’t “bleed” through. Basically imagine what he did in the video, but with an additional piece of wood in the back.
Nice video. Are your runs different lengths? It looks like they may be when looking from the top down, in which case they will be a potential tripping hazard. In any flight of stairs, the rise and run should remain constant, excepting predictable landings, within a small tolerance.
Hi Samuel- yes my runs were differing lengths. I did that intentionally to match the grade of the surrounding terrain, as I wanted to avoid any extra cut or fill. I see your point about the tripping hazard. It’s good to mention that. The previous access was walking up a hillside that was very slippery in rain or snow. I biffed it a few times! These stairs are certainly a safety improvement over that.
What diameter auger bit and rebar did you use? Thank you for the great video! It is very clear and easy to follow :)
Thanks for the comment! I used 1/2” rebar with a 1/2” wood auger bit. There was definitely some friction when pounding them in!
Could you have predrilled the lower wood to save your back a bit?
Grest video! Do you have the lenght and diameter of the auger drill bit and the ground stakes? Maybe link to where you got the stakes? Thsnks
Great video! Can you tell me what length rebar you are using?
Hello- the rebar stakes were 18-20” long. I just cut them from a few 10’ pieces I bought at Lowe’s. Angle grinder worked great!
Looks great! Thank you for sharing! How long did this project take to do?
Thanks for watching and commenting! It didn’t take all that long if I recall correctly. Mostly done in a weekend.
Great video mate! (From austria - no kangaroos) :D no realy.i looking for a solution like yours. and this seems to be a good and madeable one for me. Thanks for the inspiration
Hi uhudla42! I’m glad it’s useful for you! Good luck!
Awesome instructional video. I am working on a raised garden bed. Can you guide me on what type of bit I should use to drive the SPAC screws. I don't think I have that type of bit.
Hello! It takes a T-40 bit, otherwise known as a Torx 40 bit. The box of Spax screws I bought came with that bit, so that helps. Good luck!
@@NashwaukSteve Thanks very much. I ordered
SHOCKWAVE T30 Torx 2 -inch Impact Duty Steel Power Bit as I couldn't find the right answer in google. I will order the T-40 bit. The other aspect I am wondering is about the rebar. Is it necessary and if so is there a way I can get "cut rebar" as I don't have the tools to cut it. Thanks
Hi Natarajan- yes I think the rebar is necessary to keep the steps from moving around relative to one another. Without the rebar, I think the stairs may shift over time. But yes, it looks like Lowe’s sells “rebar stakes” that are precut to around 18”. I hope that helps!
@@NashwaukSteve Perfect thank you. Will check it out.
Good video. I just ripped out my old stairs and am going to use this as a guide for the new ones
I’m looking to do something really similar with my backyard.
Did you have to use any concrete at all?
And did you use treated lumber?
I did not use any concrete. All stairs were filled with sand and gravel only. All of the wood is pressure treated. Good luck!
Nice. You made it look so easy. Did you use rebar on the first step?
Thanks for watching, B. Chaney! Yes I did put rebar on the first step to anchor it. I have a tendency to bump things with the mower, so I want to give these some strength!
Thanks for the video! What are those screws called and what size? I'm using 8×6 timber
Hi Ryan Keenan - they are called Spax screws. I was using 6” ones, but they come in a variety of sizes. Thanks for watching and good luck!
Just a thought, assemble all four sides of each stair and predrill for the rebar rods so it easier to install them. Good job
Thanks!
First off thanks for this video you don't know how much it helped for a Landscaping job I just did quick question though how did u know how to figure out the measurements of the steps from bottom to top or did you just build it up w 2 4x4s n figured out the even out elevation once at the top?
Hi @jose suarez- I was pretty unsophisticated. I stood at the bottom of my hill and sighted across the top of my level to a point on the ground. Then I measured the height of my eye and knew that that point on the ground was exactly my eye-height value. Then my point on the ground was tall enough that I could use a 4’ level and tape measure to figure out the test of my rise.
Number of stairs needed = total rise divided by stair height (7” in my case)
Average tread depth = total length or run divided by number of stairs needed
Good luck
Awesome, I used your guide to build mine. I’m going 4’wide. QQ-For the treads, why would you flip them so your speak screws are facing down?
Hi Dave- I actually didn’t use the long screws on the tread pieces, so that’s why you don’t see screw heads there. The fronts are screwed to the riser and the rebar holds the backs in place. You certainly could use screws to hold the treads together, not a bad idea at all- I was just being cheap!
Thanks, npw for the steps could you flip them so the screws do not not show?
Yes, certainly. I almost did that on mine. After thinking about it, I wish I would have. My initial thought was “if I ever need to replace a piece, having access to the screws would make it easier.” Now I realize with the rebar stakes in there, it’ll be some work anyway. I vote for hiding the screws now.
Hi Steve, question on the rebar spikes. I plan on using 6”x6” timbers so my spikes need to be mighty long. Do your rebar spikes have heads like nails and what length do you suggest to go through both timbers and go into the ground enough to make a difference?
Hi George! Yes your spikes will need to be long, but nothing too crazy. If it were me, I’d shoot for 24” spikes. Mine did not have heads on them. I just cut the pieces out of some 10’ lengths I bought at Lowe’s. Good luck!
Thanks for the advice..I might have a few more questions before I finish lol. Six stairs done, six to go!
I wish I could send a pic of my finished work. They came out great! Thanks for your advice and helpful video
I’m so glad to hear it worked out for you! It warms my heart to know that someone gets some sort of help or inspiration from my videos. I appreciate you letting me know how it went. That is very fulfilling to me!
Did you put rebar on every step? What length rebar did you use? Looking to do something similar with Timbertech decking on top
Hi @Smalls1316 - yep, rebar in each step. Each one was about 20” long. Good luck on your project!
Great video, I was torn between building a huge retaining wall, I think I’ll be doing this instead
Good luck! Thanks for the comment!
Looking to do something similar in the summer / fall but first need the fence installed to get my baseline as to where the steps would start/end. The biggest question I’m not too clear on yet and I’m gonna look for a diagram is how to determine how many steps you need for the slope of the hill. I think I could essentially pound a tall steak or rod into bottom area and the tie a string to the top then extend to where the stairs start by fence gate entrance ensure the string is level and take that length plus height measurement. Then divide that by the number of steps I want ect
Hi Joshua- yeah your method would work, I think. I was pretty unsophisticated. I stood at the bottom of my hill and sighted across the top of my level to a point on the ground. Then I measured the height of my eye and knew that that point on the ground was exactly my eye-height value. Then my point on the ground was tall enough that I could use a 4’ level and tape measure to figure out the test of my rise.
Number of stairs needed = total rise divided by stair height (7” in my case)
Average tread depth = total length or run divided by number of stairs needed
Good luck!
Amazing and very interesting video again. Great information and very helpful..
Do keep posting more ideas
Warm regards and best wishes
The UnknownManCub 👍😎👨🏭
Do you NEED to put gravel under the 4X4s to level, or if it's level with tamped dirt, is that sufficient? Also, if you MUST put gravel, what kind is best? Thanks!
Gravel with a nice mix of fines through 3/4” will pack nice and firm. This will keep the 4x4s from shifting seasonally. Tamped soil may settle over time, especially if freeze-thaw is a concern. Class 5 gravel is really good, but I use whatever is available to me. A crushed gravel with angular rocks, rather than rounded, natural ones will be best. Good luck!
You were Fortunate to finish with 21 Inches from the Lower Landing up to the Main Deck (Qty3 Steps at 7 Inches).
I'm going to have an Odd Dimension for my Final Step ... But it will be okay.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Much appreciated.
Thanks for your comment! Yes, very fortunate indeed! That was definitely the exception to the rule for me. Good luck making yours work out.
Thanks steve!!!
You’re welcome!
😊😊 😊😊3 years later, how is it holding up?? I have clay soil and like your plan. But I am considering putting down crushed gravel covered with a fabric cloth under the steps and putting in a high quality grass on each step. I will have 5 steps. What do you think?
The stairs are doing great! The only maintenance is adding a little gravel to the stair treads to level them off in the spring. It seems like my gravel is slowly sinking into the native soil. Your idea sounds good to me, especially the fabric, as that’s probably why I’m losing gravel. Go for it and God speed!
@@NashwaukSteve thank you. 🙏
Great video. Why did you not drill the 4x4 before you put them in, that way you would just need to drive the rebar in.
Hi David- yeah you might be able to drill the 4x4s ahead of time. My concern would be keeping the drill holes perfectly plumb so the hole exits the bottom of the 4x4 exactly where it was started in top. If the bit wanders or if you hole isn’t plumb, then your fit will not be flush when you pound in the rebar in to join the pieces together. Thanks for watching!
@@NashwaukSteve i was so inspired by your creativity I am going to make a couple. Thank you for sharing. If you glued them wonder if nails would work just as good?
Good luck! I’m glad my project inspired you! I think construction adhesive and big nails would work just fine. “Liquid Nails” is a staple for me around my place.
Nice job! Can you take post updated pictures so I can see how it looks after a year. I have the same problem and you this would help me a lot before I start. Thank you In advance.
Hey 925riv! I just posted a quick update vid. I hope it helps!
The sand will drain but I would be worried about it washing out with a hard rain. I would probably have used what is called Pack. It is part decomposed granite and stonedust. It will easily perculate thru but also stay in place when tamped. There is als Polymeric sand that when wetted will get a firm surface. Did you think about boards on the surface? If you painted the boards with a texture paint they will maintain traction. It looks like you have a problem with washout along the foundation I saw behind you. Do you have a problem with water infiltration in the basement area?
Hi Michael- I ended up removing the top inch of sand and replacing it with a crushed rock gravel product from a local iron mine (free!) The sand wasn’t washing out, but it was tracking around on bare feet. The gravel is cleaner and packs better. I considered boards, but wanted the gravel, state park, kind of look. No washouts anywhere, just a place that gets no sun and has no vegetation. It’s actually all ballast rock now. I’ve got a drain tile around the basement, so no water gets there. Thanks for watching!