A front garden on a slope cannot do without stairs in order to overcome the difference in height comfortably and safely. In addition to their pure function, stairs can be used as a decorative element for creative front garden design. This guide gives tips for imaginative options and introduces you to four common staircase designs.
Which types of stairs are suitable for a front garden on a slope?
There are four variants for front garden stairs on a slope: block steps made of natural stone or concrete, laying steps made of flat stone slabs, stick steps made of wooden planks and adjustable steps made of concrete and paving stones. It is important to use non-slip materials and, if necessary, a railing for height differences of over 100 cm.
Front gardens love free-standing stairs – tips for design
On flat slopes, individual, wide steps serve as an uncomplicated solution to overcome the slight difference in height. To overcome a larger height difference, a continuous staircase is installed parallel to the slope. However, due to structural enclosures, the staircase becomes a foreign object in appearance. The following tips summarize how you can harmoniously integrate a climb into your front garden design:
- Insert steps into a perennial bed
- Edging with a low hedge of boxwood or ornamental grasses
- Make the steps slightly offset or vary their width
Ideally, the building materials used in the house and front garden are repeated in the stairs. Of course, this only applies when it comes to rough surfaces, such as paving and natural stone slabs made of sand-lime brick. Slippery wooden floorboards or smooth marble stones are unsuitable for a garden staircase.
These 4 staircase variants are very popular
The specific design of a staircase is determined by your wallet and the frequency of use. A rarely used staircase can consist of inexpensive stick steps. Where there is daily public traffic, the focus is on a massive construction made of block steps. The following 4 variants have emerged in professional front garden design:
- Block steps: solid blocks made of natural stone or concrete, laid on 30 cm thick gravel and 3 cm sand
- Laying steps: flat stone slabs, 3 to 8 cm thick, laid on a stepped foundation made of reinforced concrete
- Stick steps: simple construction with wooden planks, stabilized by posts and treads made of gravel or bark mulch
- Adjusting steps: more stable alternative to stick steps with concrete edging stones and paving stone steps or mosaic
It is important to note that a railing should be installed from a height difference of 100 cm. In any case, handrails are recommended to make climbing easier for older people.
Tip
A perfectly straight staircase visually reduces the spatial dimension of an area. By creating a staircase with a slightly curved path, you can give the small front garden more depth.
