Outdoor stairs plan critique
#1
06-24-16, 01:06 PM
Outdoor stairs plan critique
Hi, I'm creating a walk from my house to an outdoor patio. The patio is about two feet lower than the house, so I need stairs. My wife gave me rough guidelines for how the stairs need to be constructed, and I also have to redo a parallel retaining wall that is adjacent. I drew up these plans (attached), but the scope is beyond what I've done before and I'd like a sanity check. Thoughts?
#3
06-26-16, 11:09 AM
Looking at your design I have several questions. How are the blocks it from the side of the structure connected to one another? If they are set in mortar then you need a solid foundation instead of the stone which you are indicating. From what I seeing your steps are 21" deep and you're going to have for them for a 16" rise. To verify that this will meet your local code requirements because in most places it wouldn't.
There may be other issues to but those are the ones that jump out at me. By the way, thanks for providing the high resolution drawing.
There may be other issues to but those are the ones that jump out at me. By the way, thanks for providing the high resolution drawing.
#4
06-27-16, 07:25 AM
Thanks for your thoughts. i apologize because my technical drawing skills are rudimentary to say the least.
For the stair, the rise on the stairs is 4 1/3 inches. Six of them gives me 28 inches which is the height of the retaining wall. They will be 45in wide and 28in deep. The frame is 4x6 and will be filled with washed rock. The 21in measure is the fill size of each stair. I may make the last step lower than 5/6in below ground level as my retaining wall height is only at 26in including the caps.
The retaining wall isn't against a structure, but it is holding up the upper yard. My yard has two levels, and the current retaining wall made out of concrete blocks is tipping over, and there is some subsidence of the yard due to that.
For the stair, the rise on the stairs is 4 1/3 inches. Six of them gives me 28 inches which is the height of the retaining wall. They will be 45in wide and 28in deep. The frame is 4x6 and will be filled with washed rock. The 21in measure is the fill size of each stair. I may make the last step lower than 5/6in below ground level as my retaining wall height is only at 26in including the caps.
The retaining wall isn't against a structure, but it is holding up the upper yard. My yard has two levels, and the current retaining wall made out of concrete blocks is tipping over, and there is some subsidence of the yard due to that.
#5
06-27-16, 09:21 AM
This is a rough plan for the patio, including the perpindicular length of retaining wall, and the stairs for reference. The patio is the same level as the lower yard.
#7
02-16-17, 10:20 PM
Glad this post was here, because I lost the first drawing, and I haven't worked on this yet!
Quick question for bricklayers out there: msradell brought up that if I mortar the cinder blocks, they will need a solid foundation. However these blocks are the ones that have little protrusions on top and indentations on the bottom, so they nest. Is mortar necessary? Further, I was going to drive 10' rebar spikes through every fourth hole, and cement the rebar into the cinder blocks. Should I also look at mortaring them?
Quick question for bricklayers out there: msradell brought up that if I mortar the cinder blocks, they will need a solid foundation. However these blocks are the ones that have little protrusions on top and indentations on the bottom, so they nest. Is mortar necessary? Further, I was going to drive 10' rebar spikes through every fourth hole, and cement the rebar into the cinder blocks. Should I also look at mortaring them?
#8
02-17-17, 12:54 AM
Member
Basic question, is this structure made from dimensional patio/wall stone that is simply stacked or concrete block/brick that is mortared together?
Two completely different foundation requirements!
Two completely different foundation requirements!
#10
07-04-17, 05:26 PM
So it turns out I really have to go back to square one with this. I've been looking around and there seems to be a dozen and a half ways to make a retaining wall, so I'll defer to others' better judgements. Following this is my current situation. What I want to do is to replace the existing retaining wall that is cinder block with new, cut face blocks to make it look better, and also to hold up the ground and resist the tree roots. I have an ornamental cherry tree nearby that I want to accommodate by making a bull-nose sort of arrangement, as per the drawing above. However I'm completely lost as to the engineering of the wall, how to make a base, how to reinforce, and such. I could use any help offered.
Thanks,
-Devin
Thanks,
-Devin
