Help please -- need staircase ideas for paver patio
Had landscaper out to plan and quote a paver patio (dark line is rough boundary -- an oval shape with max dimensions 20'x22'). Landscaper proposes patio to be about at the level of the grass, which is what we desire and it also prevents need for retaining wall. But we are struggling with the staircase. The threshold is 35" above grass. With an 8" rise that means 4-5 steps. There are weep holes below the sliding door. Also note the sliding door is recessed behind the edge of the brick. Because landscaper doesn't want to interfere with drainage/ventilation, he proposes steps of natural stone. Not exactly the look we want, and the run on the stones is 1.5-2 feet each, which will take up enormous real estate on the patio. We want a paver look or even a concrete look would be OK. We are undecided on a narrow straight staircase vs a wide one that spans both halves of the sliding door vs one that is narrow at the top and widens at the bottom. We would prefer the top step be flush with the threshold but it's OK if top step is just a few inches below threshold (a standard rise there would be very awkward). Can anyone suggest anything either in terms of aesthetics or design such that it takes into account the weep holes and recessed door frame?
Comments (6)
fnmroberts
10 years agoRelated Discussions
Help/Ideas needed for small patio PLEASE!! :D
Comments (6)I like our 2" thick 12x12 pavers edged in orange brick laid on a sand base. It was a lot more work than we 1st thought because our ground wasn't level. I wish we would have checked that before we started excavating the soil. If you're going to DIY instructions are available online for building a base. I highly recommend you follow the advice so that your patio has the correct slope for drainage & stays in place. It's hard work digging, leveling, tamping, carrying & spreading sand, moving pavers, etc. & you don't want to have to do it over. An evergreen climber on a trellis would screen views. If you want partial shade you might consider a pergola and grow grapes or other edibles on it. You mentioned a child & I've found that our younger visitors enjoy playing on the lawn, wood chip area under the cedar tree, or the wooden deck rather than the paver patio. You might consider a more forgiving surface while your child is young. I'm also more relaxed when our nephew is on the lawn or deck with resin furniture than on the patio near the iron furniture. When our kids were young we had a covered sand box that was enjoyed nearly year round then when they were done with it the sand went into the garden & we gave away the sand box. We kept the sand toys & trucks right in the sand box underneath the lid, so it was easy to remove the lid & play. In my area the cedar play chips are readily available & make a nice covering that stays dry during wet winters. Unplanted areas where our lawn wouldn't grow because of shade or where we walk a lot to the hose and to the chicken coops have been covered with the play chips and cedar arborist chips. I like the weathered look that is easy to maintain because it never need mowing, watering, or weeding! On occasion rake a bit & renew to keep the depth. If you think you might want to grow plants at some point in your backyard you may want to use chips now & let them decompose then when your child is older you could rake them aside & layer compost materials for growing vegetables & fruits. Hope that helps!...See MoreNo Sand Under Pavers?? Patio experts please help!
Comments (10)As long as your installer used a deep enough base of stone, and used a fine packing stone for the top layer you should be good. At my company, we use what's called a "dirty stone" which is a mixture of course and fine gravel. We put down a level of stone and compact it. Then we put down another level and compact it again. We repeat this several times to insure the paver stones will not shift and the ground stays level. We like to use a thin layer of sand as well, then compact again. After installing the pavers, we compact one last time to help lock the blocks in place. As long as the stone is compacted you shouldn't have any problems. Here is a link that might be useful: Paver Stone Driveway and Patio Installation Tips in New Jersey...See MorePatio Paver help needed
Comments (4)Paint on concrete doesn't look good or hold up well. You might check into concrete stains if you want to change the color. I haven't seen the stain used on pavers, but it might be possible. There is a masonry adhesive that comes in a tube that we used to anchor flagstones to a concrete-block support structure -- similar to what you have. It was not available at HD, but our local stone supplier had it. It is applied with a caulking gun, is extremely strong, and will hold up to freezing. The stone yard told us the stone would give up before the adhesive would. Definitely go with the polymeric sand. We've been very happy with how it hold up and keeps weeds out....See Moreneed help with a circular paver mini-patio!!!
Comments (1)What material are you building it out of? How large is it? Are there grade issues? Why not show a picture of the area and it's surroundings in order to give people a feel for any potential problems....See More
annzgw
10 years agomarcinde
10 years agoclermont_ohio
10 years ago
roof35
10 years ago
PatioPotato