What problems should I expect to encounter when building stone steps?

Question

• How long does a set of steps take to build?
• Can you create a micro climate with stone work?
• What worked and what didn't work for the project?
• Will most issues be apparent right away?

Answer 1

The finished steps took around 60 hours of work over a month.

It's amazing how much soil you end up with. Compacted soil seems to double in size when you dig it out. I could have used two bins for disposal.

Up to twenty percent of a skid of stone was not usable for the steps. That material was too uneven, not the right size, not the same thickness or had cracks.

Design is always a series of compromises. In this case the ramps are popular with children, the elderly and small dogs but could not be certified as accessible as the slope is too steep.

The planting was very successful and by the ramp is now suitable for dwarf primula's as most of the water drains down that side now.

The following spring I had to re glue two of the steps at the edges. Note to self: use more adhesive next time!

Fast forward nine years and the steps are functional but I don't have the time to deal with the persistent clover and escaped garden plants that like the gaps between the flagstones.