Outdoor Stairs Plans

Outdoor stairs whether part of your landscape design or used for reaching the patio, are essential for your home and garden. If you have a raised deck, then you will require good outdoor stairs plans to move from the ground to the deck level. Whether stairs are used for functionality or are simply incorporated for architectural interest, proper planning is necessary while designing outdoor stairs. Outdoor stairs can be constructed out of concrete, stone or wood. You can also opt for stairs with railings for safety and support. Here we will discuss some outdoor staircase plans for your home.

Outdoor Stairs Ideas

There are many outdoor stairs design that you can choose from that will match the exterior of your house and your design sensibilities. Whatever design you might choose, the technical aspects of stair design plans remain the same. You cannot make changes in these, as your stairs might become too steep and therefore unsafe to be used. The tread should be 10 inches deep and the risers should be 7 ½ inches. Risers can be anywhere from 4 to 9 inches high, however if you want your stairs to be comfortable, it is best to have risers height below 8 inches. Outdoor stair railings can also be constructed with some sturdy material for additional support.

Outdoor stairs that lead up to the front door should not only be safe to walk on, but should also be visually appealing. If the outdoor stairs design is properly done, it can make any house look attractive. Outdoor entry stairs can be made beautiful by making sure that the width of the stairs are generous, so that three or more people can walk on it at the same time. The quickest way to ruin outdoor staircase plans is to have a narrow and dingy staircase. Another simple trick is to make the bottom step a little bit wider than the other steps.

A good outdoor stairs plan for porches or raised decks is to have spiral stairs. They make good utilization of space and are more attractive than regular stairs. Spiral staircases for outdoors is best constructed in wood or metal. Wooden spiral outdoor stairs also look great when installed in your children's tree houses. Circular stairs can also be constructed in gardens, patio and decks and it is one of the best deck stair designs and it goes well with large spacious houses like a ranch house. The best materials for circular outdoor stairs are big stones that are polished. Stone stairs or steps can also be made visually attractive in a garden by leaving little pockets of soil in between them, so that tufts of grass can grow.

For your landscaped garden, then it is best to construct simple stair designs in materials like stone or concrete. A stone stair blends very well with a garden and they are low maintenance too. It is best to avoid constructing wooden stairs for gardens, as they are more prone to rotting during monsoons and you can easily slip on them. For decks and balconies, where people might be walking with trays of food in their hands, it is best to provide outdoor stairs railings for safety.

Get a professional carpenter or mason to construct outdoor stairs, so that the end result looks finished. Good outdoor stairs design and plans can transform the look of your house and make your garden more attractive.