Site
preparation
The first and most important step before starting a staircase construction project is to determine the type of soil. The aim of this is to establish whether the ground needs to be reinforced before laying the pavers, or whether this will not be necessary for the structure to remain stable for many years. The next step is to mark out the location where the stairs will be built, then remove the top layer of topsoil (approx. 20–25 cm) and create a sand-cement bed or, in the case of weaker soil, a dry concrete sub-base, which will compact and reinforce the ground. Once these steps have been completed, we can proceed with the construction of the stairs themselves. Their dimensions – specifically the height, width and number of steps – should depend on the function they are to serve and the material from which they are to be built. Typical, functional stairs should be narrow and high enough to be climbed quickly. However, if the stairs are intended solely for decorative purposes, it is better for them to be wide and shallow. In that case, they will blend in better with the garden vegetation.
Installing edging elements and laying pavers
We begin installing the stairs by laying the edging elements, such as edging strips or palisades. It is important to leave a gap of 3–5 mm between them, which will counteract the effects of thermal stress and uneven ground settlement. For flat steps, a single step should be approx. 8–10 cm. For high steps, a height of 10–15 cm is the optimal solution. The depth of the steps, in turn, should be 30–50 cm, whilst the width of the entire staircase should be approx. 60–130 cm. Laying the pavers is, in fact, the simplest part of the process.
- Pavers are a great alternative to porcelain and clinker tiles. We can combine them, for example,
with street furniture or simply opt for the pavers alone. Polbruk’s Country pavers are ideal for creating low walls or steps; as a through-coloured product, they are a highly versatile building material, frequently used in all kinds of spatial projects – explains Wojciech Średniawa, chief designer at Polbruk.
The paving stones to be used for the stairs should match the existing surface, the building’s façade and the character of the space. However, this will not be difficult, given the wide variety of types available. Once each stone has been positioned tightly next to the others, we tap them into place with a special rubber mallet.
Filling the gaps
The final stage of building the steps is to fill the gaps between the pavers with washed sand. This contains no seeds, so there will be no need to worry about the joints becoming overgrown in the future. We cover the surface of the steps with sand several times and sweep it to ensure the material fills the gaps between the stones properly. On small areas, we do not use compactors, as this could damage the surface. We can achieve striking designs by combining different types of pavers and arranging them in straight lines or curves.
