Outdoor step construction in Boise, Idaho

Outdoor step construction in Boise usually starts with a simple complaint: "We have a slope, and we're all just walking down the dirt." Or the steps you already have are loose, tipped forward, or a different height every time, and someone has caught a toe. I design and build outdoor steps that fit the grade of your yard, feel natural under your feet, and stay put through our winters. I'm Kabe Hockema, and I'm on the job myself from the first measurement to the last stone.

Steps are one part of the landscaper work I do around the Treasure Valley. They look simple. They aren't. A good set of steps has to match the slope, shed water, hold up to frost, and be safe to walk in the dark.

When a yard needs steps

You probably need new steps if any of these sound familiar:

• A path down a side yard or hill turns to mud or loose gravel every spring.
• A deck, patio or back door sits well above the yard.
• Old railroad tie or timber steps have rotted, and the spikes are poking up.
• Concrete steps have cracked, sunk on one side, or pulled away from the house.

Foothill lots in Boise, Eagle and Hidden Springs often have real grade changes. Newer subdivisions in Meridian and Kuna can have them too, where a steep bank was left between the house and the back fence.

What makes a step comfortable

The thing people feel without knowing why is the ratio between riser and tread. The riser is the height of each step. The tread is the flat part you stand on. Outdoor steps feel best when they are a little lower and deeper than indoor stairs. I usually aim for a riser of about 5 to 7 inches and a tread of 12 to 16 inches or more. A rule I use: two risers plus one tread should add up to about 26 inches. That keeps your stride natural.

Every riser in a run should be the same height. Your body learns the first step and expects the rest to match. A step that is off by even half an inch is the one people trip on.

How I build outdoor steps

• Layout. I measure the total rise and run of the slope, then work out how many steps fit and where landings go.
• Excavation. I cut the steps into the slope and dig out soft soil, roots and organic material.
• Base. I place crushed gravel and compact it in thin layers. Compaction means pressing the gravel down hard with a plate compactor so it won't settle later. You never see this part, and it decides whether the steps last.
• Setting. I set the step material on the base and check every riser and tread for height and level.
• Pitch. Each tread tips forward slightly, about a quarter inch per foot, so water runs off instead of sitting on it.
• Finish. I backfill the sides, tie the steps into the path or patio, and replant or rock the edges.

Freeze-thaw and outdoor steps in Boise

Our winters freeze and thaw over and over. Water gets into the soil under a step, freezes, swells, and lifts it. Then it thaws and drops back a little crooked. That is frost heave, and it's why so many steps around town rock or lean after a few years.

The answer is in the prep. A deep, well-drained gravel base keeps water from collecting under the steps. Our clay soil holds water, so I don't set steps right on it. If a run of steps sits next to a downspout or a sprinkler head, I move the water source instead of hoping for the best.

Stone, block or concrete

• Natural stone slab steps. Big, heavy slabs that look like they've always been there. Great on hillsides and in natural planting. This is where stone masonry comes in.
• Block and paver steps. Concrete block risers capped with pavers or a stone cap. Very even and clean, and they match a paver patio.
• Poured concrete. A good fit for steps at a house entry or along a driveway. See concrete masonry for that side of the work.

What drives the cost of outdoor steps

The price depends on how much height you need to climb, how wide the steps are, and the material. Natural stone slabs cost more and take equipment to place. Access matters too. A tight side yard where everything goes in by wheelbarrow takes longer than an open backyard. Tearing out old steps, regrading the slope, or adding low walls to hold soil on each side all add to the job. I'll walk the site and give you a real number.

Steps as part of the whole yard

Steps rarely stand alone. They connect a walkway to a patio, a driveway to a front door, or one level of the yard to the next. If the slope itself is the real problem, grading and resloping may come first. Low path lights, or small lights set into the risers, make steps much safer at night. I plan all of it together with the rest of your hardscapes so the steps look like they belong.

Where I build outdoor steps

I build steps in Boise, Eagle, Meridian, Star, Garden City, Hidden Springs, Kuna, Nampa, Caldwell and Middleton. I also take projects in Sun Valley and Ketchum, where steep lots and snow make solid steps even more important.

If you're tired of walking down a muddy hill or stepping around a loose stone, let's fix it. For outdoor step construction in Boise that's built to last, schedule a consultation or call me at (541) 961-7269, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.