steps...

Started by jb, April 17, 2005, 07:16:20 AM

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jb

just wondered if anyone has a fast, sturdy, but mostly cheap way I can build steps going down to my cabin that is built into a hill...there are about 35 from street level down to cabin, and then another 25 going from there to the lake, built out of bricks and mortar. They are about 60 years old and in real bad shape...started remortaring the bricks in but seems to take forever and would like them to be wood...

Amanda_931

#1
Fast, sturdy and cheap?

Sounds like a job for used tires to me!

Here's the web site and the book:

http://www.tirecrafting.com/funbook2/funbook2.htm

Cut one (maybe both) sidewalls off of a junk tire with a jig saw, semi-bury in ground, fill with the dirt you are taking out for the next tire, tamp down, keep on going.  Trick--cut the sidewalls off as you are taking the tires off the truck.  We figured this out after a couple of tires headed downhill, crashing through a fence on their way to the stream 40 feet below.

I don't bother taking the set off my blades, but I do start the cut with a drill. There is now a third step here.  And I have a set of five farther on down the hill.

If you cut both sidewalls off you could shape them to be more rectangular.  By the way, tractor trailer tires sound like a great idea--but only if you can find some without steel sidewalls!.  Cutting would be slow, and besides you'd have steel splinters in your hands, not to mention ankles and toes as you went up and down stairs.



I can't get the image alone to work, even if I just put in the URL, so here's the page.

http://groups.msn.com/ap615/spring2003.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=223


glenn-k

#2
If you are not opposed to creosote, used railroad ties make very fast steps -you can cut them with a chain saw if you watch for rocks.  Keep a sharpener handy.

They measure 7" x 9" most of the time.  I got bundles of them free.  Sometimes creosote will come to the surface in the hot sun but sand or dirt over it will dry it up and keep the protection there for the wood.

Another thing that will work is a treated 2x8 or 2x6 cut to desired length vertically on stakes with gravel backfill behind it.  An inch or so of concrete over the gravel would stop it from moving under your feet as you went down the steps.  Rebar could be cut for cheap stakes and drilled for screws or nails or possibly you could find suitable fence wire staples to fasten the rebar to the boards.