The back entrance to a home is often neglected because it isn’t often used. Unfortunately this can be both a safety and a fire hazard. Here, Art of Stone transformed a rundown back porch into a beautiful, easy to maintain patio.
As you can see, this back door is crowded with old junk and overgrown foliage. Not to mention that the wood is old and uneven, at least what is visible below the debris. Small trees are growing between the slats of wood and the small retaining wall has bowed and rotted over time.
The steps fair no better than the porch. You can see where they have shifted and begun to rot. In the case of a fire, someone could be seriously injured trying to escape out this door. Even day to day activities could become dangerous.
The first step was to replace the retaining wall. This keeps the dirt from washing down onto the patio area. Next the concrete is poured and leveled as a base for the stone. You can see one of the guys smoothing out a lump in the concrete.
Next, the gravel filled steps are installed. These kinds of stairs are very cost effective as well as practical. The gravel provides excellent drainage so water doesn’t have the chance to sit and warp the wood framing the step. Finally, flag stones are concreted to the patio and placed in the gravel of the steps.
The end result is a gorgeous, and safe, back patio. The plants that were crowding the door are gone, creating more storage space and better visibility. The stone won’t warp or rot, reducing the chance of tripping. And the new retaining wall has been heavily reinforced. Overall, this patio is sturdy and dependable and will last this family for years to come.
