Gainesville Georgia has a large number of Victorian and Neoclassical houses. Green Street alone boasts an impressive collection of these historical homes, and is even listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Many were built back in the 19th and early 20th centuries, while others are modern homes build in the same architectural style.
For any of these homes, improvements or additions should flow with the Victorian aesthetic. So when the owner of this house decided to build steps down to the sidewalk, grey stone was the obvious choice.
Stones by nature are dependable to build with. They don’t rot like wood or erode like dirt stairs. And by creating a strong foundation for each step, the stones are less likely to shift or sink over time.
Stairs can be tricky to build and involve more math than anyone likes to do. But our stone masons are pros at determining how many steps are needed for the slope and making sure all safety regulations are followed.
Each step has to be an equal width and height to be comfortable and safe to walk down. They also have to be level. Above you can see Ramiro adjusting the mortar below the bottom step to make it perfectly level. If the bottom step isn’t level, the stairs above it would all be tilted as well.
Once the steps themselves are in place, the masons start on the sides of the steps. They build forms, or molds, to pour concrete into. The concrete will be the base for the flagstone accents which give the stairs variety and character.
Once the concrete sets, the foam boards are removed. Dirt is rearranged so that the slope is even with the new stairs and grass seed is spread. The last step is to add flagstones to the sides of the steps.
A year later the grass has grown in and nature has beautifully weathered the stone. The steps look as if they could have been built with the house.
