Stone steps in your landscape need to be beautiful—and safe. Read on to learn how we used our masonry skills and lots of concrete to secure a collapsing stone stairway.
For this job, we rebuilt sinking stone steps. The steps were sinking because the stones were set into dirt and gravel, not concrete. Over time, water washed away some of the dirt and gravel and the stones sank, making the walkway unstable and possibly dangerous. In the photo below, you can see how the large stones have sunk lower than their wooden frames.
Step one of our project was to remove all the existing stones and wood framing.
Step two: Install new framing using rebar. The steel rebar rods ensure the wood stays in place and level.
Step three: Pour the concrete. These steps were the only access to the house, and the hillside was too steep for a wheelbarrow, so we used a pump truck to get the concrete to the top.
Step four: Smooth the concrete. Depending on the weather, the concrete needs to cure at least overnight.
Step five: Remove the wood forms and rebar. Lay the flagstones.
Step six: Mortar the flagstones in place, put mortar in the joints, and scrape off any excess before it dries. Note the re-use of kitty litter buckets!
Step six: Enjoy this gorgeous—and safe—stone path!
If you’d like to add or rebuild a stone pathway in Georgia, please contact us at Art of Stone. We’re happy to answer all your questions!
