Stairs Without Being Part of a Retaining Wall

I have a friend that asked me about building a new set of stairs from his cabin’s back patio area down to the lake.  His 20-year-old railroad tie steps were basically gone from deterioration.  The grade is not that steep, which makes his treads quit long relative to the 8 inch (20 cm) riser.  He said he was thinking about using wood again, because he did not think Allan Block products could be used for non-retaining wall applications.

Boy, am I sure glade he asked, because he was totally wrong.  The only limitation Allan Block walls have, is based on the creativity of the installer.  If an installer can think it up, then they can build it with Allan Block, and standalone stairs are downright easy.  In my friend’s case, the installer is simply building a series of one-course walls with cap units, over and over again rising up the grade.  He chose to simply fill in behind the caps with a nice crushed rock. 

Another option could have been to pour concrete or lay pavers for a more solid surface, like this similar project.

For more information on stairs using Allan Block, or any other questions related to Allan Block wall design or construction, contact Allan Block at engineering@allanblock.com.