Masonry steps are beautiful and long lasting. They are also easy to build. If you are unfamiliar working with hardscape materials, a small set of stairs can be a good starter project. After building your stairs, you'll know the same principles that are followed for larger jobs, like stone walls.
The most difficult part of building masonry steps is deciding what materials to use. With so many varieties of stone, brick and concrete products available, it can be hard to narrow it down. Here are three ideas to get you started.
For more ideas, read this article about outdoor steps and stairways.
1. Brick Steps with Bluestone Treads
Joe Norton
These steps combine two classic materials, brick and stone. Use bricks to build the step risers, and bluestone for the treads.
These steps were built on a solid concrete slab, so they won't go anywhere. When using mortar, you always need to build on a solid foundation. Otherwise, movements in the ground will cause the mortar to crack and potentially fail. In other words, eventually you'll have to redo all that hard work. To save bricks, the inside of the steps were filled with concrete after the bricks were laid. The bluestone treads were then set on top.
2. Concrete, Stone and Shells
Joe Norton
These steps need to be strong to withstand the constant exposure to the sea. They also serve to secure the wooden steps when high tides occur. To spice up the concrete a bit, a few stones and some mussel shells were gathered nearby.
You can use concrete and objects found near your home. Just be sure to keep in mind that steps are for walking on. Keep them flat and easy to traverse. As long as you can accomplish that, get creative.
3. Stone Slabs
Joe Norton
These stones came out of the earth as perfect steps. They're uniform in thickness (about eight inches), stack nicely on top of each other (leaving a comfortable tread), and will last forever.
Stone slab steps do have one drawback; they're heavy. You'll want some help moving them around. Some stone companies will deliver steps to your house and even install them for a small fee.