Cheap External Stairs and Their Construction
When it comes to accessing the raised ground floors, external stairs are one of the most common options. They are constructed to get access into sloppy lawns, raised buildings, and for forming embankments on the deck of a swimming pool. A balustrade needs to be erected while making external stairs which are more than 3 feet in terms of height. These stairs can be made by using different types of materials. They can be made of wood, steel or even iron. For those who are looking to go for this project should opt for cheap external stairs that are durable, long lasting, and at the same time provides great looks to your whole setup.
Construction Overview of Cheap External Stairs
It is very important to make sure that the cheap external stairs you go for has solid foundation. The reason why it is important to have a solid foundation for the external stairs is because it helps the structure to stand firm and prevents from any problems in the future. Another important reason why it should have a foundation is because external stairs are free standing. Different types of finishing can be added depending on your choice. Timber and steel are used to construct the balustrades and for the construction of the stairs, materials like concrete, timber, stones, tiles or steel sheets are used. There should be a short landing at the end of the stair which should be about 2 feet in terms of width. Usually the landing is made 6 inches below the slab of the floor.
Process to Make It Strong
The stones are placed ranking back towards the house. At first, a stone is laid down in the line. The next course is started about 9 inches for the edge to form a step. This process is continued till the completion of the short landing. Below every single course, hard core is being compacted. The balustrades are then concreted starting from the ground level and continue upwards till the end point. In order to make sure that the stones are held together, in between the joints, key pointing is fixed in the external stairs. And then to proper fishing is applied to achieve the desired aesthetics. There are different types of finishes which can be used. There are wide numbers of different designs and patterns available for the railings which would make the cheap external stairs look even more attractive.
The Measurement
When it comes to measurement, it is done from the edge of the concrete slab. The number of risers and treads are determined by the height of the stairs from the soil. The first things you need to do is to dig a foundation and then concrete it. Usually, a standard is maintained for the width of the stairs which is 2 feet. The foundation wall is erected for nearly 2 or 3 courses. The walls which lie above the ground are changed to dressed stones. The walls are then stepped to create the stair. In case the height goes beyond 3 feet, in that case hardcore is added in between walls.
What Are the Benefits of Cheap External Stairs?
Cheap external stairs are very popular. Here are some of its benefits
- Fire Escape: These stairs can be used to escape during the event of a fire
- Saves Space: The save a lot of space in the garden or courtyard
- Value Addition: The external stairs would add more value to the home
Apart from these, there are many other benefits which these stairs have to offer.