Custom Stairs, Steps and Walkways
Stair, Step and Walkway Repair And Construction, Asheville
Our steps feature regular risers and nice deep treads, constructed from single stones or stacked flagstone. They guarantee a safe and easy ascent every time. Our walkways, too, are smooth and comfortable, built for convenience, a meandering stroll through a garden, or whatever else suits your needs. These features make crossing your property a pleasure.
Geode and Flagstone Steps with Limestone Retaining Wall
For one of our clients, we had built a dam around the cave spring which supplied his whiskey stills. He gave us a call when he was ready for some steps that would make a statement.
We visited a small family-owned quarry in Crab Orchard, Tennessee, to select the flagstone for these steps. We gathered by hand, without the use of a machine, the limestone pieces which constitute the retaining wall from Dry Creek nearby, and from the slopes around his property.
The owner had already collected the majority of the geodes featured here from a small creek running through his property. We spent a week there helping to gather a few more.
Flagstone was cut with an angle grinder to make niches the exact shape and size of the geodes which would occupy them.
Flagstone Two-flight Stairway Construction
Norwood Park, Asheville
A somewhat uninspiring series of concrete steps were veneered with variegated Crab Orchard flagstone. Well over five hundred linear feet of cuts were made with a large cut-off saw on site.
For the treads, we used flagstone with naturally straight edges. Sawn edges have a distinct look (overly flat and with a loss of color) that doesn’t contrast well with natural faces.
This project took time, but we (and the owners) enjoyed the process. Back then we were somewhat heedless of safety considerations. One of the owners worked for OSHA and graciously provided us with our first respirators; thanks to his concern we have taken good care of our lungs ever since.
Outdoor Stair Construction with Retaining Walls
Elk Mountain, North Asheville
Staircase with curved concrete steps, dyed buff, Elk Mountain, Asheville. We typically build using large stones and gravel, without mortar or concrete, but our reinforced concrete work, poured over compacted clay-rich earth and carefully formed and finished, is eye-catching and built to last.
Steps are meant to ease passage across a change in grade. Frequently we encounter a yard whose slope is difficult to navigate, or older steps whose size, irregularity, or disrepair make them hazardous.
Our steps, no matter how many in a run, feature extremely regular risers and treads, pitched to shed water so that winter freezes leave them as strong as when they were first built, safe and comfortable to climb. Each step is typically six inches in height, making for a comfortable climb even for elderly clients, and has a minimum tread of at least fourteen inches.
Beyond being easy to use, our steps are pleasing to look at and are built to last not just one but several lifetimes.
Stone Walkway in Asheville
Lakeview Park, North Asheville
A dry-laid walkway, assembled with variegated flagstone from the Crab Orchard area of eastern Tennessee, is a testament to the area’s wealth of beautiful stone. This walkway was one element of a two-year project.
Variegated Crab Orchard features stripes of pink and brown, sometimes mottled with much darker tones. These patterns are a record of the movement of water and silt over four hundred million years ago. Such stones make for a striking look when laid next to each other, creating a mosaic of geologic processes frozen in time.
The joints were time consuming, but a pleasure to cut. The clients wanted to be sure that even guests in stiletto heels could easily navigate the walkway and patio.
