How to Make Tree Steps
Tree steps can help make steep or unsteady terrain safer without taking away from the natural environment. They're also a great way to recycle any trees that have been cut down in the process of making your trail or scenic walkway. Making tree steps is easy if you have the right tools, and the steps can be surprisingly long-lasting if you spend a little extra time on them during the treatment process.
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Things You'll Need
- Wood planer
- Chainsaw
- Shovel
- Sledgehammer
- Polyurethane or other weather proofing coating
- Pointed 2-by-2 stakes, two for each step
Instructions
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Measure the height and length of the trail that will need steps to determine how many steps you'll need. They can be as wide or narrow as you like, but remember that the wider they are, the more digging and earth moving you'll have to do. A smaller footprint is both more natural and easier.
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2
Cut down larger trees for steeper inclines and smaller trees for milder inclines. The larger the trunk, the more erosion control the step will offer. Once the tree is felled, cut the trunk into sections according to the width of the path you selected.
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Use the wood planer to remove the bark all the way around your tree trunk sections. Then, use it to flatten the trunk on opposite sides: one side to help the step lie flat against the ground and reduce rolling or shifting, and the other to make a stable place for feet to step on.
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4
Allow the tree steps to dry for several weeks. When they are dry, coat with a weather proofer such as polyurethane. The more coats you add, the more longevity you'll get out of your steps.
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Terrace the section of path that you intend to create steps for. How much you shovel is up to you, but the more earth you remove, the more pressure will rest on the tree step to prevent erosion. Whatever the case, do not remove more earth than the width of your step as measured from flat side to flat side. Be sure to cart the dirt out with a wheelbarrow to avoid unsightly dirt piles lying around the trail.
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Set the steps in place at the base of each terrace. Using the sledgehammer, pound the steps into the dirt just enough to produce even, slightly pressured contact between the earth and the step.
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Place one 2-by-2 stake at either end of the step and firmly pound them into the ground with the sledgehammer. These will keep the step wedged against the earth and eliminate shifting and erosion.
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