Best material to make walkway up a slippery hill?

[Rivers]

Quote:
I was going to say this. Just a series of small wooden retaining barriers to hold in a hard pack material of your choice. Dont use the actual wood as steps as wood can get slippery when covered in damp mildew/moss. Instead some kind of gravel/sand mix that packs down hard, I believe some people add a little cement but id double check.

 

[NellaBean]

Lots of good ideas. I had been leaning toward installing landscaping timbers to make mini retaining walls that would create large flat steps myself......that will be my project come spring time I guess! I will probably have to use rebar to hold them in place....which is workable.

The only good part about building on a hill is that the coop will NEVER flood (unless half this county is under 10 feet of water). But the slope and wetness is killer on ME.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Maybe a ski lift?

 

[cabincrazyone]

I agree with Patandchickens and Rivers. You'll find this type of step in state and nat'l parks all over the country. My way to explain it is: a squared log, RR tie, or landscape timber is used as the step riser. Something heavy that will stay in place. You can make the steps as wide or narrow as you like. Looking at your slope I think you could have each step tread be 20 to 24 inches deep (from one riser to the next riser). The step is bare path, gravel, straw, anything that works for you. This way you're putting the straw on a level area instead of on the slope (without building steps). The riser acts as a dam or threshold, and keeps the straw from sliding down the hill. And you too, I hope.

 

[BWKatz]

Sounds like the landscape timbers with fillin is the way to go. U have ur work cut out for u. At least u get lots of exercise.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Oh, for sure you would not want to build stairs OF railroad or landscape ties!

The point is, you use them (and landscape ties are much better for this purpose, because they are narrow) as just the edge of a wide earthen step. They are holding back little terraces of earth, so to speak, you know?

You walk on the flat ground behind the landscape tie.

Each step would be, I dunno, just eyeballing that slope I would guess your steps would each end up being 5-8' deep.

You can also use pressure-treated 2x lumber to hold back the earthen steps, but it is much much more inclined to bow out and *requires* strong retaining anchors such as sawed-off t-posts, whereas landscape ties are generally easier to work with for this purpose.

Pat

 

[Wisher1000]

Steps from the bottom to the top would be alot of work. Would it work better and easier to move the gate to the side and make one level path to the hutch? A large tree trunk held in place with cut off t-posts and filled behind would do the trick and would be much less expensive, less time consuming, and less back breaking. Just a thought...