How to fix a patio step that is too high
Sloping grades and construction miscommunications often create patio steps that exceed maximum building codes, sometimes reaching up to 9 inches high. This results in spans that are too high for a single step or awkward 1.5-inch lips above existing concrete stairs. Homeowners are then forced to figure out how to safely transition these drops or find ways to increase the height of the concrete pad.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1install another step in this area that is 2 inches above groundDid this help you?
- 2build the wall a little higher than the patio up top so it wouldn't be a stepDid this help you?
- 3bite the bullet on a small landing step right in that zoneDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“So this leaves me with what do I do with this step height of 9 inches at the top?”source ↗
“Around 4ft off the house the step height goes down to 7 inches which is I believe maximum height for an outdoor step. so I have this 4 ft span that is either too high for code or too high for one step.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
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- 5Can I build outdoor stairs myself with no experience?
- 2How to match different flooring heights at a stair landing