How to Make Stairs for a Shed

Measure the distance, in inches, from the bottom of the shed door to the ground with the tape measure.

Divide the height in inches by 7.5 -- the rise of each step -- and round the quotient down to a whole number to get the number of risers needed for your stringer. For example, if the height of the door was 26 inches, you would divide it by 7.5 to get 3.47, which you would round down to 3 -- meaning that you would need three risers on your stringer, to give a total rise of 22.5 and leaving 3 1/2 inches from the top step to the doorway.

Pile the dirt in front of the door to the shed, 3-feet-wide. Pack it down hard with the head of the shovel, and smooth it into a ramp up to the door. This will serve as the base for the stairs.

Place a stringer on either side of the dirt, pushing them both firmly into place. Measure the distance between the outside edge of each stringer using the measuring tape to ensure they're 3 feet apart.

Place the boards on the front of each step, securing each with two nails on either side.

Hammer the wooden stakes into the ground on the sides of the stringers to hold them in place.

Add extra dirt into the frame to fill it up, being sure to leave at least 4 inches in every step to be filled with concrete.

Mix the concrete according to the manufacturer's instructions, and shovel it into the frame until it's full. Smooth the concrete down with the back of your shovel as you go, and use a trowel to complete the smoothing process.

Let the concrete sit for six hours before removing the frame. The concrete should now be solid, but not completely hardened. Simply remove the stakes from the ground, pry the nails out using the claw of the hammer -- and lift the wooden structure off the concrete, piece by piece. Leave the concrete steps to sit for at least 24 hours to harden.