How to Install Steps From Railroad Ties in a Landscape

Make use of old railroad ties for landscaping your hillside path. Railroad ties make ideal steps when terraced into a hill. The step can be dug out and the railroad tie installed at the front edge. The remaining portion of the step can be filled with gravel and tamped down. Railroad ties are resistant to rot, making them well-suited to landscaping projects. Improve your home's landscape and reduce the environmental impact by reusing old materials in this project.

Tape measure
Landscaping spray paint
Shovel
Wheelbarrow
Plate compactor
Drill
3/8-inch drill bit
3/8-inch-diameter rebar, 18 inches long
Mallet
Gravel

Instructions

- 1
  Measure and mark off the area in which you'll install the steps, using landscaping spray paint. Mark the step and riser locations onto the marked-off pathway.
- 2
  Dig out the steps and risers, using a shovel. Dump the dirt into a wheelbarrow for removal from your property. Dig down to the depth of the railroad ties and dig out a step that's as wide as the ties are long.
- 3
  Tamp down the step area of the dug-out ground, using a plate compactor to create a level surface for the steps.
- 4
  Position one railroad tie at the front edge of each step. Drill four evenly spaced holes through each railroad tie with a 3/8-inch drill bit. Firmly seat the tie into place. Drive 3/8-by-18-inch rebar down through the holes in the railroad tie and into the ground, with a mallet.
- 5
  Fill in the remaining portion of the steps behind the railroad ties with gravel. Tamp down the gravel with a plate compactor to create a firm surface.

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