What’s the cleanest way to transition from patio to yard with a 1.5’ drop?
had this concrete patio poured and there’s about a 1.5 ft drop from the slab to the yard.
I’m looking for ideas to make the transition safe and finished-looking.
18 inches is right on the edge of where code starts demanding railings in some places. You need wide box steps, not narrow stairs. Go at least 6 feet wide so the transition feels grand rather than like a service entrance. For the rest of the perimeter, I’d run a raised planter bed right up against that slab face. It acts as a natural guardrail without needing a fence and gives you a place to add some structure with low masses of shrubs or grasses so the patio doesn’t feel like it’s floating in a dirt sea.
Before you buy retaining wall blocks or timber for those beds, throw a photo into GardenDream. It’s useful for testing out different materials like Corten steel versus stone to see what holds its own against that dark siding. You want to visualize the massing of the steps and plants together so you don’t end up with a layout that looks too heavy or disjointed from the house architecture.
SquirrelyBeaver
More dirt. Feather it into existing grade. Sod. Ez pz.
NoSolid6641
If I’m eyeballing it right, have your local soil company deliver you 3-4 yards of topsoil and you should be set.
Office_Dolt
Retaining wall about 3′ out and fill with low growing shrubs and all the flowers you want. Build steps into it if you will constantly be walking in that direction.
tanknav
If you’re going with grass, you’ll need to fix that soil anyway. I’d just till in a few yards of dirt and grade it smoothly towards the fence line…wherever that is.
kurai-samurai
Pop shove-it or reverse kick flip.
Otherwise regrade the dirt.
Lionheart1827
I have a similar issue when I had my patio put in, had a grade. They just filled with a lot more dirt
SnapCrackleMom
I’m not a professional at all but I would take into consideration any existing sloping in your yard and where water goes on your property. Are those downspouts just emptying out directly onto the concrete?
Dad_Is_Mad
I had this EXACT thing when I had my pool installed. I had an enormous concrete pad poured, almost half my entire backyard.
My plan was to rent a piece of equipment and also manually do it myself. That lasted every bit of two weeks. Then I paid a “dirt guy” to come do it. I’m about half a Saturday morning he had the entire thing done the way it should be done. Sod, landscaping, and fence later and it looks amazing.
Just pay someone man, I know it kinda hurts the wallet but it’ll be done right and quick.
FailHumble1928
I’d build a few rounded steps around that far corner that spread outward into the yard and patio level beds along the straight runs extending out from the concrete
Fahqcomplainsalot
Big concrete step on both sides of corner
Shatophiliac
Fill with dirt and grade, or put up a railing or steps or something. You definitely don’t want someone accidentally stepping off that without knowing how far down it is, bad news for ankles lol.
Greenest-fingers
Waterslide.
Imaginary-Fly-2160
Um …. bring in a truckload of soil?
turktaylor
Plant some perennials
Rare_Magazine_5362
Wingsuit.
t0mt0mt0m
Large stones
Wholeyjeans
Easy: more dirt around the high end.
Hard: a wrapping, “L”-shaped planter box encompassing the entire high end of the covered and uncovered portion, wrapping the high corner and ending about 3/4 the way across the backyard facing edge.
Any-Investment5692
I would install railings and plant bushes/ Hostas in the area’s that are at high risk of breaking an ankle so that it looks better. Even if you were to pile more dirt up against the slab. The transition is steep and may cause people to fall over. I would make sure any exits on the concrete slab only exit to a safe transition into the yard. Last thing you need is an elderly relative to take the wrong step and break their hip. Plus with a huge edge and corner. You run the risk of someone smacking their head on it when they fall. So plants/bushes and railings can go a long way in reducing risks.
Overall-Avocado-7673
That slab is 18 inches thick? Wow. If you can’t just dump a bunch of topsoil there, i would build a retaining wall like flower bed around that entire corner. It would look nice. You could even plant a small shade tree/shrub in the corner if you get direct sun there.
VaWeedFarmer
Fill, flower bed, shrubbery and mulch…Ni
BahBahSMT
Dirt. Mulch. Natural stone paver.
Rough_Astronomer8824
A 3’ hedge above the patio in that corner would also work.
31 Comments
Either a couple concrete steps or more dirt
Cleanest ? More dirt !
More soil.
18 inches is right on the edge of where code starts demanding railings in some places. You need wide box steps, not narrow stairs. Go at least 6 feet wide so the transition feels grand rather than like a service entrance. For the rest of the perimeter, I’d run a raised planter bed right up against that slab face. It acts as a natural guardrail without needing a fence and gives you a place to add some structure with low masses of shrubs or grasses so the patio doesn’t feel like it’s floating in a dirt sea.
Before you buy retaining wall blocks or timber for those beds, throw a photo into GardenDream. It’s useful for testing out different materials like Corten steel versus stone to see what holds its own against that dark siding. You want to visualize the massing of the steps and plants together so you don’t end up with a layout that looks too heavy or disjointed from the house architecture.
More dirt. Feather it into existing grade. Sod. Ez pz.
If I’m eyeballing it right, have your local soil company deliver you 3-4 yards of topsoil and you should be set.
Retaining wall about 3′ out and fill with low growing shrubs and all the flowers you want. Build steps into it if you will constantly be walking in that direction.
If you’re going with grass, you’ll need to fix that soil anyway. I’d just till in a few yards of dirt and grade it smoothly towards the fence line…wherever that is.
Pop shove-it or reverse kick flip.
Otherwise regrade the dirt.
I have a similar issue when I had my patio put in, had a grade. They just filled with a lot more dirt
I’m not a professional at all but I would take into consideration any existing sloping in your yard and where water goes on your property. Are those downspouts just emptying out directly onto the concrete?
I had this EXACT thing when I had my pool installed. I had an enormous concrete pad poured, almost half my entire backyard.
My plan was to rent a piece of equipment and also manually do it myself. That lasted every bit of two weeks. Then I paid a “dirt guy” to come do it. I’m about half a Saturday morning he had the entire thing done the way it should be done. Sod, landscaping, and fence later and it looks amazing.
Just pay someone man, I know it kinda hurts the wallet but it’ll be done right and quick.
I’d build a few rounded steps around that far corner that spread outward into the yard and patio level beds along the straight runs extending out from the concrete
Big concrete step on both sides of corner
Fill with dirt and grade, or put up a railing or steps or something. You definitely don’t want someone accidentally stepping off that without knowing how far down it is, bad news for ankles lol.
Waterslide.
Um …. bring in a truckload of soil?
Plant some perennials
Wingsuit.
Large stones
Easy: more dirt around the high end.
Hard: a wrapping, “L”-shaped planter box encompassing the entire high end of the covered and uncovered portion, wrapping the high corner and ending about 3/4 the way across the backyard facing edge.
I would install railings and plant bushes/ Hostas in the area’s that are at high risk of breaking an ankle so that it looks better. Even if you were to pile more dirt up against the slab. The transition is steep and may cause people to fall over. I would make sure any exits on the concrete slab only exit to a safe transition into the yard. Last thing you need is an elderly relative to take the wrong step and break their hip. Plus with a huge edge and corner. You run the risk of someone smacking their head on it when they fall. So plants/bushes and railings can go a long way in reducing risks.
That slab is 18 inches thick? Wow. If you can’t just dump a bunch of topsoil there, i would build a retaining wall like flower bed around that entire corner. It would look nice. You could even plant a small shade tree/shrub in the corner if you get direct sun there.
Fill, flower bed, shrubbery and mulch…Ni
Dirt. Mulch. Natural stone paver.
A 3’ hedge above the patio in that corner would also work.
Maybe wide steps and some bushes? [https://57e60f65-63ce-4862-b733-1a1d5298ee41-00-1zvwzlxikbku8.picard.replit.dev/shared/mll6bl2e-yimbckvt](https://57e60f65-63ce-4862-b733-1a1d5298ee41-00-1zvwzlxikbku8.picard.replit.dev/shared/mll6bl2e-yimbckvt)
Skateboard
Either a step or you make an elevated patio with a mini wall supporting it, which is just making the step further out. Or raise your grade.
Feathered fill.
I would put landscaping there to block it and have everyone go off the other side.