Build Terraced Steps on a Slope to Solve Water Runoff

Rock On! Finally, we can begin adding the gravel.  We used a large size granite so the monstrous Florida thunderstorms don't wash it all away.  It took a lot of bags - my recollection is about 7 bags per step.  It would have been more economical to get half truckload delivered, but it would have been a lot of work to scoop and carry it to the right spot. Adding gravel to complete bottom steps As you can see, we did not finish the steps all the way up before starting to add the gravel to the bottom ones because we were excited to see what it would look like.

The Next Steps To begin the 2nd step, we dug out the area where the side timbers would go to get them roughly placed.  The front timber of the 2nd step is placed right on top of the very back side timbers of the 1st step.  You can see that we are angling our steps so they will curve up the slope.  Use rebar to mount the front of the 2nd step to the 1st step.  To place the rebar, drill a hole where it will go before using a sledge hammer to pound it all the way into the ground.  The sides of the 2nd step are just laying there for placement, and are not yet screwed to the front timber. Rebar pounded into a pre-drilled hole to connect steps Now the treads (side timbers) can be screwed to the front timber of the 2nd step, avoiding the rebar. Screwing the rise to the tread of the 2nd step around the rebar Don't forget to use the sand to get each step level.  Also, landscape fabric at the bottom of each is highly recommended as a weed deterrent. ...

The First Step Once the cut portions of our wood was finally dry, we were able to begin actually building the steps.  Because we had some heavy rain prior to our being able to put the steps in, we covered the exposed soil with hay from a local feed store so the soil would not get washed away.  Once I got it raked away, hubby roughly leveled the location for the first (bottom) step. Prepping for the bottom step When the area was relatively flat, we placed two of the three timbers from our soon-to-be u-shaped bottom step.  We drilled a screw into the two timbers to keep them together, placed them again, and used play sand and a leveler to get it roughly level. We then took it up and added the third timber to complete the u-shaped step, and then with the play sand and leveler, we got the u-shaped bottom step laying perfect. Getting the screw started Drilling in the screw Use play sand and a leveler to get it level To discourage weeds from growing ...

My daughter and I went to Lowe's to buy the lumber while the guys cleaned around the area to prepare it, get out the circular saw, etc.  We bought 4X4X8 boards, some stain and a brush to paint the cut ends of the wood.  Fortunately, the boards fit down the middle of our Mazda X5. Once we unloaded, the guys cut the wood into 4' sections using a circular saw.  We used a plane to mark the 4' mark all the way around the board since the circular saw does not cut all the way through from one side.  Then we laid the boards out so everyone could get a vision of what we were building.  This helped a lot, since they did not understand what I was describing to do! I then became very disappointed to hear that we needed to wait a few days for the cut wood to dry before we could stain the ends. :(  With only a little more we could do, we used the rough layout to start leveling where the boards would go, leveling each terraced step, and taking dirt out of the middl...

After researching how to build steps up a slope or hill, I was unsatisfied with the lack of detail on instructions or the presentation of information in a step-by-step format with related pictures or videos.  This is my attempt to provide that as we build our own steps to solve a drainage issue. I hope you will learn something from my posts, or at least laugh at my mistakes so that your project will go perfectly smooth. Day 1:  The first related project that we tackled was a terraced drainage wall in the front yard.  We put sod above and a rock garden below, and it seems to be working well so far in holding some of the water coming from the rest of the neighborhood to straight under our rental townhouse. The one bad thing about rock gardens in this area is that leaves will get in there and diminish the effect.  Oh, well.  It would have been too soggy for grass. Picture of 1st terrace in front yard complete: On to step 2 - the side yard where a lot of t...