How to Build Stairs Into a Hillside

Calculate the size of the hill on which you want to make stairs. If this is your first time building steps, make them on a smaller hill that will require fewer steps. Once you determine the size of the hill, calculate how many steps you want. There are two measurements to keep in mind: the width of the step and the depth of the step. A step 4 feet wide will accommodate one person at a time, while a step 5 to 6 feet wide can accommodate two people.

Enclose the area where the stairs will be with a string. This can be done by placing stakes at the two corners at the foot of the stairs and two stakes at the top of the stairs. Tie the string around the stake to enclose the stairs.

Dig a trench for the front of the first step at the foot of the staircase area you have enclosed. The trench for the first step should be shallow.

Dig trenches for the sides of the first step by digging back into the hill from the two ends of the first trench you built for the front of the first step. The trench should fit a piece of wood that will go back 6 inches further than where the next step will be built. This is to allow the next step to be bolted to the first step.

Cut a piece of wood that will fit into the first trench you dug for the front of the first step. The trench for the front of the first step should be shallow, so the wood will protrude out of the ground and clearly identify where the first step begins.

Cut two pieces of wood for the sides of the first step. Place the wood into the trenches you have already dug for the side of the first step.

Cut half-inch holes about 2 1/2 inches from the end of all three pieces of wood you cut to shape the first step.

Anchor all of these pieces into the hill by driving an 18-inch rebar through all of the holes you cut into the pieces of wood. You will have six holes in total. Once you have secured all of the wood with the rebar, you have the framework of your first step.

Cut a piece of wood identical to the front of the first step.

Place the front of the second step onto the sides of the first step. There should be about 3 inches of the sides of the first step protruding after the front of the second step. This is to allow the sides of the second step to be attached to the sides of the first step.

Drill a 5-inch deep hole into the sides of the front of the second step. Then spike the front of the second step to the sides of the first step by drilling them together with a 12-inch galvanized spike. This should secure the front of the second step.

Dig trenches for the sides of the second step. The bottom of the side trenches for the second step should be flush with the top of the side trenches from the first step. If this is not going to be your last step, make the side trenches 6 inches longer than where the next step is going to be built to allow it to be attached to the next step.

Cut pieces of wood that will fit into the side trenches of the second step.

Drill a 5-inch deep hole at the front of each of the pieces of wood on the side of the second step. Drill the side wood to the last 3 inches left of the ends of the side wood from the first step.

Repeat these steps until you have made the number of stairs you need.

Fill the area inside of each step with gravel or brick, depending on what your desire is.

Connect the ends of the side wood into the ground. Take the 18-inch rebar and drill it through the back ends of both of the side woods on the last step. This is necessary because this portion of the wood will not have any wood below it to connect to. Therefore, the rebar will act as an anchor for the last step and will hold it in place.