How to Build a Stone Terrace

Building with stone takes a lot of energy, but isn't difficult to do as long as you're willing to take your time and work your muscles. A properly built stone terrace will easily outlast its builder, and provides a beautiful and natural looking accent on any property. A stone terrace built with a retaining wall on an uneven location can transform unusable space into an area for relaxation and outdoor enjoyment.

Stones
Shovel
Sand

Instructions

- 1
  Dig a trench along the downhill edge of the area where you will be building the terrace. This trench should be at least 6 inches deep to seat the lowest rocks in your retaining wall, and much deeper in areas where the ground freezes in the winter.
- 2
  Build a retaining wall by stacking stones so that they sit solidly on top of each other and don't tilt or move when you push them. Build the retaining wall high enough so that its top is even with the height of the finished terrace.
- 3
  Backfill the area behind the retaining wall with fill and sand and smooth it out to create a flat area.
- 4
  Set flat stones on top of the sand. Place stones with the flattest side facing up, then work them into the sand so that the tops of all the stones are as flat and even as possible. Fit the stones together carefully to minimize the amount of space that is open between them.

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