How to Create Terracing

Determine the size of the future terraces by looking at the hillside, marking where the terraces should be located, and measuring the terraces’ desired lengths and widths. Measure the rise and run of the hillside, so it is possible to calculate each terrace’s depth.

Calculate each terrace’s depth. Divide the hillside rise by the number of terraces. If the slope’s run is 20 feet and the plan is to make four 5-foot long terraces, divide the rise of the slope by four. A slope with a 12-foot rise and four terraces needs each terrace 3 feet tall; a slope with an 8-foot rise and four terraces will have 2-foot tall terraces.

Cut timber to the right lengths for each terrace for one front support wall and two side support walls. Alternatively, count how many cement blocks or bricks are needed to build the right size of terrace walls. The terrace walls’ bases start underground, so factor in a little extra material to accommodate the wall’s underground. A wooden 2-foot terrace wall needs 1 foot or a little less of underground depth for stabilization. Heavy blocks need a shallower trench.

Dig a trench at the hillside’s base where the front wall of the lowest terrace goes. Make the trench a little wider than the timber or cement blocks so that they fit down inside the trench. For a wooden support wall, dig the trench about as deep as one-half the height of the support wall. Make sure the bottom of the trench is level.

Dig trenches where the terrace side walls go, making sure the trench bottoms are level with the bottom of the front trench.

Put the timber pieces or cement blocks in place in the trenches and tightly pack soil around them. If the cement blocks are too light to form a stable wall, secure them in place with a strong masonry product.

Drill holes through wooden support walls down towards the ground.

Pound metal spikes or pipes through the holes and into the ground holding the walls in place. For cinderblock walls, pound metal spikes or pipes through the holes in the blocks and into the ground. For other types of masonry materials, follow manufacturer's instructions to build a secure wall.

Make the terrace level by shoveling soil from the back of the terrace to fill in the front of the terrace.

Repeat this procedure, building terraces up the slope.