How to make a set of retaining garden steps

Introduction and Sectional Plan Drawing

When building a low retaining wall in the garden or backyard for whatever reason (maybe just to level the section a bit), including some steps into the design can make the project both practical and aesthetically pleasing. As with any home improvement project putting a bit of thought into a design can make all the difference.

These retaining wall steps are made up of a series of 100mm x 100mm (4″ x 4″) posts laid horizontally on firmly shaped ground.
The steps are easy to make and give a nice solid look which becomes any garden.

This article tells how to incorporate some wide lumber steps into a low retaining wall.

This article does not delve into retaining wall structure since the structure of a retaining wall is governed by a number of factors, such as: height, ground type (soft, hard, etc), ground slope (towards the retaining wall or away from the retaining wall), load (whether there is going to be any vehicle traffic in close proximity to the retaining wall or whether the wall is just going to be supporting the ground), and whether some type of drainage system needs to be put in place.
Some walls require a specific design and approval from the local authority.

In this particular case the retaining wall is a low one, the ground to be retained is firm and slopes away from the wall, and there is no vehicle or similar type load to worry about, so the wall is pretty basic and straight forward.

Below is a cross-section plan drawing of the retaining steps. This is followed by instructions and photos on successive pages.