Sloped garden: terraces from raised beds
The easiest way to handle a slope is to split it into level steps. Each step can be a Brick Premium raised bed 30 cm to 54 cm high — from the height drop and slope length you work out how many steps you need and how deep they'll be.
- 120 mm
- height of one layer of parts
- 30–54 cm
- height of a step made from a bed
- 60 mm
- solid larch, no chemicals
Updated 13/10/2026
Three ways to shore up a slope
Each one holds the soil differently. For a garden by the house, terraces you can plant straight into are often enough.
| Solution | Made from | How it's built | When it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terraces from raised beds | larch parts 60 mm, joined with snap-in connectors | layer by layer, no screws or drilling, step = bed | a gentle slope by the house, vegetables, herbs and flowers |
| Palisade posts | wooden or concrete posts | set vertically into the ground, often in concrete | edging a path or bed, a small height difference |
| Gabions | wire cages filled with stone | the cages are set on a prepared base and filled with stone | a bigger height drop and access for machinery |
A retaining wall holding back a slope above a house, road or footpath needs a structural engineer. The calculator on this page works out steps made from beds, not the wall's structural design.
How many steps you need
Number of steps = height drop ÷ step height, rounded up. Step depth = horizontal slope length ÷ number of steps. Step height is the bed height: each layer of parts adds 120 mm.
| Height drop | Steps of 30 cm | Steps of 42 cm | Steps of 54 cm |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 cm | 2 × 3 m | 2 × 3 m | 2 × 3 m |
| 90 cm | 3 × 2 m | 3 × 2 m | 2 × 3 m |
| 120 cm | 4 × 1.5 m | 3 × 2 m | 3 × 2 m |
| 150 cm | 5 × 1.2 m | 4 × 1.5 m | 3 × 2 m |
What one step costs
The simplest cascade is a row of separate beds, each one step lower. One step as a 2.4 × 0.9 m bed with a height of 42 cm costs €500.24. Studio works out the whole cascade with stairs at every change.
Bed price including VAT, excluding shipping, measured in Studio 6/10/2026. Valid for the delivery country: Germany – you can change it in the page footer.
Stairs between steps
You build garden stairs from the same parts, so the steps, stairs and wall share one material and one wood colour.
Frequently asked questions
Can you build a raised bed straight onto a slope?
A bed needs a level base. Under each step you'll level the slope: take soil from the top and use it to fill the beds.
How tall can one step be?
The calculator works with the heights of ready-made beds 30 cm, 42 cm and 54 cm. In Studio you can also set a different number of layers, each one adding 120 mm.
When do I need a structural engineer?
When a wall holds back a slope above a house, road or footpath, or when the slope is high and steep. Terraces made from beds in a typical garden are a different job to a retaining wall.
How much does a sloped garden cost?
It depends on the number and length of steps. One step as a 2.4 × 0.9 m bed costs €500.24. You'll see the exact price of the whole cascade in Studio.