

How to Build a Retaining Wall Step by Stepįor the step-by-step, you can either watch the video or keep reading.įirst, mark the location of your wall by either dragging a shovel in the dirt, using stakes and string or even spraying the ground with spray paint. These are the blocks I will be using in this tutorial.įor retaining walls taller than three feet, you will likely need a building permit and to hire a structural engineer to help with the design of the wall. They also have angled cuts on the sides for building curves in your wall. The lip on the back locks the blocks into place and automatically creates a natural slope to the wall for added strength. They are widely available, easy to work with, and relatively inexpensive. To give you an idea of size, the larger stones are 3.5″ x 10.5″ x 7″ (height x width x depth).įor larger retaining walls up to three feet high, these 6″ x 16″ x 10.5″ concrete garden wall blocks are the best for DIY projects. They are lightweight, easy to move, and you can buy them (or something similar) at most home stores. There are hundreds of different retaining wall blocks out there, but let me save you some time.įor small garden walls that will be less than eighteen inches high, you can use smaller blocks like the Pavestones in the image below. The Best Retaining Wall Blocks For DIYers Paver Base (aka crushed stone base) – Amount depends on the size of the wall.Construction Adhesive (one or two tubes is plenty for most walls).Standard level (24″ is fine, but longer is better).Digging bar (only needed for hard-packed rocky soil).How to build a retaining wall on a hill or slopeĮssential Equipment – Tools and Materials Tools.

How to plan and design your retaining wall.How to build a retaining wall step by step.The best retaining wall blocks for DIYers.(To make it taller, add more layers of blocks.) Contents I’ll cover everything you need to know so you can get started with confidence.įirst, here’s a quick image that sums up what it takes to build a retaining wall. In this DIY tutorial, I demonstrate how to build a retaining wall using interlocking landscaping blocks, step by step.
