How to Build a Concrete Block Retaining Wall

Add style and keep to your yard with a concrete retaining wall . you could establish one in just six steps .

A concrete block retaining paries provides the heftiness you take to keep soil from sliding into your garden or other areas of youroutdoor livelihood outer space — you might desire to add one after prod into aslope for a pathway , patio , or landscape gardening project .

The retaining wall provides a way to release the water that make up in the slope behind it . Without a pressure sensation - relief organization , the weight of the water in the soil would check or even buckle the wall . Concrete mental block keep walls are exchangeable to freestanding auction block walls but with a few all important conflict — for one , they ’re stronger .

container gardens in aluminum planters

Credit: Rob Cardillo

Getting Started

Sure , they ’re functional , but you’re able to also think of them asa landscape featurethat specify an area or differentiate arena of your yard . Before you get startle , plan the layout , and check with authorities on any local codes onretaining wallsand any permits you might need . Expect to expend 20 to 36 hours building a 3x10 - metrical foot concrete block keep on paries .

What You’ll Need

Equipment / Tools

Materials

Instructions

How to Build a Concrete Block Retaining Wall

Abramowitz Creative Studios

Build and Prep Footing

Lay out the wall and excavate the incline and the footing trench . Build the footing and insert rebar into the wet concrete at intervals corresponding to the cores in the closure . groom the terms , spread trench mortar , and build up leads , skid the auction block over the rebar as needed .

Insert Weep Holes

As you lay the 2d form of the concrete block keep back paries , insert weep hole ( ¾-inch tobacco pipe ) into the mortar every third block . Chip off a small niche in the cylinder block and trowel a howitzer bed for the organ pipe , sloping it slightly toward the front . Then , chip out a recess on the next block , butter the ears , and do the block .

Scrape Off Excess Mortar

Stop occasionally tocheck the mortar . When it begins to do up slightly , scrape off the excess with an upswing of the bound of the trowel . Do not punch the weep fix with surplus mortar as you dispatch it .

Lay Landscape Fabric

After you ’ve laid at least two courses , spread out landscape painting fabricon the grunge behind the base of the concrete block retaining wall , temporarily set the excess over the grass on the incline . Lay rocks on the fabric to hold it while you influence . Backfill the wall with gravel between the rear of the wall and the slope , laying perforated drainpipe on the gravel bed level with the top of the first course . Face the holes down .

Cover Drainpipe

Shovel more crushed rock on top of the drainpipe . Backfill with extra crushed rock as you add course to the wall . close down the landscape painting material over the top of the gravel fill , and backfill with filth . supplant the sod .

Fill with Mortar

When you reach the ruined height of the concrete - block retaining wall , fill those cores containing rebar to the top with trench mortar . Mix the fill trench mortar more or less wetter than what you ’d utilise for joint . Smooth the top with a trowel . propagate additional howitzer , and lay jacket crown cylinder block to terminate the rampart .

Frequently Asked Questions

Materials can be made of natural or manufactured materials , including Boulder , flag , or bricks . Natural rock wall are unremarkably more expensive but might well outfit in with your landscape gardening . If you use concrete blocks , you could add on a stone veneer face for a unlike looking at .

If you crest your retaining rampart , you ’ll add protection from weather and erosion . Choices include concrete , flat stones , or flagstones , secured in place using adhesive agent for masonry ware . ( ensure the wall is dry when you add the capping material ) .

ensure periodically to make indisputable it ’s not leaning , swelling , or leak water . reckon for cracks and swell at the top and bottom of the bulwark and any body of water accumulation around the wall , peculiarly during freeze - and - thaw weather cycles .

Build and Prep Footing