Like the flagstone patio? Here's how I built it - https://youtu.be/oPDW1xQ7_SE
In this video I show you exactly how to build a retaining wall with landscape blocks.You'll learn how to design your retaining wall, the tools you need, how to build it step by step, and even some retaining wall design ideas.
First, I'll walk you through how to design your retaining wall, and the critical components you need to include so your retaining wall doesn't fail. Things like proper drainage, a solid base material, and making sure you dig deep enough so the retaining wall doesn't fall over.
Most people skip critical steps, like digging deep enough for a 6" packed gravel base - which is critical for the structural integrity of your wall. Or, even worse, they don't install a gravel base at all.
You'll also learn the importance of using 3/4" gravel behind your retaining wall blocks so excess moisture doesn't build up behind the wall and potentially cause it to fall over.
Then, I'll demonstrate how wide to dig the trench before building your wall, and what to consider when planning that out. In this video I built a curved wall with a cool step feature.
Then, we'll go right into building it, starting with the first row of blocks., which you'll need to make sure are perfectly level. I'll share some tips (use sand) for making this much easier so you can save time.
This home improvement project will have a dramatic impact on your landscape, and it doesn't cost that much. In fact, this 50' long wall, that is 3' tall, only cost me about $1,000 in materials total. That's pretty amazing considering the transformation it made to my backyard.
I think you'll like this video, because it includes a time-lapse of building the wall as well - so you can get an idea of exactly how much work goes into installing a retaining wall - which is a lot!
And by the way...
If you enjoy DIY projects, and you'd like to learn how to turn your DIY skills into a profitable handyman business...visit my website at: https://www.handymanstartup.com
Read this article:
How To Build a Retaining Wall (Step-by-Step)
- 10 Retaining Wall Ideas and Designs - MSN - June 12th, 2025 [June 12th, 2025]
- Emergency stabilization work underway on retaining wall along train tracks in Bay Ho - Yahoo - June 12th, 2025 [June 12th, 2025]
- SANDAG conducting emergency repairs on retaining wall near train tracks - cbs8.com - June 12th, 2025 [June 12th, 2025]
- Resident implores city to fix his wall damaged after curb project - Hungry Horse News - June 12th, 2025 [June 12th, 2025]
- Relatively new retaining wall below train tracks in Bay Ho to get $15.5M fix - NBC 7 San Diego - June 12th, 2025 [June 12th, 2025]
- Simons Run retaining wall rebuild is planned - Lynchburg News and Advance - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]
- Retaining wall collapses in Campbell County - Lynchburg News and Advance - May 20th, 2025 [May 20th, 2025]
- Missing retaining wall along Pili river continues to be Death Trap at Itabhatti - Times of India - May 20th, 2025 [May 20th, 2025]
- 5 trailing flowers to fill your retaining walls, garden fences, and hanging baskets with joyful color - Homes and Gardens - May 20th, 2025 [May 20th, 2025]
- Variance involving the expansion of a retaining wall within the shoreline setback of Lake Luzerne up for public comment - The Adirondack Almanack - - May 20th, 2025 [May 20th, 2025]
- NH-66 collapse on service road at Kooriyad triggers concerns - Times of India - May 20th, 2025 [May 20th, 2025]
- Tips for choosing and caring for plants in rock retaining walls and under trees - The Olympian - April 16th, 2025 [April 16th, 2025]
- E19 | Retaining Wall, Mini Split Upkeep | Ask This Old House - THIRTEEN - New York Public Media - April 16th, 2025 [April 16th, 2025]
- LAFD responds to Beverly Crest home after retaining wall begins to buckle - KTLA - April 16th, 2025 [April 16th, 2025]
- Ask This Old House - E19 | Retaining Wall, Mini Split Upkeep | Ask This Old House - Twin Cities PBS - TPT - Twin Cities PBS - April 16th, 2025 [April 16th, 2025]
- Beverly Crest Neighborhood Alert, Retaining Wall Near Brink of Collapse Close to Residence - Hoodline - April 16th, 2025 [April 16th, 2025]
- Retaining Wall Buckles In Beverly Crest - Canyon News Beverly Hills - April 16th, 2025 [April 16th, 2025]
- Sault pensioner must pay city $89K for a retaining wall or potentially lose her home - SooToday - March 26th, 2025 [March 26th, 2025]
- Out of control MTA bus breaks through retaining wall, dangles over street in the Bronx - AOL - March 26th, 2025 [March 26th, 2025]
- DPS: Friona driver dies after pickup swerves into construction zone, hits retaining walls - Yahoo - March 26th, 2025 [March 26th, 2025]
- 3 cars damaged in South Shore crash after Jeep drives over wall - WCVB Boston - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Columbia River Gorge bridge reopens 5 months after retaining wall collapsed - OregonLive - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Webinar Introduction to the GEOWEB MSE Wall Design Software for Vegetated and Non-Vegetated Retaining Walls March 25 - Geosynthetics magazine - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- WYDOT to Begin Repair of Retaining Wall on US 16 West of Buffalo - Sheridan Media - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- WYDOT to begin repair of retaining wall on US 16 west of Buffalo - The Sheridan Press - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Which Istanbul districts have worst ground conditions? Expert reveals key risk areas - Trkiye Today - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Moose Jaw murals and an eyesore retaining wall hot topics - Moose Jaw Today - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Begin Munneru retaining wall construction soon! - The Hans India - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Pontiac driver slams car into retaining wall, causing severe injuries; officials say hed been drinking - MSN - March 9th, 2025 [March 9th, 2025]
- Car crash leaves vehicle hanging over retaining wall in Hawthorne - NorthJersey.com - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- 2 workers killed after partial collapse of Catonsville home that sounded like a small earthquake - The Baltimore Banner - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- Car left teetering on retaining wall after crashing through fence in Hawthorne, N.J. - Yahoo - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- Car crash leaves vehicle hanging over retaining wall in Hawthorne - MSN - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- Firefighters respond to car hanging over retaining wall in Hawthorne - NorthJersey.com - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- Car crash Hawthorne, NJ: Driver slams through fence, vehicle left hanging over embankment - ABC7 New York - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- Car Rescued Off Westervelt Avenue Retaining Wall - TAPinto.net - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- Be prepared for snakes, anywhere, in hot weather - Ambulance Victoria - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- Trees threatening wall close to main road are to be chopped down - South Wales Argus - March 1st, 2025 [March 1st, 2025]
- B6001 Grindleford to Hathersage road to close for retaining wall repairs in March - Derbyshire Times - February 16th, 2025 [February 16th, 2025]
- Building a DIY RETAINING WALL with CONCRETE BLOCKS & LIGHTS! - MSN - February 16th, 2025 [February 16th, 2025]
- Lightweight Belgard retaining wall unit defines vertical tolerances - Concrete Produts - February 8th, 2025 [February 8th, 2025]
- Belgard Introduces Diamond Pro Air, Its Newest Block System - Business Wire - January 31st, 2025 [January 31st, 2025]
- Busy road closed for 2 weeks as crews repair retaining wall in Greene County - MSN - January 31st, 2025 [January 31st, 2025]
- Busy road closed for 2 weeks as crews repair retaining wall in Greene County - WHIO - January 31st, 2025 [January 31st, 2025]
- Students reconstruct retaining wall for local church as part of capstone project - YSU.edu - November 29th, 2024 [November 29th, 2024]
- 3 dead after Tesla Cybertruck hits tree, retaining wall in California: Reports - USA TODAY - November 29th, 2024 [November 29th, 2024]
- 3 dead after Tesla Cybertruck hits tree, retaining wall in California: Reports - MSN - November 29th, 2024 [November 29th, 2024]
- Debris Flow From Retaining Wall Failure Prompts Partial Closure of Laurel Canyon Boulevard in Hollywood - Hoodline - November 29th, 2024 [November 29th, 2024]
- Miners Ave. retaining wall to be fixed by December - Black Hills Pioneer - October 28th, 2024 [October 28th, 2024]
- Suspected DUI driver slams into retaining wall and flips car in Kennewick - KIRO Seattle - October 17th, 2024 [October 17th, 2024]
- Retaining wall collapse near Manyata Tech Park during heavy rainfall - The New Indian Express - October 17th, 2024 [October 17th, 2024]
- U.S. 18 retaining wall improvements in Jefferson County to begin tomorrow - Fort Atkinson Online - October 17th, 2024 [October 17th, 2024]
- WisDOT to perform retaining wall improvements in Helenville - Watertown Daily Times - October 17th, 2024 [October 17th, 2024]
- Sault driver accused of running red light, crashing into retaining wall - CTV News Northern Ontario - October 17th, 2024 [October 17th, 2024]
- Community development grant to improve Father Marinaro Park, Butler retaining wall - Butler Eagle - September 29th, 2024 [September 29th, 2024]
- Dozens of Westside residents recover belongings weeks after apartment retaining wall collapsed - FirstCoastNews.com WTLV-WJXX - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Planning Board Approves Retaining Wall for Jones Addition and Another Live Entertainment Venue Downtown - Amherst Indy - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Portion of Buffalo Bayou trail closed after retaining wall gives out and sidewalk collapses - ABC13 Houston - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Portion of retaining wall near Mungul bridge gives way - The Goan Everyday - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Erosion leaves Mount Holly townhomes on the edge - Gaston Gazette - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Burnaby duplex owner has to pay half the cost of neighbour's fence, retaining wall - Burnaby Now - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Storm sewer project in Curling and work on the old retaining wall on Humber Road starting in Corner Brook - 100.1 BayFM - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Premium Content: City breaks ground on $15 million+ renovation project for Brooklyn Childrens Museum - Brooklyn Daily Eagle - August 17th, 2024 [August 17th, 2024]
- City Breaks Ground on Over $15 Million Renovation Project for Brooklyn Childrens Museum in Crown Heights - City Life Org - August 17th, 2024 [August 17th, 2024]
- Boulders crash at Malpem; four Maha tourists escape from the jaws of death - Herald Goa - June 24th, 2024 [June 24th, 2024]
- Heights council hears concerns about collapsing retaining wall - The Killeen Daily Herald - May 27th, 2024 [May 27th, 2024]
- Construction of rain-damaged retaining walls underway atop Chamundi Hill - Star of Mysore - May 27th, 2024 [May 27th, 2024]
- Watch this autonomous excavator build a retaining wall - Electrek - May 6th, 2024 [May 6th, 2024]
- Autonomous excavator constructs stone retaining wall (Video) - Equipment World - May 6th, 2024 [May 6th, 2024]
- Cops Rescue Mon And Child From Lexus Hanging Over Retaining Wall - CarScoops - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- Retaining wall collapses in Yorkshire Dales prompting fears of road closure - Richmondshire Today - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Courtenay concerned about retaining wall along river - Times Colonist - December 20th, 2023 [December 20th, 2023]
- Potential Risk of Failure of Anderton Avenue Retaining Wall - City of Courtenay - December 20th, 2023 [December 20th, 2023]
- 110-year-old retaining wall near Ottawa Rowing Club to be demolished, replaced - Yahoo News Canada - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- CCAT begins reconstruction project - The LumberJack - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- Trial ordered for SUV driver accused of striking, killing toddler in ... - The San Diego Union-Tribune - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- Archaeological Site inside Monastiraki Metro Station Athens, Greece - Atlas Obscura - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- Marc Cavagnero Associates have completed the renovation and ... - Global Design News - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- A Renovated Eichler Proves a Vibrant, Livable Showcase for ... - Nob Hill Gazette - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- Part of Illinois 106 closing seven months for construction - Jacksonville Journal-Courier - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]