Companies are hired all the time to build concrete retaining walls for a variety of purposes. Small retaining walls for residential and commercial properties can be purely for landscape decoration, but larger retaining walls serve a vital function. They are designed to keep either water or soil from moving into an area. Larger retaining walls need to be built with strength so that they can hold back water and soil effectively.

There are many aspects of a retaining wall to think out before construction can begin. Through courses, workshops and other information sources, you can learn the best ways to plan and build a retaining wall, including:

1. How to design the wall.

2. The materials used in retaining wall construction.

3. How to construct the retaining wall, depending on its function and the type of soil you're building on.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Attend workshops to learn more about retaining wall construction

Many workshops and training events take place throughout the year on the topic of retaining wall construction and installation. These workshops are sometimes sponsored by companies promoting different products, but you can also find workshops not affiliated with a brand.

I recommend: Rockwood Retaining Walls hosts a variety of training sessions and workshop events so contractors can learn and improve upon their skills building custom retaining walls. Drystone Conservancy also sponsors many workshops on how to perform dry stack retaining wall installation.

Read up on how to build retaining walls

There are many online resources that can help you build a retaining wall, from the planning and material stages to the actual installation. You can also find this information in a variety of mediums, including text and video. These resources can give you tips and tricks of the pros, and also useful advice on how to do the job right.

I recommend: Allan Block offers many downloadable print materials that outline how to plan and build retaining walls for residential and commercial projects. If you want to build a segmented retaining wall, Geostone lays out the answers to the most common planning and building questions.

Take online courses to learn how to build a cinder block retaining wall

Online courses are available to teach you about every aspect of planning, designing and building retaining walls. No matter what part of the process you need to learn, you can find a training course to guide you through it.

I recommend: Versa-Lok offers contractors and building professionals access to online courses to learn the best tips and ways to install its line of retaining wall products. The guided video courses from RetainingWallExpert.com can teach anyone the way to work with the right products and the right soil to build a strong cinder block retaining wall. RedVector.com offers a two hour online course to help you plan the design of a retaining wall.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Training for retaining walls can be very general or very specific. Figure out what type of wall you want to build so you can find the right training materials for the job.

Retaining walls not only add beauty to your landscaping, they also provide valuable soil erosion control and better water retention. Water retention is important in hot, dry climates or during periods of extreme drought conditions.

Properly constructed retaining walls are a great way to bring order and functionality to areas of your landscaping that need attention. Build a retaining wall anywhere you want to create a new plant bed or simply add an area of geometric interest. Concrete retaining walls as well as cinder block retaining walls are the sturdiest type of retaining walls. These types of walls are especially appropriate at or around parking areas, driveways or walkout basements.

You can also build a retaining wall to elevate certain portions of your landscape that are prone to too much water retention. Not only do retaining walls help keep dry areas moist — when properly constructed, they provide great drainage for areas of your lawn that stay saturated.

Well placed, expertly constructed retaining walls will:

1. Add beauty and interest to your landscaping.
2. Provide new areas for planting.
3. Improve the overall safety and functionality of driveways, parking areas and walkouts.
4. Prevent soil erosion and improve water retention or drain saturated areas.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Work with a respected landscaping designer for the best retaining wall options

Let experts create a retaining wall design to add beauty and interest to your landscaping plan. Landscape designers have quick and easy access to design tools that let you see the finished product before they ever get out a shovel.

I recommend: The Association of Professional Landscape Designers provides links to qualified professional landscape designers in your area who can meet all your design needs.

Plant new beds around retaining walls for year-round color and interest

Installing retaining walls give the added benefit of providing new planting areas. Colorful flower borders, perennial bedding plants, shrubs and trees all bring added texture, color and interest to your landscaping.

I recommend: See GardenPlans.com for a variety of beautiful and functional garden plans for areas around retaining walls. Garden plans come with a full listing of plants, seeds, spacing instructions and placement diagrams to create beautiful spaces around or near retaining walls.

Use concrete retaining walls or a cinder block retaining wall for functionality

Concrete retaining walls are great for driveways, walkouts and parking lots where safety, form and functionality all work together. Well placed and bordered parking lots get businesses noticed. Learn how to build a cinderblock retaining wall yourself for added savings on home landscaping projects.

I recommend: Visit Homeblue Contractor Network to help you find a qualified retaining wall contractor in your area. For do it yourself cinder block walls, check out Lowes.com for plans, materials and instructions.

Use retaining walls for problem lawn areas

Properly positioned retaining walls help address areas of your lawn that need more or less moisture They also stop soil erosion by keeping the topsoil from escaping with runoff water.

I recommend: Check out Erosion Control for the latest in information on retaining wall designs for your lawn's problem areas. Erosion Control provides advice, information and links to professionals in erosion control.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Consider taking a class in how to build a cinder block retaining wall before beginning this type of project. Contact a home supply store in your area for information on free do it yourself classes.

Retaining wall systems fill a vital function in many areas of the country. Large retaining walls are built strong to prevent the movement of water and earth into populated areas. A smaller retaining wall will do the same job, but on a lesser scale. Many cinder block retaining walls are also built purely for decoration in landscaping and gardening on both residential and commercial properties.

The pricing and costs of retaining walls all depend on the size, style, and materials. Your first choice will be whether to use concrete or pre-made cinder blocks. After that you will have to decide on other features of the wall, such as:

1. How the retaining wall will hold together.

2. The size of the wall.

3. Whether you need to put specific design and structural elements into the wall.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Choose cinder blocks to build retaining walls

Cinder block retaining walls are usually the least expensive option for most builders. Because the blocks are premade they are quicker and more efficient to put in place, without the mess and hassle of pouring solid concrete. They are also much easier to remove, especially if you go with materials that are dry stacked. Cinder blocks are priced by size, with the most common sizes being 12 and 16 inches. These cost anywhere from $8 to $20 per block.

I recommend: Cinder & Concrete Block offers a type of dry stack cinder block retaining wall that works well for landscaping and gardening projects. Western Block is another company that offers cinder block and dry stack retaining walls for a variety of projects.

Build concrete retaining walls for a simple solution

Poured concrete walls are another option when building retaining walls. Concrete walls are solid and installed in sections. These sections are then held together with more concrete and rebar. While this method is a little more expensive than cinder blocks, the product is stronger for larger retaining projects. The price of a pour concrete retaining wall ranges from $1,500 to $7,500 depending on the size of the wall and conditions of the area.

I recommend: U.P. Engineers & Architects provides poured concrete walls for all of your retaining wall needs. B & M Contractors also provides poured concrete retaining walls for maximum strength and durability.

Find companies that can provide custom retaining walls

If you want a highly functional retaining wall that still has some design elements to it, choose custom built retaining walls. Many of these retaining walls can be built with concrete, blocks or wood. A custom retaining wall can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 depending on the area it covers and the type of materials used.

I recommend: Bridge Builders offer custom designs and installation for any type of retaining wall you could want. The Fort Miller Co. offers many quality products and their expertise to help you build the best wall for the present conditions.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you want to build a strong retaining wall on your own, you can find a wealth of books, videos and other resources that can teach you how to build a cinder block retaining wall or concrete wall.