The gravel will collect water seeping through the soil and funnel the water to the weep holes or drain pipes, reducing pressure on the walls. 5.

Retaining walls can level a sloped yard, prevent erosion and look beautiful! Check out these distinctive retaining wall ideas. You might not think of retaining walls as the most exciting yard ...

The retaining wall you construct has to be strong enough to offset the pushing force of the soil. Do not underestimate this force, as a cubic foot of moist soil can often weigh up to 100 pounds.

Stack the successive rows of blocks until you have the wall to the desired height. Backfill each completed row with soil. Many block systems have a finishing cap to cover the final block, so this ...

Dry-laid stone wall: This wall also failed because of backfill pressure, and the stress of fence posts behind the wall. It was laid “plumb” (straight up and down), with no tie-backs behind it.

Make sure you purchase special interlocking retaining wall blocks at your home center store. These blocks fit together when stacked so they will not tip over from the weight of the soil behind them.

When using a stone product as a retaining wall, it's important to randomly place stones that are deeper to help tie the wall into the hill. Over 24-inches high, the use of geo-textile netting gets ...

There are two types of stone walls. One is free-standing that creates a fence or boundary. The other is a stone retaining wall. The method of construction for each is somewhat similar to the other ...

So, if you're planning to build a 4-foot retaining wall, convert 4 feet to inches (4 times 12) to get 48 inches. Then, divide 48 inches by 8, and you'll arrive at a 6-inch depth.