How to choose the right retaining wall for your block

Start with height and what sits above

Walls above 1.0 m, or any wall with a driveway, building, pool or slope above it, need engineering design and usually approval. The load above the wall (the surcharge) can matter as much as the soil itself.

Common wall types

• Timber or concrete sleeper walls with steel posts — economical for lower walls with good access
• Segmental block walls with geogrid — suit medium heights where there is room behind the wall
• Reinforced concrete or blockwork cantilever walls — suit tight boundaries and higher loads
• Gabion walls — flexible, free-draining and good on difficult or wet sites
• Soil nailing or piled walls — for cuts where you cannot excavate behind the wall

Ground and access decide the rest

Soft clay, fill, rock or groundwater change the footing and the wall type. Machine access, neighbours and services often rule options in or out before design even starts.

Drainage is not optional

Every wall needs a drainage layer, a slotted pipe and a discharge point. Most failures we inspect trace back to water, not to wall strength.