My first of many Retaining Walls to tame my slope - DIY

ultrarunner · Jul 20, 2013

For the last 7 years I have wanted to put up a small block wall where the Deere 110 sits.

I did check Allen Blocks and $10 a block is the going rate here!!! There is a plant about 40 miles from here.

I went with Basalite... stone yards were quoting $4.50 a block and Home Depot $3.17 with coupon plus $80 delivery verses $125 from the yard 2 miles from my house.

180 blocks and done...

Thanks for the write up and inspiration!

Don87 · Jul 20, 2013

Nice job you are doing there Dragoneggs. It's looking good.

Don87 · Jul 20, 2013

I didn't tackle a job of that size, but I live on a slope also and built a Koi pond with a stream and waterfall. I'm holding back almost 11,000 gallons of water with these retaining wall blocks made by Pavestone(purchased at Home Depot). Anchor

Lowes was selling something that looked similar, so I bought a few as I expanded further than the original plan...........they lasted exactly 1 year till they disintegrated. Quality matters .

scoutcub · Jul 21, 2013

ultrarunner said:
For the last 7 years I have wanted to put up a small block wall where the Deere 110 sits.

I did check Allen Blocks and $10 a block is the going rate here!!! There is a plant about 40 miles from here.

I went with Basalite... stone yards were quoting $4.50 a block and Home Depot $3.17 with coupon plus $80 delivery verses $125 from the yard 2 miles from my house.

Thanks for the write up and inspiration!

What...? No pics, or thread?? :laughing:

ultrarunner · Jul 21, 2013

scoutcub said:
What...? No pics, or thread?? :laughing:

I'm photographically challenged...

dragoneggs · Jul 21, 2013

ultrarunner said:
For the last 7 years I have wanted to put up a small block wall where the Deere 110 sits.

I did check Allen Blocks and $10 a block is the going rate here!!! There is a plant about 40 miles from here.I

I went with Basalite... stone yards were quoting $4.50 a block and Home Depot $3.17 with coupon plus $80 delivery verses $125 from the yard 2 miles from my house.

180 blocks and done...

Thanks for the write up and inspiration!

yes Allen Blocks are expensive. I believe they are best quaility available around here though. Very interested in what your $3.17 block can do? Not at all trying to cause a fight here but I need some specifics on the block. What is the dimensions and weight of the block? What is the square ft (face) price work out to be? How high a gravity wall can you build with it?

I found after a fair amount of research that you pretty much get what you pay for as usual when it comes to materials... Not just talking concrete blocks here. This goes for most all materials. Skilled labor and supposed expertise can be another story.

In this case, I am pretty sure I can't blame the block... Only my inexperience and haste.

dragoneggs · Jul 21, 2013

Don87 said:
Nice job you are doing there Dragoneggs. It's looking good.

Thanks Don... Time will tell but I am happy will first wall, and that is good. Number two will be better.

ultrarunner · Jul 21, 2013

I bought the basic keystone Basalite Artisan Series Blocks off the shelf/pallet at Home Depot.

Each block is 50lbs and 6" high, 16" long and 10.375 deep. 60 blocks to a pallet with a total pallet weight of 3,050lbs.

Max Gravity height is 3' or 6 courses which works for my application because the wall is stepped.

Seems to be solid and the cut I made in the slope has not moved an inch over 7 years... it is mostly serpentine rock with no dirt... many a nights with the bosch jack hammer chipping away at it.

I was surprised the local stone/landscape yards had the exact blocks for 1.33 more per block plus delivery was $45 more than Depot...

dragoneggs said:
yes Allen Blocks are expensive. I believe they are best quaility available around here though. Very interested in what your $3.17 block can do? Not at all trying to cause a fight here but I need some specifics on the block. What is the dimensions and weight of the block? What is the square ft (face) price work out to be? How high a gravity wall can you build with it?

I found after a fair amount of research that you pretty much get what you pay for as usual when it comes to materials... Not just talking concrete blocks here. This goes for most all materials. Skilled labor and supposed expertise can be another story.

In this case, I am pretty sure I can't blame the block... Only my inexperience and haste.

dragoneggs · Aug 9, 2013

Okay... sorry for the delay but the good news is I am on to wall number 2! I guess the title of this post is outdated. Here are some pics. The area between the lower and upper wall will be my wifey's (stole that from 4shorts) garden.