Selecting the Best Retaining Wall Materials for Your Landscape

Most homeowners think of their outdoor landscape as a place where they can escape the walled confines of their houses in beautiful weather — but we at Neave Group know that walls have a place outdoors, too!

You might install a retaining wall for a number of reasons, including solving draining problems, supporting your home’s foundation or simply creating new, usable spaces in your landscape. Retaining walls can also add lovely aesthetic elements to your landscape!

But depending on your needs and preferences, there are plenty of retaining wall materials to choose from. Each has its own benefits, as well as aesthetic and structural considerations. Let’s take a look at your options for retaining wall materials.

Decorative concrete blocks are a popular retaining wall material for New York and Connecticut homeowners.

Decorative Concrete Block Retaining Walls

The most popular of all retaining wall materials is decorative concrete block, which creates segmented retaining wall systems (SRWs). These walls are popular because they’re available in many different textures, colors, and styles.

Concrete block retaining walls are also extremely variable in terms of height, from 3 feet to as tall as you need it, depending on the manufacturer’s specifications.

Wooden Retaining Walls

Another option is retaining walls made from wood — a completely different aesthetic approach from the concrete and stone retaining walls described in this post — including timber retaining walls or railroad tie retaining walls.

Neave Group doesn’t install wooden retaining walls because they don’t have the structural benefits of other types of retaining walls, and they have a much shorter lifespan than those made of stone or concrete.

Other Types of Retaining Walls

Depending on the look you’re going for, stone retaining walls and brick retaining walls can set off a beautiful new usable area of your landscape.

One cost-effective option is a stone veneer over a concrete retaining wall or cinder block wall. Solid brick walls offer another, more classic look in a traditional landscape.

A pricier option that offers solid construction and a super-high-end aesthetic would be a retaining wall made of natural stone, whether it’s naturally stacked or chiseled into the proper shape for your landscape.

Costs will vary, of course, based on the amount of labor needed and the cost of the retaining wall materials. There are also many options for retaining wall caps that can also drastically affect the price.

Proper installation is critical for any retaining wall material, including stone retaining walls.

Installation Is Key

Even with the perfectly chosen retaining wall materials, the most important factor in building one that lasts is proper installation technique. Selecting the correct backfill material, drainage, filter fabric or geogrid (for larger walls), which are all vital parts of any retaining wall, will give it a better chance of a long life making your landscape more beautiful and functional.

If your landscape is in need of a retaining wall, give our design and construction experts at Neave Group a call. We can discuss your retaining wall options with you more in depth. We welcome your call at (845) 463-0592. Or you can fill out our handy web form to the right.

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