Retaining walls might not be the most exciting part of a landscape but they can be a critical component in the overall landscape and cause the biggest headache down the road if they are not installed properly.

Choosing the proper type of wall is often the first step creating a long lasting landscape. Some of the more common choices are modular block walls, natural stone or large boulders.

MODULAR BLOCK
     Modular block walls are engineered concrete block that can be built to hold large loads.  With proper engineering, for instance, modular block walls can reach as high as 30 or 40 feet. They are available in many different styles and colors.

Some modular block walls will have pins to hold them in place while others may just have a concrete lip to secure them. What ever the method, the manufacturer will have specific guidelines on how high to build walls with their product.

NATURAL STONE
Natural Stone is a general term used to describe several different types of split limestone. The stone is split into 8” deep pieces of varying thickness and length. The stone are stacked on top of each other and rely solely on their weight to hole them in place. Because there is no “system” holding them in place natural stone should not be used to build walls taller than 4’ without proper engineering behind the wall.

Natural stone often provides a more rustic or classical look than a modular block will. The colors will be determined by the quarry that each type comes from.

BOULDERS AND OUTCROPPING
Boulders and outcropping, similar to natural stone, are loose terms used for any stone that is just used in its natural state as it comes from the quarry or field.

Fieldstone is a round rock with a wide variety of colors. Limestone Outcroppings are stone 24” and larger coming from a quarry. The stone is either crushed or blasted out of the ground resulting in a more angular stone than Fieldstone. Both fieldstone and limestone outcropping can be used to build big walls. They have no mechanical system holding them in place but with the weight of individual pieces weighing in the tons, the stone will not move once installed.