Dual-sided retaining wall blocks?
#1
Member
Thread Starter

I need to build a retaining wall. It's mainly as edging between a grass area and a leafy area, but the lot is also on a slope, so it will be actually retaining some earth and preventing erosion. The wall will be perpendicular to the slope, but there is also some variation in height of the ground along the length of the wall.
Because of that variation, at the low points a good bit of the back side of the retaining wall will be visible. So, I would want to use a retaining wall block that is attractive on both the front and back sides. However, all the blocks I see that are finished on both sides have no "lip" on the bottom. I've used blocks like that before, and they're OK for edging, but they don't really have any strength to actually retain anything.
Does anyone make a block that can be used for an actual retaining wall, but also looks good from front and behind? I know there are some commercial products, but I'm looking for something I can buy and install myself. I don't really see anything like this at Home Depot or Lowes.
Because of that variation, at the low points a good bit of the back side of the retaining wall will be visible. So, I would want to use a retaining wall block that is attractive on both the front and back sides. However, all the blocks I see that are finished on both sides have no "lip" on the bottom. I've used blocks like that before, and they're OK for edging, but they don't really have any strength to actually retain anything.
Does anyone make a block that can be used for an actual retaining wall, but also looks good from front and behind? I know there are some commercial products, but I'm looking for something I can buy and install myself. I don't really see anything like this at Home Depot or Lowes.
#4
I've built a lot of retaining walls and always used boulders/step stones, some beds up to 18" using dimensional stone.
I've seen really big dimensional type stone, like 8x12x16 but they are expensive and heavy.
I've seen really big dimensional type stone, like 8x12x16 but they are expensive and heavy.
