RETAINING WALLS

Types of Retaining Walls

Besser Block Retaining Walls

Besser® Blocks are a popular choice for soil retaining walls or when a wall is required to level sloped land. Besser® Block retaining walls are mortared together, installed on a concrete footing and often used for engineered and load bearing walls where the blocks will be core-filled with grout and reinforced with steel. Due to the basic aesthetic appearance of the standard grey Besser® blocks, they will often be used only in applications where the wall will not be visible, or finished with render and paint on top of the Besser block. Retaining wall bricks are used in a similar way using a traditional brick unit which is mortared together to create a wall.

Segmental Retaining Wall Blocks

These retaining wall blocks are one of the best DIY retaining wall  systems you can buy. Segmental retaining walls “stack” together without the need for mortar, concrete or glue. These systems are installed onto a compacted road base levelling pad which is significantly easier to install than a concrete footing. Segmental concrete wall blocks come in a range of colours including black and cream, and there are different block face textures available including the traditional split face block.

These concrete retaining wall blocks come in different shapes and sizes, they can either be vertical (they stack directly on top of each other) or setback (they “lean back” each course the wall gets higher). The different types of retaining wall block systems can be built to varying heights. Some setback retaining wall blocks like Windsor Stone can be built to over 1 metre in height without reinforcement. Segmental walls connect using either a rear-lip connection or for premium systems like Adbri’s Versawall®, they interlock and stack together like children’s blocks.

Concrete Sleeper Retaining Walls

Concrete sleepers are a popular choice for low height, pure vertical garden walls. Sleeper walls have a small footprint meaning they can be installed in areas where space is tight. Concrete sleeper retaining walls are superior to timber sleepers because they are very durable and won’t rot. While concrete sleeper walls are effective for retaining soil, they can be difficult to install as the posts need to be as deep into the ground as the wall is high. Manually digging deep post holes and setting posts in concrete to be plumb can be difficult for most DIYer’s.

Retaining Wall Ideas

You’ve come to the right place for retaining wall ideas for backyard landscaping. Along with our expert and technical advice, Adbri’s retaining wall ideas gallery is a great starting point for inspiration for your retaining wall project. All of the ideas shown in these pictures can be created with Adbri retaining wall blocks.