Q. Can you tell me how to build a retaining wall? Are retaining wall blocks a good choice? What critical things do I need to know so that I don't have a collapse or other failure in the years to come?

Humans have been building retaining walls for thousands of years to create flat, or gently sloping, terraces on hillsides. A lot of my readers have them on their own property – or need to build one – ...

For thousands of years, builders have used retaining walls to create flat vertical walls or gently sloping terraces on hillsides. While constructing a solid, lasting retaining wall might look ...

Q: Tim, I read a column on your website about rock retaining walls. I’m having a hard time believing you can build a lasting wall and not use mortar between the stones. I’d love to just build a wall ...

Humans have been building retaining walls for thousands of years to create flat, or gently sloping, terraces on hillsides. A lot of my readers have them on their own property — or need to build one — ...

Reducing soil erosion, turning steep slopes into terraced backdrops, creating focal points in the landscape—retaining walls serve many purposes. Indeed, they are some of the most common ways to ...

Last week I wrote about my recent trip to Southern California. I was fortunate to spend time with a dear friend and his wife. I don’t know that I’ve ever met a person who’s more in love with a home ...

Q. I want to build a retaining wall that’s going to look great for years. At my last house, I had a short retaining wall around a patio that started to lean out toward the lawn. The little wall was ...

Q: I read a column on your website about rock retaining walls. I'm having a hard time believing you can build a lasting wall and not use mortar between the stones. What's the secret? A: Why the ...

Question: Tim, I read a column on your website about rock retaining walls. I’m having a hard time believing you can build a lasting wall and not use mortar between the stones. I’d love to just build a ...