There are a lot of decisions that need to be made in order for a landscape retaining wall to function properly, including the type of retaining wall and the material that will work best for your situation. At Kelstone Contracting, we understand how important your landscaping is to you. That is why our team of landscape construction professionals can help you create the perfect landscape retaining wall for your specific needs.

Types of Retaining Walls

The first decision that will need to be made is determining which type of retaining wall will work best for your specific needs. There are two main types of retaining walls to choose from: gravity retaining walls and reinforced retaining walls.

Gravity retaining walls – this type of retaining wall uses materials that are stacked together, locking in place to form a setback, which helps the wall support the pressure from the soil behind it.
Reinforced retaining walls – this type of retaining wall uses some form of reinforcement to give more strength to the retaining wall structure, improving its ability to retain the soil behind it, such as no-fines concrete, geogrids, soil nails, or earth anchors.

Retaining Wall Materials

When it comes to ensuring that your retaining wall will last a long time, one of the most important choices that will need to be made is the type of material it will be built from. Some of the materials that you can choose to have your retaining wall made out of include:

Concrete blocks – perfect for creating curved walls and walls under 4-feet tall. This material is a great option for creating smaller retaining walls with a bit of style; however, it is important to make sure that your concrete wall is properly structured, as a lock of footings may affect the strength of the wall over time.
Stone veneers – this material allows you to create an array of styles and looks, and is perfect for creating walls of various heights and thicknesses. Retaining walls made from stone veneers are great looking and extremely durable, but should be designed and built by a contractor.
Poured concrete – while poured concrete can offer strength and greater versatility, it can be difficult to work with and the form of these walls have to be nearly perfect in order to avoid waves or bulging in the future.
Brick – one of the strongest and most durable materials used to build retaining walls, as it can create a wall that will last for a very long time; however, it is important to keep in mind that building a retaining wall out of bricks can be labour intensive and it will require specific accommodations for drainage.
Dry stone/boulders – this type of material is perfect for retaining walls in country, colonial, or English style gardens. Dry stone is considered one of the most organic options, but without proper maintenance, excess water can build up and destroy the integrity of the wall over time.
Gabion – this material is a green alternative to other materials, and is also one of the easiest retaining wall materials to work with.

To book your retaining wall project in Kelowna, BC. Call

Kelstone Contracting
2951 Richter Street,
Kelowna BC V1Y 2R8

Phone 250-212-6099