Installation Guide

Retaining Wall Installation
25
1. Stake out wall and create trench – Mark location of the wall from the back of the block. Dig a trench
12 inches wide x 8 inches deep x ___ (length of wall) for the leveling pad.
2. Leveling pad – Add a 2-inch layer of base material in the bottom of the trench; rake out and firmly
compact. Repeat as needed for finished compacted base depth of 4 inches. Use a carpenter’s level
to level base material along the trench; check the level every few feet.
3. Base course – For buried course installation place the face of the block about 4 inches from trench side
and centered. Level the first block, front-to-back and side-to-side; lay subsequent blocks in the same
manner. Backfill behind base course with base material.
a. Straight retaining wall – Place blocks next to each other using a string line along the back edge to
check for proper alignment.
b. Curved retaining wall – Begin by driving stake into the ground at the desired center of the curve.
Attach a string, rotate it in a circle around the stake, and mark the radius in the soil. Align each
block face with the outside radius and level front-to-back and side-to-side.
4. Subsequent courses – Stagger blocks to maintain running bond. Split blocks as needed to fit desired
length of wall. After each subsequent course, backfill with drainage aggregate and tamp before installing
additional courses. The last course of blocks can be backfilled with topsoil to allow for plants or sod. Fill
trench in front of wall with on-site soil and compact. Clean any debris off the blocks and glue all courses
with an exterior-grade concrete adhesive as shown on page 17.
Important tip for vertical walls – Place block with face aligned vertically as shown on page 24.
Important tip for battered walls – Set block with the front face of the block back by
3
/
4
inch as shown
on page 24.
5. Capping the wall – Choose from cap options on page 16. Use an exterior-grade concrete adhesive on
block to secure caps in place.
Calculate the number of blocks needed for project.
minimum # of blocks*
+
calculate number of blocks
needed for buried base course
# of blocks needed for base course
wall
length (in.)
______11.7=
block
length (in.)
_
:
estimated#ofblocks
=
Calculate base material (paver base or
3
/
4
-inch minus [with fines] aggregate) needed for project.
calculate volume of base material
volume of base material (cu. in.)
cu. in. of base material
_
:
1,728
=
=
total amount of base material (cu. ft.)
+
calculate volume behind
base course
volume behind base course (cu. in.)
wall
length (in.)
______X48=
wall
length (in.)
______X18.0=
area behind
base course
(sq. in.)
+
compensation for compaction (cu. in.)
calculate compensation
for compaction
volume of base + volume
behind base course
______X0.25=
Calculate drainage aggregate (
3
/
4
-inch angular/crushed free-draining aggregate) needed for project.
volume behind wall (cu. in.)
X
compensation
for compaction and area
behind wall
compensation for compaction (cu. in.)
cu. in. of drainage aggregate
=
=
total cu. ft. of drainage aggregate
calculate volume behind exposed wall
wall
length (in.)
______X______X12=
wall
height (in.)
area behind
wall (in.)
1.25
_
:
1,728
calculate exposed area of wall
area of wall (sq. in.)
area of block face
area of block face (sq. in.)
wall
length (in.)
______X______=
exposed wall
height (in.)
_
:
X1.05*
=
=
trench width x
compacted base
depth (sq. in.)
block
length (in.)
11.7X4=
block
height (in.)
46.8
*Itisrecommendedthatyoupurchase5percentmoreproductthanestimatedtoaccountforsplittingandbreakage.