For homeowners, retaining walls are an excellent way to battle soil erosion while also giving your yard more planting space. In addition, they can serve as a focal point that can be fun to plan around ...

Size the trench so there's enough room for the retaining wall block and at least 8 in. of space behind it. Excavate deep enough to completely bury at least one full course, including space for 6 to 8 ...

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?

Q: It’s time to landscape my backyard, which is currently dirt. I have a 2-foot-high bluff where I’d like to put a retaining wall, but I’m uncomfortable with masonry work. I’ve seen stackable blocks ...

Retaining walls built of stone or brick are the traditional style and usually blend nicely into their surrounding landscape. The question is, though: are these really the best materials for the job ...

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 ...

Lowe Larretta is former lead editor for Forbes Home, covering all things related to home improvement and good design. She previously worked in the decor and lifestyle spaces for digital publishers ...

Q.I'm lucky and have lots of medium to larger rock on my lot that can be easily harvested. I want to build a stackable rock retaining wall that will be about 3 feet tall and hold back that amount of ...