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What Types of Walls Can You Build?


Along with the different styles of retaining wall blocks, there is also a variety of different ways in which you can build your walls. Below we will briefly explain the main three types of retaining wall and landscape wall constructions: Gravity Retaining Walls, Reinforced Structural Retaining Walls, and Free-standing Landscape Walls.


Gravity Retaining Walls

Gravity retaining walls are one of the most basic and common types of retaining walls. Gravity walls rely on a combination of block weight, block connections, depth of buried wall, and wall setback to hold back soil. When the right conditions are present, and when built within their recommended height limits, gravity retaining walls are able to resist lateral pressure solely with their weight and embedded depth. These mortar-less, yet structurally interconnected (lipped units and specialized pins) retaining wall systems also permit water drainage to prevent hydrostatic loads. Gravity retaining walls are normally used in non-critical applications, where final wall height will be under 3 feet in height. For information specific to your project, contact RCP Block & Brick.

Gravity retaining walls can be built using: Keystone Legacy, Bella Vista Ridgestone, Bella Vista Citadel, Bella Vista Semplice, Keystone Garden Wall, Keystone Country Manor, Keystone Stonegate Contemporary, Keystone Verazzo 4-Face, and Keystone Country Cottage.

Gravity Retaining Wall

Reinforced Structural Retaining Walls

For taller walls (3 feet to 50+ feet) or retaining walls that will be holding back a significant slope, the retaining wall blocks are combined with soil reinforcement products such as geo-grids, earth anchors, or galvanized steel grid reinforcing. These additional reinforcement products help to create larger composite reinforced soil structures. With a properly designed and engineered combination of products, the reinforced soil mass can support greater earth pressure and surcharge loads.

Reinforced structural retaining walls can be built using: Keystone Standard III, Keystone Compac III, Keystone California Chateau, Keystone Stone Face, Keystone Plantable II, Keystone Country Manor, Keystone Stonegate Contemporary, and Keystone Verazzo 4-Face.

Reinforced Structural Retaining Wall

Free-Standing Landscape Walls

Freestanding landscape walls are walls that are most commonly used for yard division or decoration. They are accomplished by vertically stacking landscape wall blocks to create a wall. Freestanding landscape walls do not hold back soil as in the case with a retaining wall. The wall block are normally connected using one, or a combination of specialized pins, masonry adhesive, and/or gravity

Free-standing landscape walls can be built using: Bella Vista Semplice, Keystone Country Manor, Keystone Stonegate Contemporary, Keystone Verazzo 4-Face, and Keystone Country Cottage.

Free-standing Landscape Wall

A Wall Block to Meet Any Requirement.

Regardless of your particular retaining wall or landscape wall requirement, RCP Block & Brick has a wall block that is designed for the job. From small free-standing landscape wall blocks, all the way up to large retaining wall blocks for engineered structural applications. If you have any question about which products will be ideal for your particular job, please give us a call, and we can help you out!


Questions? We Can Help.

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