Can You Build an Outdoor Kitchen On Top Of An Existing Wooden Deck?

I was interested in building the Kitchen #2 design on your website, and i had a question...
Would your product be able to be built on an existing wood deck? Would the stone on wood decking cause any trapped moisture and potentially rot?  If so, would you recommend any directions to put this build on existing decking safely?

Allan Block Master Wall Builders - The Best of 2012

Master Wall Builder. The Best of the Best - The Cream of the Crop. Contractors that reach this level have both the knowledge and the skills to build top quality Allan Block walls. Set apart from other wall installers, the Master Wall Builder is more widely accepted and sought after by the engineering community to be specified on project plans.

These guys work hard and we appreciate them - Check out the list of Contractors that have reached this goal in 2012:

• Image Design & Landscape - Nokomis, IL
• Sampson Construction - Roanoke, VA
• Pickering Valley Landscape - Elverson, PA
• Sunny Slope Landscape & Custom Design - Westbank, BC
• Outdoor Enterprise - Casstown, OH
• Bil-Jim Construction - Jackson, NJ
• Deerwood Landscaping Ltd. - North Vancouver, BC
• Baldwin Construction - Kelowna, BC 
• Tapani Underground - Battle Ground, WA
• Esposito Construction - Matawan, NJ
• ERS Materials - Danielson, CT
• R&S Retaining Walls - Parker, CO
• LandArt Hardscapes - Peachland, BC

Steve Baldwin
Baldwin Construction

Craig Reinke
Image Design & Landscape

Bil-Jim Construction

Congratulations Master Wall Builders - Allan Block Salutes You!

Want to become one of the retaining wall elite? Learn what it takes to become an Allan Block Master Wall Builder and be an expert in retaining wall construction.

Curb Appeal: Designs to Add Style and Beauty

 Design a Flowing Entryway
“Curb appeal is the first thing that's going to attract a buyer in any price range,” says Jane Smith, a real estate agent with Five Star Realty. “A home's appearance is as important to the potential buyers of a starter home as it is to those in the high end of the market.” Check out the before and after examples of how updating the front entryway can make a significant difference.

Create More Usable Space
Create stairways to the front door that welcome visitors in style. Match the stairway design to the natural slope of the front yard. On steep grades, keep the stair treads tight together and on gentle slopes, add pavers or other materials to increase the tread depth.

Add a raised, front-yard patio or beautiful terraced planters that soften the landscape. Turn the entire front yard into an attractive inviting front porch. Take unused and unattractive yard space and turn it into functional areas with architectural appeal.

Improve Sloping Front Yards


Tame difficult slopes and hard-to-maintain areas with terraced walls. Design the terraces to compliment the surrounding landscape. Use straight walls to create a formal structured look and flowing curves for a softer, more natural feel.

Segmental Retaining Walls: King of the Hill

Many people think of mortarless stackable blocks as a modern invention, but they existed thousands of years ago. We need only look at the Great Pyramids in Egypt to see the versatility and durability of mortarless stone construction. Recent advances in construction materials and techniques have taken dry stack construction to a new level.

Just 30 years ago, builders and homeowners needing retaining walls had a limited choice of materials and techniques: treated wood, cast-in-place concrete, concrete masonry block or natural stone. Each has its own limitations in installation, design and cost.

For example, while treated wood may be inexpensive to procure and abundantly available, they begin to rot and decay shortly after installation and have been declared an environmental hazard by the Environmental Protection Agency. Although natural stone is a durable and beautiful material, high

costs and installation difficulties limit its use in the average landscape project. Mortared concrete block and cast-in-place concrete walls involve highly paid, skilled labor and take more time to install and they will need stone or brick facings if aesthetics are important.

In the 1980’s when first Segmental Retaining Wall (SRW) blocks were developed, they featured an innovative concrete block design that allowed retaining walls to be built quickly and easily without footings, mortar joints or pins. The retaining wall market hasn't been the same since.

Each of the different retaining wall materials has unique attributes that make it suitable for different wall projects and job sites. Before choosing a wall material, you should consider the differences and advantages of each. Factors to evaluate include the quality and durability of the material, necessary labor skills, installation ease and total project costs. Once you do the research, you will see why segmental retaining walls are king of the hill!

Visit allanblock.com to get great information on retaining wall installation, product selection and more.