I need my retaining wall to follow the hillside. How do I start?

  Anytime a retaining wall is built into a hillside it is recommended to begin at the lowest spot of the wall.  This will allow for the easiest transitions to compensate for the hillside you are following. 

 Begin by digging a trench approximately 24 in. (600 mm) wide and deep enough to account for 6 in. (150 mm) of base rock plus the depth of block embedment (typically 1 in. (25 mm) per 1ft. (300 mm) of wall height or 4 in. ( 100 mm) minimum – see base preparation for more details.

As your wall moves into the hillside you will want to step up the base as shown here.  The base in this area (and all future step ups) should be installed as indicated above and as shown in the “base preparation” pages you can review through the link provided.

 At each step up ensure the top of the base rock is level with the lower level of block.

  This will allow each course to remain level as the wall moves into the hillside as shown in photo #4. 

Ensure at least one block is buried into the hillside as shown in photo #5 to reduce the likelihood of erosion and undermining of your wall in the future.  For additional questions, please visit allanblock.com.