What Is the Best Option for a Retaining Wall?

The Four Basic Types of Retaining Walls

1. Gravity: The most basic wall. Its weight and mass hold soil at bay. Usually built from heavier materials like brick or stone and may require a trench and concrete footer.
2. Cantilevered: Fixed to a foundation and supported by steel bars inside concrete or masonry. The slab foundation sits under the soil and the weight of the soil holds it in place. Often used commercially.
3. Sheet piling: Thin sheets of steel, wood, or vinyl driven directly into the soil, with extra support from a vertical corrugated structure.
4. Anchored: Uses a variety of front materials supported by anchors driven into the ground behind the wall and attached to cables or strips.

What Is the Most Effective Retaining Wall?

For the best support, stone, brick, or concrete are the top options — but they need good drainage behind them to perform. These materials are best installed by an experienced masonry contractor, not as a DIY job.

Straight or Curved?

Both styles work; the right choice depends on aesthetics, add‑ons, what sits above the wall, visibility, and required strength. Curved walls tend to be stronger and more visually appealing; straight walls are simpler when adding fences, sheds, or many features above the wall, and usually cost less.

When Is a Retaining Wall Needed?

The maximum safe natural soil slope is around 35 degrees. Anything steeper should be supported with a retaining wall. Walls are also installed at lower slopes purely for landscaping and usable terraces.

Landscape Fabric and Drainage

Landscape fabric behind the wall, combined with gravel backfill, creates a barrier and channel for water movement while keeping silt out of the gravel voids. Always leave room above the gravel for topsoil or bedding.