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Sure, retaining walls look like simple stacked stone, block or timber. But in fact, they are carefully engineered systems that wage an ongoing battle with gravity. They restrain tons of saturated soil that would otherwise slump and slide away from a foundation or damage the surrounding landscape. These handsome barriers also make inviting spots to sit, and can increase usable yard space by terracing sloped properties, something that is increasingly important as flat home sites become ever more scarce in many regions.

A landscape retaining wall can add functionality, beauty and safety to your home. For example, if your back door opens to a steep hill, you are loosing a level area for a patio or lawn. You can build a single retaining wall across the yard away from the house and level the terrain between the house and the wall. Or with two or more low retaining walls you can make a terraced landscape for plantings and gardens to tame a steep slope.

Depending on the scale of the project, you may be able to make the cuts into the hillside and redistribute the soil by hand, or you may need a machine. If you're feeling adventurous rent an easy-to-operate mini-backhoe/loader or hire an excavator. The average do-it-yourselfer can easily build a segmental retaining wall system using dry-stacked precast concrete masonry units, natural stone, or timber.

Once you decide to go with precast block, natural stone, or timber there are many styles to choose from. Visit your local nursery, stone retailer, or lumberyard to see what materials and styles you have to choose from. You should choose the building material and style that best complements your design and your house.