Retaining Walls & Concrete Masonry
Control erosion, create usable space, and add lasting value with professionally built retaining walls.
Why Your Property Might Need a Retaining Wall
If your property has a slope, you've probably dealt with erosion, drainage problems, or wasted space that's too steep to use. A well-built retaining wall solves all these problems while adding genuine value to your property. We've been building retaining walls throughout Southaven, MS since 2024, and we've learned that the right wall in the right place can completely transform how you use your land.
Retaining walls do more than just hold back soil. They prevent erosion that can undermine your landscaping, driveway, or even your home's foundation. They control water flow and prevent drainage problems. They create usable flat spaces where you only had a slope before. And when done right, they add visual interest and curb appeal to your property.
Choosing the Right Wall for Your Property
Not every retaining wall is the same. The right choice depends on how tall the wall needs to be, what it's holding back, your budget, and the look you want. Here are your main options:
- •Poured concrete walls: The strongest option for tall walls or areas with high lateral pressure. These walls are reinforced with steel rebar and can handle just about anything. They can be finished smooth, textured, or covered with stone veneer for appearance.
- •Concrete block walls: Built from concrete masonry units (CMUs), these walls are strong, durable, and more economical than poured walls for medium heights. Cells can be filled with concrete and rebar for additional strength.
- •Segmental retaining walls: Built from interlocking concrete blocks designed specifically for retaining walls. These look great, are relatively quick to install, and work well for shorter to medium height walls.
- •Decorative masonry walls: Brick or stone veneer over concrete block creates an upscale appearance while maintaining structural integrity.
During your consultation, we'll assess your site, discuss your goals, and recommend the wall type that makes the most sense. Taller walls (generally anything over 3-4 feet) may require engineering and permits, and we'll help you navigate those requirements.
What Makes a Retaining Wall Last
A retaining wall has to resist enormous pressure from the soil behind it. Build it wrong and it will lean, crack, or fail within a few years. Build it right and it will perform flawlessly for decades. Here's what proper construction involves:
Foundation: Every retaining wall needs a solid foundation below the frost line. We excavate to the proper depth, compact the base, and pour a concrete footing sized for the wall height and soil conditions. Skipping this step or doing it wrong causes most retaining wall failures.
Drainage: Water buildup behind a retaining wall creates hydrostatic pressure that can push the wall over. We install drainage systems (perforated pipe, gravel backfill, weep holes) that let water escape rather than building up pressure. This is absolutely critical and cannot be skipped.
Reinforcement: Taller walls need internal reinforcement (rebar in poured walls or filled block walls) and sometimes tiebacks that extend into the hillside. We follow engineering specifications and building codes to ensure proper reinforcement.
Backfill: The material behind the wall matters. We use proper drainage gravel rather than clay soil, compact it correctly, and grade it to direct water away from the wall.
Common Uses for Retaining Walls
We build retaining walls for many situations: creating level yard space from sloped property, supporting a driveway cut into a hillside, preventing erosion along property lines, terracing gardens or landscaping, protecting foundations from sliding soil, and creating usable outdoor living spaces on challenging terrain.
Retaining walls can be functional, decorative, or both. Maybe you need a utilitarian wall to hold back a slope, or maybe you want a beautiful tiered garden wall that becomes a landscape feature. We can build either, and we'll help you find the balance between function, appearance, and budget that works for your property.
Being local to Southaven (at 187 Stateline Rd E) means we understand the soil conditions and drainage patterns in this area. Mississippi clay soil and heavy rains create specific challenges for retaining walls, and our experience ensures your wall is built to handle local conditions. Our work on foundations and footings and other concrete construction gives us comprehensive knowledge to handle complex retaining wall projects.