How to Install Wood Retaining Walls

A retaining wall can be built from many materials, including brick, stone, railroad ties and wood. There are many uses for a retaining wall, including leveling a small hill or slope as well as building an elevated flower bed. A wood retaining wall can be added to any landscape to increase the curb appeal. Building a wood retaining wall requires excavating the area and planning how the wall is going to be constructed.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Metal rods or rebar
• Sledge hammer
• Shovel
• Drill
• Wood dowels
• 4x4 lumber
• Grinder

1. Purchase 4x4 beams of lumber..

2. Dig out the area where the wall is going to be located. The side of the small hill or slope needs to be as flat as possible before building the wall. The ground where the wall is going to stand also will need to be level.

3. Insert metal rods or rebar eight to 10 inches into the ground, using the sledge hammer to tamp them down. The rods act as an anchor to hold the wall in place. Put a rod into the ground every four to six feet, depending on the length of the wood beams.

4. Use a drill to put a hole through each 4x4 beam to slide over the rebar. Mark each beam with a pencil where a hole will need to be drilled. Drill additional holes for dowels that will be used to hold each beam together.

5. Put each beam in place so that the metal rod goes through the drilled holes. Put dowels in the bottom beam before the next beam is placed on top.

6. Use a grinder to cut off and smooth out metal rod that the wood beams do not cover. Fill in the area behind the new retaining wall with the dirt dug out earlier.

Tips & Warnings

• Measure accurately before drilling holes for the dowels. All materials can be found at a home improvement store such as Lowes or Home Depot.
• Cutting metal rod with a grander will produce sparks, so wear proper eye protection.