Reducing soil erosion, turning steep slopes into terraced backdrops, creating focal points in the landscape—retaining walls serve many purposes. Indeed, they are some of the most common ways to ...

Q. I want to build a retaining wall that’s going to look great for years. At my last house, I had a short retaining wall around a patio that started to lean out toward the lawn. The little wall was ...

Size the trench so there's enough room for the retaining wall block and at least 8 in. of space behind it. Excavate deep ...

For thousands of years, builders have used retaining walls to create flat vertical walls or gently sloping terraces on hillsides. While constructing a solid, lasting retaining wall might look ...

Dear James: I’m planning a veggie garden on my sloping lot so I need a retaining wall. I have used timbers before, but blocks might hold up better. Which method do you prefer? -- Steve W. Dear Steve: ...

This is the last of three stories on terracing hillsides. To read the first two stories, "Slippery slopes" and "Know your hillside," go to sfgate.com and type in Deborah K. Rich. "Almost all ...

Whether really tall, or relatively tiny—those picturesque, surprisingly short stone walls scattered about New England, for example—humans have long been fascinated with structures that delineate and ...