Retaining Wall Design and Installation

Our Retaining Wall Installation and Process

When it comes to retaining wall installation, we cut no corners at any stage:

1. Engineered Plans Come First: On any retaining wall holding up a driveway, a structure or a critical slope, engineered plans are step one. It is a high-liability situation and no place for guesswork, so we start the engineering process with engineers we work with regularly before a machine touches the ground. In Sevier County, a wall over four feet in height also needs a permit. The plan settles the wall’s height, its footing and its reinforcement before anything is ordered or dug.
2. A Base Built to Specification: Every retaining wall we install starts underground. Depending on the type of wall, the base is either concrete or number 10 gravel, and it is typically at least eight inches thick. We do not work to a rule of thumb here — the size and depth of the footing come from the engineered plan or the block manufacturer’s specification for that particular wall. A base cut short is the most common reason a retaining wall settles, leans, and eventually has to be rebuilt.
3. Drainage Behind the Wall: Water is what takes retaining walls down, so every wall we install has drainage pipe behind it at the base, and on some walls a second run inside the gravel footing. Which pipe depends on the engineer’s spec — sometimes corrugated perforated, sometimes schedule 40 PVC with belly holes. Clean number 57 gravel goes in behind the wall, with the amount scaled to the size of the wall, and 7 oz geofabric always separates the gravel from the dirt so the two never mix and clog.
4. Quality Materials and Expert Installation: We build in concrete block, natural stone and brick, sourcing materials that withstand the test of time while adjusting well with the surrounding landscape. Depending on the height of the wall, we run geogrid back through the gravel and the soil to the manufacturer’s specification or the engineered plan, which is what ties a tall wall back into the ground behind it. Our skilled team of installers pays close attention to every course, whether it is a straight run of fill retention or a beautifully terraced garden.
5. Grading and Drainage Management Around the Wall: A wall on its own is only part of the answer to a drainage problem. Most of our retaining wall contracts include drainage management, with special grading shaped around the finished wall to take water where it needs to go rather than back against the block. This is where soil erosion gets addressed for good. Beyond the practical benefits, a wall built this way significantly increases the value of your property and turns bare slope into usable space for seating or gardening.
6. Trustworthy, Local Experts: As a locally owned and operated company, Mountain Landscapers understands the unique landscape needs of East Tennessee. Our trustworthy, experienced employees are dedicated to delivering top-notch services that prioritize your vision and your satisfaction. When you choose us to work on your retaining wall project, you will see and experience that you are working with a company that values honesty, transparency, and a commitment to serving your project well.