Get matched with top retaining wall installation pros in Madison, AR

Small retaining walls still require a foundation of some kind, typically a concrete footing. This helps to ensure the wall is structurally sound and prevents the ground from shifting over time, especially during those winter freeze/thaw cycles. The footing helps spread the weight of the wall and the load it carries over a larger area of the ground, thus assisting with stability. This is true of small retaining walls, larger rock garden walls, and the like. 

Vinyl retaining walls are often the least expensive type of retaining wall, at $10 to $15 per square foot. This budget-friendly material is lightweight and durable, but it doesn’t have many decorative options. Untreated timber and railroad ties are the next step up, and start at $15 to $25 per square foot, respectively. High-end steel or natural stone tend to be the least wallet-friendly, but they’re extremely durable and come with a high-end look.

The lifespan of a retaining wall varies based on its particular material, whether it was properly installed, how well it’s maintained, and your local climate. Concrete, stone, and brick retaining walls last the longest, with concrete lasting between 50 and 100 years on average. Brick tends to last the longest, with a minimum of one century, under the right conditions. 

Timber retaining walls can start to deteriorate at 20 years, depending on the wood quality, but in the best case, they can last 40 years. Pressure-treated wood retaining walls last 30 years on average.

Generally, a railroad tie retaining wall consisting of a single line of ties should be between 3 and 4 feet tall—and the height often tops out at around 6 feet. You can go taller, but you may need additional footings and reinforcements, including a second layer of railroad ties to support the added weight of the soil it’s holding back.