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Yes, you can use cinder blocks for many purposes, including retaining walls, foundations, garage walls, and fences. Building a cinder block retaining wall costs between $60 and $200 per linear foot, including materials and professional labor. For a 30-foot-long retaining wall, the cost ranges from $1,800 to $6,000.

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.

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. 

If you don’t backfill a retaining wall—either at all or adequately enough—the wall won’t drain well, and water will be able to pass through it. Poor drainage will lead to a warped wall or a buildup of hydrostatic pressure, which can eventually collapse your retaining wall. If you have particularly sloped land, consult a structural engineer to ensure your hardscaping is adding value to your home.