Can you use cinder blocks for a retaining wall?

• <div><p>Yes, you can use cinder blocks for many purposes, including retaining walls, foundations, garage walls, and fences. Building a <a href="https://www.angi.com/articles/how-much-does-it-cost-build-cinder-block-wall.htm">cinder block retaining wall costs</a> 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.</p></div>

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Q: How tall can a railroad tie wall be?

• <div><p>Generally, a railroad tie retaining wall consisting of a single line of ties should be between <b>3 and 4 feet tall</b>&mdash;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&rsquo;s holding back.</p></div>

Q: Does a 2-foot retaining wall need drainage?

• <div><p>Each design is different, so we can&rsquo;t say definitively if you&rsquo;ll need a dedicated drainage system in place for a two-foot retaining wall. However, you can likely skip the drainage, as this project is typically served for walls that are 4 feet tall or more. Even with a relatively low wall, consider drainage if you are building on top of clay or poor-draining soil types or if there are buried water sources nearby, like a well used for other <a href="https://www.angi.com/articles/beginning-home-gardening-guide.htm">outdoor garden projects</a>.</p></div>

Q: How long will a railroad tie wall last?

• <div><p>Most railroad tie retaining walls have a life span of <b>20 to 30 years</b>, though you may need to replace your wall sooner if it&rsquo;s repeatedly exposed to heavy rain, runoff, and excess moisture. Railroad ties are typically treated with creosote, which makes them much more durable than untreated wood. Though they last longer, they don&rsquo;t last forever. For the most longevity, make sure your retaining wall has a sturdy base and steel reinforcements. You should also install drainage to direct water away from the wall.</p></div>

Q: How much does wall installation cost?

• <div><p>Costs range from $5,000 to $15,000, depending on size, material, and design complexity.</p></div>

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Verified Reviews for Retaining Wall Installation pros in Las Vegas, NM

*The Angi rating for Retaining Wall Installation companies in Las Vegas, NM is a rating based on verified reviews from our community of homeowners who have used these pros to meet their Retaining Wall Installation needs.

*The HomeAdvisor rating for Retaining Wall Installation companies in Las Vegas, NM is a rating based on verified reviews from our community of homeowners who have used these pros to meet their Retaining Wall Installation needs.

Last update on May 25, 2026

Reviewed in May 2026
Several young workers removed leaves & debris, planted perennials, trimmed trees, rearranged rocks to be more decorative, Watered new & existing plants, applied iron nutrients, compost & new soil, listened to my suggestions & experience with front & back yards.
Scape Squad Landscaping
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Reviewed in September 2022
Drew is a good person and did a good job on my windows and even helped me with a door free of charge.
True Clean New Mexico
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Reviewed in August 2022
Justin was very outgoing and willing to take that extra step to insure that the job was done right Justin not only cleaned our carpets and upholstery but he also cleaned our vents and tile. I high recommend his services to anyone looking for a job done right the first time.
Justin's Cleaning Service
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Reviewed in July 2022
Military Personal Beware of The Alarm Store I am writing this review on behalf of my parents to include myself. I am an Army Veteran of 22+ years and I am now taking care of my parents. My parents were experiencing issues with the system to include arming it. My mom who is in her mid-60’s...
T A S Security Systems Inc
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Reviewed in November 2020
Finally someone found out what was wrong with my outside walls and now I have scheduled an appointment with someone who can fix it. I’m so glad I found this company.
Lopez Home Inspections
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Reviewed in October 2020
So far, terrible. First, a warning: I would recommend that a customer NOT agree to 50% up front money. They took a LOT of money, then didn't show up for 11 weeks. And communicating to find out about the delay was frustrating. They are over a month late (past their NLT date) finishing. They left...
Renewal by Andersen of New Mexico
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Reviewed in September 2019
I had two installers from DreamStyle come install my front door and my sliding back door (Gabriel Moreno and Ruben Olivares). They did amazing work and explained every detail. They cleaned up whatever mess they made with the tools and took time to make my house look incredible! I m so happy with...
Dreamstyle Remodeling of New Mexico
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Reviewed in October 2018
PJ Martinez and Mike Martinez arrived on time, prepared, and ready to work. From the start it was obvious that they knew how to do the job and how to do it right. They were efficient, knowledgeable, and ready to answer our questions. We are very satisfied with the quality of materials and with...
Dreamstyle Remodeling
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Reviewed in January 2014
It went amazingly well. The granite looks beautiful, and I am a very happy customer. I'm very grateful for their suggested improvements to the installation, which were to use the smaller of the two possible cutouts for the kitchen sink (to create a lip to hide the caulking), and to move the...
Granite Passion LLC
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Reviewed in June 2013
I bought a car 5 months ago from them. When I was there signing all the contracts for car that was priced at $8000.00, they told me I had been approved by a finance company. I was told I was ready to go and drove my new car home. I called after a few months to ask about my payments and when I...
Santa Fe Mazda-Volvo
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Find Retaining wall installation pros in Las Vegas

21 landscaping & turf LLC

4.9(

)

Serving Las Vegas, NM and surrounding areas

In business since 2022

Free estimates

Warranties offered

"Jose and his team were absolutely incredible! They worked so efficiently and managed to bring my dream yard to life. I can't thank them enough for their hard work and dedication. Without a doubt, I will be reaching out to them for any and all of my future landscaping needs."

+18

Recommended by100%of homeowners

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A's Landscaping Services

5.0(

)

Serving Las Vegas, NM and surrounding areas

In business since 2000

Free estimates

"Alberto and his crew are excellent! Professional, efficient, timely, reliable, superior quality work on any project: we have hired Alberto’s crew for landscaping, planting large & small, rock work, maintenance - you name it. We cannot say enough good about them!"

Recommended by100%of homeowners

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Sharp Concrete Masonry

5.0(

)

Serving Las Vegas, NM and surrounding areas

In business since 2024

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"Outstanding job! Alejandro Gomez did a great job with his crew to make my patio look wonderful and just the way I wanted. He was very accommodating and professional."

+15

Recommended by100%of homeowners

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Peregrino Garden Landscaping LLC

New to Angi

Serving Las Vegas, NM and surrounding areas

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

Peregrino Garden Landscape LLC, offers you its services, we are a company that works for you, with great pleasure we can help you our experience is competitive, you can communicate with us without any commitment, we will give you a proposal so that you get a beautiful garden, we thank you for your preference, peregrino garden landscape, It is available for you

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E.L. Landscaping

New to Angi

Serving Las Vegas, NM and surrounding areas

In business since 2021

Free estimates

My name is Elmer Lucero and I have a small company I want to grow as a company I am a punctual responsible person and I want to offer good service to my clients by doing a good job give a reasonable price and offer a free estimate

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Retaining Wall Installers questions, answered by experts

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.

Each design is different, so we can’t say definitively if you’ll need a dedicated drainage system in place for a two-foot retaining wall. However, you can likely skip the drainage, as this project is typically served for walls that are 4 feet tall or more. Even with a relatively low wall, consider drainage if you are building on top of clay or poor-draining soil types or if there are buried water sources nearby, like a well used for other outdoor garden projects.

Most railroad tie retaining walls have a life span of 20 to 30 years, though you may need to replace your wall sooner if it’s repeatedly exposed to heavy rain, runoff, and excess moisture. Railroad ties are typically treated with creosote, which makes them much more durable than untreated wood. Though they last longer, they don’t last forever. For the most longevity, make sure your retaining wall has a sturdy base and steel reinforcements. You should also install drainage to direct water away from the wall.

Costs range from $5,000 to $15,000, depending on size, material, and design complexity.

The Las Vegas, NM homeowners’ guide to retaining wall installation services

From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.

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