12 Inexpensive Retaining Wall Ideas

12 Inexpensive Retaining Wall Ideas

by — Andra DelMonico
Published on February 28, 2022
Updated on March 28, 2025

You have a sloped backyard, and while it looks lovely, it also restricts your ability to make the most of your property. You could flatten everything, but you have to be concerned about proper drainage. What you need are small retaining walls to create reinforced soil slopes. This gradually steps your property down to have multiple levels to use. You can customize the size and height of your retaining walls to suit the size and slope of your property.

These inexpensive retaining wall ideas will help you create a plan for your property.

1. Choose a Stone Block Wall for Aesthetic Durability

Consider using wall blocks if you plan to build your retaining wall yourself. They are clay or concrete blocks that you stack and reinforce. Build a custom wall. To keep the cost down, use a cinder block for the main contrition of the wall. Then you can cover up the block with a paver base. The result is a beautiful wall that you built yourself.

Low retaining wall made of curved tan blocks lines a paved patio with trees and minimal landscaping in the background. — Source: @catchingupwithnatalie via Instagram

Curved stone retaining wall with mulch and rose plant adds structure to a small backyard patio next to a house. — Source: @cnclandscaping via Instagram

Modern block retaining wall with tropical plants provides a clean border along a backyard with artificial grass. — Source: @earth_shattering_landscapes via Instagram

Curved block retaining wall lines a front yard garden bed with small shrubs and flower boxes under the windows. — Source: @luvluefire via Instagram

Tiered block retaining wall borders a raised garden bed along a driveway in front of a brick townhouse. — Source: @workhorse_landscaping via Instagram

Curved retaining wall made of interlocking blocks with vibrant tiered flower beds and a paved garden pathway.

Simple block retaining wall with mulch-covered slope and a wooden privacy fence in front of a blue siding exterior.

If pavers are out of your budget, the. You can paint the concrete blocks to camouflage their true identity. Another option is to use a concrete stain, which is more durable and has more versatility than paint.

2. Opt for Economical Poured Concrete on Slopes

Poured concrete is affordable if you have some serious retaining walls to build. This is when you need a large concrete wall to support the weight of your home or another building.

Tiered concrete retaining wall with circular planter blocks supports greenery along a narrow side yard beside a building. — Source: @andreas_sproetze via Instagram

Large agave plants cascade over a concrete retaining wall, creating a bold, tropical border along a grassy lawn.

Minimalist concrete retaining wall separates a raised grassy lawn from hexagonal and patterned paver walkways.

Vertical concrete pillars form a sturdy retaining wall supporting a grassy slope next to a paved walkway.

Smooth concrete retaining wall with a rounded top edge borders a sloped garden bed filled with ground cover and purple flowers. — Source: @andreas_sproetze via Instagram

Smaller projects may not warrant the cost of bringing in professionals. In this situation, you could mix and pour your own concrete wall. While you could leave the concrete bare, it’s a bit ugly. Hide it by adding a stone veneer to the facade. This gives your wall an elegant look without sacrificing strength and structure. Another option is covering it in tile. However, tile can get expensive depending on the tile you choose.

3. Concrete Sleepers for a Retaining Wall

If concrete block and poured concrete aren’t what you are looking for, you have a third option for your concrete retaining wall, concrete sleepers. These are large sections of pre-cast concrete that get placed together to build a wall.

Modern concrete sleeper retaining wall with metal-reinforced stairs leads up to a landscaped garden bed with small shrubs. — Source: @allroundretainingwallsandland via Instagram

Simple concrete sleeper retaining wall supports a sloped backyard next to a covered patio with brick columns. — Source: @bdhexcavations via Instagram

Dark wood-look concrete sleepers create a strong retaining wall along a metal building, blending durability with rustic style. — Source: @bjs_landscapes via Instagram

Raised garden beds with dark concrete sleepers and metal posts line a red brick patio in a cozy backyard setting. — Source: @earth_shattering_landscapes via Instagram

Light-colored concrete retaining wall borders a gravel path with a neat row of young shrubs and leafless trees against a dark fence. — Source: @plantandplank via Instagram

Textured dark concrete sleeper retaining wall supports a sloped garden beneath a wooden fence, blending function with a natural look. — Source: @rycanretainingandearthworks via Instagram

Tiered concrete sleeper retaining walls hold a sloped garden area with rough terrain above a stone-paved patio. — Source: @sapphirecoastlandscaping via Instagram

Sturdy concrete sleeper retaining wall supports a sloped yard, lined with red-leaf tropical plants for a vibrant touch.

Unlike blocks, these are much larger and typically have a longer shape to them. Unlike poured concrete, they are made elsewhere in a more controlled environment, making them stronger and more durable. Most sleepers require a metal support frame to help hold the sleepers in place. They look similar to the posts in a fence, with even spacing throughout your retaining wall.

4. DIY Retaining Wall

You can build your own retaining wall. However, before you jump into this project, you need to know what you are doing. Getting a retaining wall wrong can create a costly disaster that you’ll have to hire professionals to correct.

DIY retaining wall — Source: @rivervgrowers via Instagram

DIY retaining wall made of stacked black sandbags holds soil in place along a natural, leaf-covered garden edge.

Eco-friendly DIY retaining wall built with stacked used tires, partially filled with soil and sprouting patches of grass. — Source: @rivervgrowers via Instagram

Rustic DIY retaining wall made of weathered metal sheets holds a grassy slope, blending utility with a raw industrial look.

Massive DIY retaining wall made from stacked car tires filled with soil, supporting a steep slope with scattered green plants.

Creative DIY retaining wall built from stacked beige pots filled with soil and greenery, forming a living vertical garden.

Before you start your DIY retaining wall, have the property surveyed so that you understand the slope, grade, and drainage flow. Prepare a plan that addresses all of these things. The more earth you want to hold back, the more reinforced your wall needs to be. To prevent issues later on, have your DIY retaining wall idea reviewed by a professional before commencing with the project.

Read also: Easy DIY Garden Ideas on a Budget

5. Build a Stylish Gabion Stone Filled Wall

While you could buy preassembled gabion wall sections, you can save money by making your own. A gabion wall is a wireframe shaped into a square or rectangle. Then the space is filled with stones or rocks. The stones are packed tightly together in the wireframe to create a solid wall.

Gabion retaining walls made of wire cages filled with rocks create terraced levels, paired with neatly trimmed green hedges.

Compact gabion retaining wall with a built-in wooden bench adds both function and charm to this small garden corner.

Modern gabion retaining walls with clean metal cages and crushed stones frame landscaped levels beside a wide concrete staircase.

Rustic gabion retaining wall with chicken wire cages filled with rocks, supporting lush greenery and wild plants on a hillside.

Neatly curved gabion retaining wall with multicolored stones borders a manicured lawn and stone-paved pathway in a modern yard.

Large-tiered gabion retaining wall made of wire mesh and rocks stabilizes a roadside slope beneath a partially eroded hillside.

Low gabion retaining wall filled with light stones supports a vibrant garden bed with shrubs and flowers against a dark wooden fence.

These walls work well as a retaining walls because they are solid and strong enough to hold the earth back. When you build your own, you can make them as long or as tall as you need them to be. You can also choose the type of stone you want in them. Consider your budget and the look you are going for when you make your selection. The most commonly chosen rocks are sandstone, granite, and quartzite.

6. Beautify Your Slope with a Garden Bed

You don’t have to have sloped property to build a retaining wall. You could add height to your property by building a tiered retaining wall. Once you build the individual garden retaining walls, you can cultivate a garden bed on each flat step created. With the multiple levels, you can cultivate different plants in each.

Tiered garden with red wooden retaining walls features a variety of young plants and trees, with a person watering the lush beds. — Source: @garden_and_orchids_fanatic via Instagram

Compact backyard with wooden retaining wall and built-in planters, framing a clean stone patio next to fresh green lawn. — Source: @green_fingerz_ via Instagram

Raised garden bed with timber retaining walls and metal reinforcements supports lush tropical plants beside a concrete walkway. — Source: @huntercarpentryau via Instagram

Simple wooden retaining walls frame garden beds on both sides of a front entry with concrete steps and a bright yellow door. — Source: @thehomehustler via Instagram

Develop different soil formulations for flower beds, vegetable gardens, and greenery. You could leave the garden walls plain or decorate them to give your garden a whimsical, bohemian, or English countryside feel.

7. Incorporate a Functional, Decorative Landscaping Wall

Building retaining walls is about more than cutting into the earth and building a wall. You need to do a lot of math first. The finished wall needs to support the weight of the earth pushing against it from above.

Low wooden retaining wall borders an elevated patch of artificial turf, separating it from the surrounding stone patio in a compact yard. — Source: @green_fingerz_ via Instagram

Colorful garden with black stepped retaining walls, artificial turf, and gravel beds displaying potted plants along a teal wooden fence. — Source: @hartlepoolhomeat89 via Instagram

Modern backyard with clean wooden retaining walls borders a low-maintenance gravel garden filled with small trees and shrubs. — Source: @romanbuilding_landscapes via Instagram

Charming garden with gabion steps and timber retaining walls leads to a cozy seating area, decorated with potted flowers and plants. — Source: @tayviewgarden via Instagram

If you build anything on top of that earth, your wall also needs to support that weight. The thicker the wall is, the more weight it will support. To increase the wall’s strength, you may need to make it thicker. It can also help to slightly back angle the wall towards the earth you want it to support.

Read also: Landscaping Ideas

8. Add Rustic Charm with a Log Wall

A timber retaining wall can look natural, giving your home and property a country feel. How finished the logs will dictate how rustic your wall looks. Unfinished logs that still have their bark will look the most rustic.

Curved wooden log retaining wall frames a raised garden bed with rocks and plants, blending naturally into a spacious grassy landscape. — Source: @greenfingerscharity via Instagram

Sturdy log retaining wall made from stacked and upright timber poles supports a sloped grassy hill with a clean, rustic look.

Rustic retaining wall made from stacked cut logs and large stones supports a lush green slope beside a cobblestone path.

Weathered log retaining wall holds a raised grassy section near a moss-covered shed, blending naturally into a forested landscape.

Heavy-duty log retaining wall built along a steep hillside trail, using horizontal timber beams anchored with short log posts for support.

Finished smooth and uniform logs will look more like an elegant country cabin or lodge. Logs are best for smaller wood retaining walls. If you build too big, you’ll need to reinforce it with metal ties. You should also consider the diameter of the logs you are using to determine if your finished wall will be strong enough for the weight it needs to hold.

9. Install a Sleek and Durable Metal Wall

A cheap retaining wall idea that often gets forgotten about is to use metal. It’s more expensive per square foot than poured concrete but can be comparable to high-quality railroad ties. Adding a large metal wall to your outdoor space can give it a modern feel.

Curved metal retaining wall divides lush garden from wooden path, creating a sleek contrast with the vibrant green lawn. — Source: @fairlightendgarden via Instagram

Modern black retaining wall with house number adds contrast to lavender-filled tiered landscaping in front of a contemporary home. — Source: @minimal_nest via Instagram

Try using multiple materials in your wall construction. For example, use wood Timbers to frame each piece of metal. This softens the look of metal to keep it from looking too commercial or industrial. Only use high-quality metal; anything low quality won’t withstand the exposure and will quickly rust out.

10. Bring Rustic Elegance with Rocks and Boulders

You’ll want to use natural stone to create a rustic or natural look to your retaining walls. This doesn’t mean using stacked stone, which won’t have a natural look. Natural stone walls use large boulders and rocks that get placed naturally.

Charming stone retaining wall with wildflowers spilling over the top, blending beautifully into the lush garden setting. — Source: @1man1acre via Instagram

Rustic stone retaining wall borders a modern garden with white pebbles, smooth boulders, and sculpted greenery for a clean look. — Source: @bowland_stone via Instagram

Tiered stone retaining walls with built-in steps create a cozy backyard nook with a wooden swing set and natural charm. — Source: @timberline_landscaping via Instagram

Large natural boulders stacked to form a sturdy rustic retaining wall with a backdrop of greenery and a grassy base.

Rounded boulders stacked to support a grassy slope, creating a natural and cost-effective retaining wall solution.

Layered stone retaining wall lines the backyard slope, adding rustic charm to a cozy patio with outdoor seating and fire pit.

Dark stacked boulder retaining wall enhances the sloped driveway with vibrant flower beds and potted plants for added charm.

Natural stone retaining wall nestled in a lush green garden, with ferns and flowering plants cascading over the top.

Compact river rocks form a neat retaining wall behind garden steps, framed by lush greenery and overhanging ground cover.

The result is an imperfect-looking wall that blends in with natural surroundings. This style of rock wall Is not something you can build on your own, mainly because you’ll need heavy equipment just to move the oversized rocks.

11. Build a Retaining Wall with Sleepers

You don’t have to use concrete to make a sleepers wall. You can also build one out of wood. The long wood beams have a square shape to make it easier to stack them. On the backside of the wall, there are metal straps that secure the wood beams to the surrounding beams both horizontally and vertically.

Short vertical wooden sleepers form a curved retaining wall, adding a playful, natural border to the tiered garden layout. — Source: @all_seasons_home_improvements via Instagram

Staggered wooden sleepers create a stylish curved retaining wall, separating patio paving from a gravel-filled garden bed. — Source: @gwentgardens via Instagram

Tiered wooden sleeper retaining wall holds back a sloped landscape, with cascading greenery and white flowers softening the structure. — Source: @jasonosterbergerdesigns via Instagram

If you want the look of wood but the strength and longevity of concrete, you can buy concrete sleepers with a wood grain texture. You can then stain or paint the concrete to create the illusion of wood.

12. Choose Classic Wooden Beams for Your Wall

Landscape timbers are sometimes called railroad ties. These are large square shape logs that can be several feet in length. They get their name from their use when building old-school railroads. They were the logs placed under the metal rails.

Low wooden retaining wall lines a gravel pathway with raised garden beds, blending functionality and simplicity in a sloped backyard. — Source: @hus12smaland via Instagram

Dark timber retaining wall with sleek black supports frames tropical greenery beside a modern backyard pool and glass fence. — Source: @residentiallandscapes via Instagram

Simple timber retaining wall with steel posts stabilizes a raised dirt yard, blending into the rustic landscape under a large tree. — Source: @rycanretainingandearthworks via Instagram

Simple horizontal timber retaining wall with sturdy vertical posts holds back a raised garden bed beside a paved driveway.

Long wooden retaining wall with clean horizontal planks and evenly spaced vertical posts supports a sloped dirt landscape.

Straight wood plank retaining wall with thick vertical posts neatly supports a landscaped slope in a suburban front yard.

They work perfectly for building retaining walls because they are large, heavy, and easily stacked. Some cheap retaining wall ideas use the same wood you would use for a wooden fence. While this is treated wood, it isn’t nearly as strong or durable.

What is the least expensive type of retaining wall?

The cheapest type of retaining wall is poured concrete. It has the lowest cost per square foot. The next most affordable option is concrete block. In certain situations, blocks can be more affordable because you can assemble them yourself, reducing the labor costs of poured concrete.

Does a two-foot retaining wall need drainage?

It doesn’t matter how tall your retaining wall is; you need to have a drainage system in place. If you don’t have a drainage system built into the base of the wall, the water builds behind the wall, putting excess pressure on the wall. Having a drainage system built into the wall allows water to escape from behind the wall, ensuring your wall retains its integrity.

Why do retaining walls fail?

Retaining walls fail when they cannot support the pressure and weight of the soil they are holding back. Common reasons are failure include a lack of drainage, changing pressure on the wall, incorrect design calculations, cheap materials, unexpected additional weight, old age.