A: Poured concrete and concrete block are the two foundation types that dominate the residential-construction industry here in the USA. I've built buildings using both materials.

A good retaining wall is an unlikely combination of designs–basically a strong wall full of holes. It has to be strong enough to hold back earth that can exert tremendous pushing force. It also ...

Another advantage of CMU retaining walls is their flexibility. Where a crack is typically a death sentence for a poured wall, a damaged concrete block is easy enough to replace. That said ...

ASK THE BUILDER | No, you don't need poured concrete or mortar to build a strong retaining wall.

Q: A long poured-concrete retaining wall was installed when our home was built 13 years ago. We have come to discover that the home and wall were built using poor methods.

The retaining wall you construct has to be strong enough to offset the pushing force of the soil. Do not underestimate this force, as a cubic foot of moist soil can often weigh up to 100 pounds.