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Install Retaining Wall Blocks

8:40
33:59
92.4K views

At 8:40 in

This DIY Method Will Block Loud Road Noise In Your Backyard

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What happens here

With the earthen berm in place, a concrete block retaining wall is built along its base to provide structural support and prevent erosion. The presenter explains that he chose cost-effective retaining wall blocks, purchasing them in bulk from a hardscape distributor. He uses a measuring tape and string line to ensure the wall is straight and measured precisely 7 feet from the fence line to allow for future pavers. Each block is laid directly on a sand base, and the presenter clarifies that adhesive isn't strictly necessary for a wall of this height due to the interlocking lip design of the blocks. He notes an initial mistake of excavating too deep, requiring refilling and re-compaction, which is a common DIY challenge.

Goal: Construct a stable retaining wall to support the earthen berm.

Tools and materials

  • Concrete Retaining Wall Blocks Basalite — Building the retaining wall
  • Level — Ensuring blocks are level horizontally and vertically
  • Measuring Tape — Measuring distances and ensuring straight lines
  • Rubber Mallet — Tapping blocks into place for leveling
  • Shovel Husky — Spreading sand and moving dirt
  • String Line and Stakes — Establishing a straight guide for laying blocks
  • Wheelbarrow Husky — Transporting sand and blocks
  • Sand — Creating a level base for the first course of blocks

What they say

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240 centimeters from the fence. We will pull the cord on both sides, and I will do this because my human nature will make me gradually move away from the fence. Then I'll figure it out halfway through, move everything back to the fence, and spend all day tomorrow redoing everything. Not today, Satan. I am acting proactively. So we're 7 feet from the fence, and I get it . Some people have tiny yards, so an extra 7 feet is a lot. We have a huge yard, but we only struggle with sound. So unfortunately I'll leave 7 feet. However, I will try to move it another foot so that the paving stones will lay. Keep in mind, I'll have to add a base to make everything even. And I thought today would go by quickly. If you are interested in the practical application of road mix or sand as a base for a retaining wall, I will say that I have tested both options and they work. However, sand , in our case construction sand, perfectly levels the surface, unlike recycled road mix. It seals perfectly. But the pebbles in it cause the bottom layer of the base to shift, which I find quite annoying. The base is ready . I need support blocks to hold it all together. I'll take the Humpty Dumpty trailer and go get a couple of pallets. Meanwhile, you know Yuri, my cousin, who just arrived on an international flight. He insists that he will help me with this. He says he knows the sound very well. Eh , whatever, I ran. I think you're in good hands, but I don't know, be careful. Okay, okay, Yuri is back. Okay, Yuri is a sound expert, and cowboy Alex needs to bring the blocks. So he left, and he helps. Yuri will explain the mound and the science behind it. Cars are driving by, and the sound is coming here. It doesn't move like a sniper shot. No, no, no. Sound moves like a gymnast. Yuri loves gymnasts. He is a very agile gymnast, he always goes around the fence. So we build an earthen hill called a mound. In Soviet Russia, oh, sorry, sorry, sorry. In America, we build a 2-foot-high mound so that sound can reach and stop like a bullet. Yes, Alex, go build a hill and cover it with blocks. Have fun, American. Yuri, you are crazy. I calculated how much tile I needed and how much it would cost me. I only need a wall that is 2 feet high. So I looked at the websites of Home Depot, Lowe's, and other stores. I expected to pay five thousand, because there are about 36–48 pieces on each pallet. And then I went to Basalite, which is a distributor of landscape materials in this area. I went there, and they…

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