Stonework North County San Diego
Side-Yard Retaining Wall and Paver Walkway
A sloped side yard that kept washing onto the walkway, held back with a curved segmental block wall and a widened paver path.
The project
Every winter rain pushed soil and mulch down the slope onto the paver path along the side of the house. The owners wanted it fixed in a way that looked intentional rather than engineered.
Levi built a low curved retaining wall in a split-face segmental block, with a compacted base, drainage gravel behind it, and a capped top that doubles as a place to set a planter. The path was re-edged against the wall and the slope above was regraded to hold the existing succulents and groundcover.
Before & After
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Materials, challenges and highlights
Materials and finishes
- Split-face segmental retaining wall block with caps
- Compacted base and drainage gravel
- Re-set concrete pavers
Highlights
- Curved wall follows the slope
- Drainage behind the wall, not just in front
- Walkway widened and re-edged
Challenges and solutions
The curve. A straight wall would have been faster, but following the natural line of the slope made the wall feel like part of the garden instead of a fix for it.
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