DiyEstim

Retaining Wall Calculator

Estimate retaining-wall blocks by face area, with a 5% waste margin.

Runs locally in your browser — your measurements never leave this page
ft
ft
%
$

Try: Length=10, Height=3, Waste=5, Price per block=0, Units=ft → 30.00 ft², 5%, 53 blocks

How to use

A typical 16×6 inch retaining block covers about 0.6 ft² of face including the joint. Enter the wall length and height and the calculator returns the blocks needed, plus 5% for cuts.

FAQ

Does this include cap blocks?

No — add one cap block per linear foot of wall top separately.

What waste for a curved wall?

Curves need more cutting; budget 8–10% instead of 5%.

How deep should the base be?

Usually a compacted gravel base 4–6 inches deep below the first course; that is not counted here.

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