For the strongest wall, I would do the block wall set in forms poured in a deep trench (permit required). There are thinner blocks available which are easier to work with. Since “cinder blocks” are ugly, you can brown the wall and color-coat the visible parts of it after you build it. If you have the $$, you can use 99-cent std bricks or the more expensive bullnose brick (if the wall is not too long) crossways on the top of the wall for an extra (classy) touch :=]

For the strongest wall, I would do the block wall set in forms poured in a deep trench (permit required). There are thinner blocks available which are easier to work with. Since “cinder blocks” are ugly, you can brown the wall and color-coat the visible parts of it after you build it. If you have the $$, you can use 99-cent std bricks or the more expensive bullnose brick (if the wall is not too long) crossways on the top of the wall for an extra (classy) touch :=]

If possible keep your wall 30 inches or less which I am almost certain is the cut off. Over 30 inches becomes an engineered retaining wall and quite expensive. If its 30 inches or less it is a sitting wall and does not need to be a permitted retaining wall. Of course, you will want to verify this for yourself but this is what I went through 12 years ago and why my wall is 30 inches high

MIne was a cinderbock wall wall covered in stucco to match my house and capped with the same flagstone that accents all my hardscaping both front and back. It has held up well and still looks very good.

If possible keep your wall 30 inches or less which I am almost certain is the cut off. Over 30 inches becomes an engineered retaining wall and quite expensive. If its 30 inches or less it is a sitting wall and does not need to be a permitted retaining wall. Of course, you will want to verify this for yourself but this is what I went through 12 years ago and why my wall is 30 inches high

MIne was a cinderbock wall wall covered in stucco to match my house and capped with the same flagstone that accents all my hardscaping both front and back. It has held up well and still looks very good.

If possible keep your wall 30 inches or less which I am almost certain is the cut off. Over 30 inches becomes an engineered retaining wall and quite expensive. If its 30 inches or less it is a sitting wall and does not need to be a permitted retaining wall. Of course, you will want to verify this for yourself but this is what I went through 12 years ago and why my wall is 30 inches high

MIne was a cinderbock wall wall covered in stucco to match my house and capped with the same flagstone that accents all my hardscaping both front and back. It has held up well and still looks very good.

For our granny flat project we had significant hillside work – 2 seriously engineered cmu walls, and some smaller gravity walls. Here are my thoughts.

You have a footing of some kind with all of them – including the stacked block… it has to be dug out and the first course started below grade or it can shift/slip etc. Saving you on all three walls is that the wall is only 3 feet high – so not a huge footing for any of them. (We had some seriously huge footings on our project…. but they’re holding up a building slab.)

Keeping the dirt onsite is a huge saver. There is an entire sub-industry in construction buying/selling/moving fill dirt. As consumers, you pay to remove dirt and we pay to import dirt. If you can make the dirt net out even by not exporting/importing that’s a good thing.

Our super engineered CMU walls have a stucco coat. They’re ok looking… They work with the setting. We had some issues with the stucco coming off – but the contractor addressed that.

We used a Keystone Legacy block for our smaller walls… I don’t think they’re ugly, but that’s a personal taste/preference. We planted stuff that kind of laps over the top and it looks nice.

For our granny flat project we had significant hillside work – 2 seriously engineered cmu walls, and some smaller gravity walls. Here are my thoughts.

You have a footing of some kind with all of them – including the stacked block… it has to be dug out and the first course started below grade or it can shift/slip etc. Saving you on all three walls is that the wall is only 3 feet high – so not a huge footing for any of them. (We had some seriously huge footings on our project…. but they’re holding up a building slab.)

Keeping the dirt onsite is a huge saver. There is an entire sub-industry in construction buying/selling/moving fill dirt. As consumers, you pay to remove dirt and we pay to import dirt. If you can make the dirt net out even by not exporting/importing that’s a good thing.

Our super engineered CMU walls have a stucco coat. They’re ok looking… They work with the setting. We had some issues with the stucco coming off – but the contractor addressed that.

We used a Keystone Legacy block for our smaller walls… I don’t think they’re ugly, but that’s a personal taste/preference. We planted stuff that kind of laps over the top and it looks nice.