01
Formula
Blocks = (length ÷ block length) × (height ÷ block height) × (1 + waste).
Cost = blocks rounded up × your price. Length and height are in feet. Block size is in inches. The retaining wall cost calculator does not add delivery or labor.
Apply for financingRetaining wall
Retaining wall calculator for blocks and cost
This retaining wall calculator counts blocks from the wall length, the height, and the block face you enter, then adds waste. The retaining wall cost calculator line is that count times your price per block. The price is an estimate you type. The page is not an engineered wall design.
Blocks
198
Courses6.00
Estimated block cost$792.00
Face160.00 sq ft
Planning estimate from the numbers you enter. Coverage, density, waste and price are assumptions, not a supplier quote or an engineering specification.
How it works
Blocks cover the face, then waste is added.
Blocks along the wall equal length in inches divided by block length. Courses equal height in inches divided by block height. Order count is those two numbers multiplied, then increased by the waste percent. A 40 foot wall, 4 feet high, with 16 by 8 inch blocks, is 30 blocks along and 6 courses, or 180 blocks. Ten percent waste makes 198 blocks. At $4 each the estimate is $792. Geogrid, caps, drainage stone, and a footing are not in the count. A wall that holds back soil needs a design. This page only tiles a rectangle with the block you named.
02
Example
40 feet by 4 feet, 16 by 8 inch blocks, 10 percent waste, $4.
That is 30 blocks along, 6 courses, 180 blocks neat, and 198 blocks with waste. The block estimate is $792. Change the price and the dollars move. The block count does not.
03
Tips
Face area is not a structural check.
Height, surcharge, and water behind the wall decide whether the wall stands. Drainage stone and a perforated pipe are often required and are not in this count. Use the french drain page when you are estimating that stone separately, once it exists, or measure the trench yourself.
04
Equipment
A compact loader sets the base and the block.
Dengaro arranges financing for a skid steer or a loader. The block cost is not sent as a loan amount.
Important questions
Know what to expect.
Does the count include a cap?+
No. Add cap units separately. The courses use the block height you typed for the whole height. A shorter cap course means one course should be counted by hand.
Is $4 a block price?+
It is a placeholder. The retaining wall cost calculator multiplies your price. It is not a supplier quote.
What does waste cover?+
Cuts, breakage, and a course that does not land on a full block. Ten percent is the default, not a rule. Corners and curves usually need more.
Is this an engineered design?+
No. It does not check sliding, overturning, or bearing. A tall wall needs a design before anyone builds it.
Financing built into the sale