Retaining wall systems are great for any household. They help prevent flooding and erosion to property that surrounds both residential and commercial areas. In fact, these walls are often what saves the foundations of residential and commercial areas from the effects of floods and erosion.

There are tons of different retaining wall materials. Typically, retaining wall materials include wood, brick, concrete or stone. Plus, of these retaining wall materials, you choose from hundreds of different more specific kinds. For example, if you want to choose stone as your retaining wall materials, there are hundreds of different kinds of stones like boulders or gabion style, that could make for an amazingly efficient and aesthetically pleasing retaining wall design.

Naturally, each different type of these retaining wall materials has its own pros and cons. Here are a few of the types, and some of their advantages and disadvantages!

Wood.

Wood is a good material because it relates well to almost any style, and it blends into the landscape rather naturally. Wooden retaining walls are fairly easy to install, and their materials are readily available. With the proper water proofing, they can last up to 20 years or more. However, wood can rot, and typically doesn’t last as long as other retaining wall materials.

Concrete.

Using concrete blocks as retaining wall materials allows a homeowner to build a retaining wall that curves. The style resembles Spanish architecture, and is popular with midcentury architecture. However, concrete blocks can only be used as retaining wall materials for walls under heights of four feet.

Stone.

Stone is the most natural solution for grade change, but it’s difficult to control the water flow. Plus, as water accumulates in the interior of the wall, its integrity will be destroyed. This means that if your wall will need to help staunch a lot of flooding, you may want to choose more effective retaining wall materials than stone. Although, aesthetically speaking, stone walls are ideal for English-style, colonial or country gardens.

These are only a few retaining wall materials that you can use. There are even more out there that you can learn more about by contacting a contractor. If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments. More info like this.