Smaller natural stone, laid by hand and machine, for the curves, garden edges and tight backyards where a boulder wall will not fit.
People use "rock wall" for everything from a row of landscape boulders to a mortared stone facade. When we say rock retaining wall, we mean a dry-stacked wall of smaller natural stone, typically 6 to 18 inches across, laid in more courses than a boulder wall. No mortar, a slight lean back into the slope, and the same drained base underneath that every one of our walls gets.
Because the pieces are smaller, a rock wall can follow a curve, step down beside a path or wrap a planting bed in ways a boulder wall cannot. It also gets into places an excavator cannot reach.
The structure is the same as a boulder wall, scaled down:
The skill is in the fit. A good rock wall has every stone touching its neighbors on several points, with the long dimension running back into the hill, not along the face.
Stacked rock walls run $45 to $60 per square foot of wall face, drainage included, with a $4,500 project minimum.
| Wall | Face | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| 18 in x 50 ft raised bed edge | 75 sq ft | $4,500 (minimum) |
| 2.5 ft x 40 ft curved backyard wall | 100 sq ft | $4,500 to $6,000 |
| 3 ft x 60 ft wall along a path | 180 sq ft | $8,100 to $10,800 |
Rock walls cost a little less per square foot than boulder walls because the stone is cheaper per ton, but they take more hand work. Where a boulder wall and a rock wall would both work, the price difference is usually small, so the choice comes down to the look you want and the access you have. More on the retaining wall cost page.
| Stacked rock | Boulder | |
|---|---|---|
| Stone size | 6 to 18 inches | 18 inches to 3 feet |
| Look | Textured, many pieces, more traditional | Bold, few pieces, natural outcrop |
| Curves | Follows tight curves easily | Gentle curves only |
| Access needed | Can be built through a narrow gate | Needs room for an excavator |
| Price per face sq ft | $45 to $60 | $50 to $65 |
See boulder retaining walls for the bigger option, or boulder vs block for how stone compares with concrete block.
Up to 4 feet, yes, when it is built on a compacted base, leans back into the slope and has drainage behind it. That is the only kind we build.
No. Mortared stone walls crack with freeze and thaw and trap water. Dry-stacked walls flex slightly and let water through.
Sometimes. If the base is sound and only the top courses have shifted, we can rebuild the top. If the bottom stones have moved, the wall needs to come out and go back in on a proper base. See retaining wall repair.
Mostly local basalt and granite from Spokane and North Idaho stone yards. We will show you samples before you choose.
Send a few photos and rough measurements. We reply with a price range, usually within one business day.