How to Build a Retaining Wall! (Stackable Mortar-Less)

Here in this video we will be showing you how to build a stackable motarless retaining wall! We will take you step by step on this process. this is also a unique build made up of multiple different sized blocks within this wall!
If this video helps you on your stackable retaining wall build make sure to LIKE,SHARE,SUBSCRIBE and COMMENT any questions you may have!
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[@lionscircle4700]

Amazing work with stackable blocks. The stackable design has come a long way.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

I concur TY

[@fintan3563]

Really beautiful wall. I love the look of the various sizes of blocks. Great job as always! 🏆🏆🏆

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@tyrehester5550]

I had a natural dry stack stone wall built in the backyard. Being in N Ga, we are closer to the source of natural stone, so it was a little cheaper to go this way than us the manufactured blocks. Also the wall is only 24” tall, higher would have required the MBs. The purpose was to be a transition from the flat backyard to an approximate 12’ slope to the upper backyard space. It made a tremendous transformation. Thanks for the video! Looking forward to the rest of this series.🙂

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

I would like to see that natural stone wall. TY

[@NAFO_Badger_Brigade]

Awesome job!!! Really simple but hugely effective! Great work everyone!

[@westyw.4235]

Your posts are so clear and concise, well done and thanks guys!

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

TY

[@dirtwhisperer658]

Wow. That was a LOT of work. I built a wall like this across my back yard using brand name "Square Blocks". I did it all by myself but it was not this long. That wall liked to killed me. LOL. Anyway you guys did a beautiful job here. I love the look. Also I have a lot of runoff that comes from the hill behind my house so I buried a french drain pipe underneath the gravel in the back for drainage.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Nice job

[@arkansas1336]

Super, superior work. The wall looks great!

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

TY

[@ahhdavy]

Another awesome video

[@viankalobosvalenzuela7456]

Bellísimo trabajo 👌🏻 👏 💕

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

TY

[@rodneyhammon1793]

That’s a good looking wall!…you guys are great !…

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

ty

[@davidhoover8877]

Very nice looking wall. Oh, the amount of work that goes into these things.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

TY

[@maxxcherry6955]

Looks great. Nice job everyone !

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@hombredeacero3131]

Wall looks great

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

TY

[@MasterGriff1]

Great stuff Odell crew! Always amazes me the number of uninformed haters. Always informative and educational. Attention to detail is always on point.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

TY Mike

[@saljablo2767]

The guy doing the caps really took his time with it. Made sure it was perfect. Good job

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Yes TY

[@beesybee8921]

looks really good, i learned something new today

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Good to hear!

[@russellzauner]

I was actually considering using liquid nails or jb weld because I'm lazy but this is even lazier. Thanks for the content!

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Thank you!

[@olukuslarinsahibi]

I congratulate you for this beautiful and quality work you have done.God bless you.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

ty

[@bartramdilks26]

That is a pretty wall!

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Ty

[@jaymann53]

Very nice

[@19993gt]

Good job guys!

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

ty

[@joesalle2964]

great work as usual

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

TY

[@SheldonClayPage]

Wonderful

[@scubatrucker6806]

Looks amazing. I did planter boxes along the back of my property with locking blocks very easy to do lots of wheel barrels loads getting them from the pickup in front driveway to the jobsite alot of sweat went into it. It was #3,000 worth of blocks. Its important to get the first row leveled. I used a 3 foot level for the job. When I was done it looked amazing

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Nice, it's well worth it.

[@trentarbeau8753]

Thanks for sharing your expense, appreciate it very much. I didn’t know if it was (somewhat) affordable or not. So, with labor at least that much and. Then some. Much appreciated

[@bigal7561]

Very cool.

[@umibuzosan2362]

Nice work.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

TY

[@dougolsen7208]

Nice job 👏

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

ty

[@drumtwo4seven]

Sweet 👍

[@armandolopez2838]

You guys are f good at what you do

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

TY

[@ricanbee2849]

Nice

[@beverleygregory]

perfect , we have to use a drainage pipe here in canada behind the block to drain of all water due to freez thaw problems

[@brickrightbuildinglandscaping]

Dry block symptoms very popular here in the UK also .ill be out of a job as a bricklayer soon david 🤣 looks good guys as always 👌 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇺🇸

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Yes it's very popular

[@timbrown8939]

I wish you guys were up here in NE Ohio. Need a good crew to bang out a 20x70 driveway that can withstand the weather. Keep up the good work

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Me too TY

[@texasproud3332]

Good video y’all

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

TY

[@EricVB20]

Beautiful wall. What kind of blocks are those and where can I get them?

[@hsandv70]

Great job, AGAIN, Odell ! With this wall desgin , does it act like a drain, in the sense it will catch and guide water in a certain direction ?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

the water can flow through it releasing back pressure

[@jdblank815]

Great work guys and great looking wall. I wanted to ask, why didn't you guys use geogrid or retaining wall blocks with a setback? is this wall rated for retaining? Let me know

[@steveyountz9184]

Great looking job. I know it is an optical illusion, but in a shot showing the whole wall it looks like it is bowed outward.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Not likely, according to the string line. Probably a optical

[@happyhonker123]

Its the fish eye lens. You can see as the camera is panning the bow keeps changing.

[@reggienance]

That's a very nice wall. I was wondering if geogrid is required for certain retaining walls. There seems to be a lot of earth behind that wall. I'm a DIY person and was wondering.

[@Jim-nq9el]

I was wondering exactly the same thing. Is that wall still going to be vertical in 10 or 15 years?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

I think if the height were increased then that may be a issue

[@shawnwagner2220]

Been doing walls for 10+ years and this is the block I use and there should have been geogrid and at least 12” of clean #57 stone behind this wall to make sure it wont fail. Would not be surprised if this wall fails within 5 year!!

[@Mr_Rearden]

Ive heard that if you go above 4' its a good idea to use geogrid

[@shawnwagner5939]

We over engineer our walls and do it anytime over 2.5 feet with a level area above but with this having a 3 to 1 slope it is required by the manufacture to at least have 2 layers of geogrid with the soil that is there and also with the slope. Also required to have at least 12” of #57 stone behind the wall with a drain at the bottom of the wall that drains every 50’. I have built over 500 walls and have had over 50 walls I have been called in to correct because installs are not done correctly. Think these guys do AMAZING work in concrete and wouldn’t even begin to know a thing about concrete but when it comes to walls I do and this wasn’t done correctly. I hope it will still last for the customer!!

[@lagilbertona3599]

There should be a video out there . Where its just done by eye and feel

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Probably is

[@M3_86]

Did these set back with the lip? I guess do all locking ones set back?

[@noggodtv]

I remember seeing another video of your where you did a retain wall as well but that one had rebar in between the block holes, why not that here?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

This is a different type of retaining wall

[@danbergdoll6800]

That is a fantastic-looking wall design! Are you required to pull a permit for a short interlocking block wall like that in California?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Every City is different

[@ajjax89]

Another amazing work Odell!! quick question, no need for waterproofing/ barrier drainage behind the wall?

[@landonmorel3715]

should always put clean gravel and drain tile behind a wall….if the wall works as intended there should never be any water in the drain tile

[@camden7488]

@@landonmorel3715 so its a type of fail-safe but not really needed then, if you did a good job that is ;)

[@jesseblank7695]

With this block you don't have to offset each course to avoid continuous running lines?

[@donmoore7785]

He stated they were going to stagger the joints, but they failed to do that in several locations. I didn't hear an explanation.

[@MrTooTechnical]

Will u put expansion gap material between the concrete and retaining wall

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

no, we want it locked in for this design

[@raulbautista9846]

can I build that above exiting pavers that are on the Floor? or do I need to dig them up to build a foundation?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Dig them up

[@andrewalbert7383]

Looks great! How long from start to finish on the retaining wall? 4 guys performing the work?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

one day

[@Ramblingpete]

Pete the cabby London top job 🤙🏿

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

ty

[@Price-qd1cd]

Looks beautiful,out of curiosity I used to build these walls here in Florida and did these exactly as you do but one thing different,I would put a silly screen behind the wall and on the soil before laying my aggregate behind the wall,is the soil there so compact it doesn’t need the silt material behind the wall?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Sounds like a good idea

[@antonmikhanov3405]

Прикольно

[@MrTooTechnical]

Great vid. Since the back of the wall has gravel and dirt, And no drain pipe, will the gravel eventually get clogged? Thanks.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Not likely since there is very little water on that hill

[@craiguglandrealty3705]

But that once a decade deluge will destroy that wall.

[@elonmusk8667]

Looks great! Where did you get that stone?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Orco

[@crismarchese5336]

No drain tile? Filter cloth or Geo grid? Hopefully this is in a warmer climate. Looks good though, Hard workers!

[@trentarbeau8753]

Odell, I have a question for you sir. I live in Georgia so the cost of materials may be different from where you are, but could you give a ball park figure for just the straight wall about that high for those blocks? It looks like it could be the same distance that I would need. Just wondering what I’m up against. If, it’s even in my price range. Thanks again for any feedback on this. Thanks

[@Forreally]

I’m in utah and I charge around $35-$40 /s.f. For installing professional block walls with a drainage system. Gas here is $4.50/gal for a reference of our inflation here. Hope this helps.

[@drbeanut]

I go to the dump, get a bunch of old tires for free. Compact them with gravel as I build up a retaining wall. Add a little batter towards the backfill. Pack out and plaster over the front with adobe.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Thats Stud status

[@07slink]

What would be the max height you would go on a wall system like this?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

4

[@twozerouk]

I was going to ask if these wall blocks "weather" over time but probably too dry in California. In our damp climate in the UK we'd probably have moss appearing on the blocks after a few weeks.

[@beverleygregory]

we like the moss look in canada we smear a yogurt on the stone and voila moss

[@rachelportman3167]

What kind of machinery are you using to clear off the dirt and cut into the hill?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

6' hickory extend a hoe

[@Ryan-of6ff]

Great build. Just curious why no drain pipe and non woven Geofabric to separate the dirt from the drain rocks was used?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

the specs didn't call for it

[@stephanelachance9131]

I had the same question. Where I live with the frost, both a required to evacuate the water and avoid the ice forming behind the wall to push it forward and eventually crumble down.

[@BabaJorda]

very nice. where can i buy the blocks from?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Orco

[@MarkMicallef]

Who's the maker of these blocks? Looks like a DIY for me!

[@cousin_JACK]

Would it be stupid to mix 3/4 and concrete mix into the space in between ? Or is that wasteful?

[@jonathananderson1510]

Looks very nice. How much would something like that cost?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

5500

[@unclebuck5051]

No geogrid or drainage?

[@b.rushinglawnandlandscapin2085]

No Drainage Pipe install in this project?

[@Mack.of.all.trades]

Looks real good. Why not backfill as you go?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Good idea

[@G7Zeta]

What glue did you use for the cap stones?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Liquid nail

[@joem4746]

What type of material do you recommend for the base?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Gravel and sand

[@torchup]

Nice job but won't the backfill of stone behind wall eventually be overcome by the SoCal clay soil migrating into the stone? I'd lean towards dropping two or three perforated 4 inch corrugated pipes for water flow voids at base and top filling with gravel. A benefit $savings on gravel transport and labor. Plus I encourage homeowners to remove trees from these hillside sideyards with retaining walls and stay with smaller groundcover plantings since tree roots eventually push against basically non-engineered and unreinforced retaining walls with no deep structural footings.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Yes everything could be better. Really unlimited on the possibilities

[@hsandv70]

Very true. But when you give someone that 200k estimate for perfection for 500 years, it tends to be rejected.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

@@hsandv70 Do that and you'll never work again.

[@hsandv70]

@@OdellCompleteConcrete exactly. I was responding to the original thread here.

[@donmoore7785]

Yes, you can put a membrane behind the stone, behind the wall.

[@pastorjeffharper]

What is the specific name/brand of block you have here? I am interested in using the same block for the wall I am going to build. I live in southern CA and could likely order from the same company.

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

orco has it

[@pastorjeffharper]

Thank you!

[@themasonrycompany.]

Greetings O'Dell You guys get things done! Whats the cost of the roll off? How many cubic yards?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

550

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

10yds

[@themasonrycompany.]

@@OdellCompleteConcrete Thanks O'Dell Let's go Big Blue

[@nickkautzman9711]

I really like the look of those blocks. Do you know the manufacturer?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Orco

[@stevie12]

what makes this wall when you lay concrete up to half block like it

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

stronger

[@samfrancisco8095]

Why no vertical rebar every so often driven into the base soil?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

It would rust out in a couple of years

[@SD420]

How much was the blocks and gravel for this project?👍

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

5500

[@SD420]

Thank you

[@cisko8512]

What did you guys use for the base?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Rock

[@MrKelticfan]

Not even separation fabric for the base or the backfill...I can kinda understand skimping on the geogrid since that is a bit more expensive. I thought fabric was pretty much SOP for hardscape builds nowadays. These guys are obviously hard workers, keep it up.

[@chillstudio545]

💐❤❤❤💐

[@Chechenzko]

Where do you get those interlocking blocks?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Orco

[@percival23]

How does this type of wall with no mortar contain the lateral pressure of the soil?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Interlocking

[@markgriz]

So no geogrid? What keeps the earth above from pushing the wall forward?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

The way the wall is engineered, the more pressure against it the stronger it gets

[@MrMelvinOneil]

@@OdellCompleteConcrete I love your channel and you guys do some outstanding work. Could you elaborate on this statement a bit ... "the more pressure against it the stronger it gets"... I don't quite understand. Thanks in advance

[@fatbroccoli8]

@@MrMelvinOneilbecause it's interlocking, it's not really like it gets stronger but it has more resistance if weight is pushing against it than it would without any weight on it, obviously there's a breaking point too though

[@stickybandit2346]

Can you come finish my cinder block wall in Ogden, Utah? Or do you know someone who can? Must be licensed, insured, & bonded. The city gave us a "Stop Work" order because we are not licensed, insured and bonded. etc..

[@zachcombs6271]

Bro Ogden my home town dog

[@stickybandit2346]

@@zachcombs6271 Are you licensed, insured and bonded to do cinder block work in Ogden, UT?

[@IgnisMan]

🤠

[@falsealarmno]

You're not worried about the weight of the hill making that wall lean?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Bottom course is incased with concrete

[@19993gt]

Sometimes you have to do a return on a new wall… 🤞🏾 then you can have a good three inches… as it goes up. 👍🏾

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

oss

[@JRS2248]

What is the MAX height you can go with these blocks?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Orco.com

[@edwardmak2218]

What's the brand of the blocks?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

ORco

[@wayneguy6043]

How much just for the wall ?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

5500

[@bpm9295]

@2:50 brah.... *sick* hat.

[@bonnenaturel6688]

No rebar and geo grid?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

No need

[@tonet6601]

No rebar metal throughout that construction project??

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Bingo

[@MrTrapichero]

If the earth come against the wall, what would happen? the wall come forward, right?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

It's not suppose to

[@aaronmatthewsalinas1408]

No mortar just grid,and felt cloth?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

Easy work

[@mattiefattie3895]

is "where the water will go" be in a future episode?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

It will pass through the wall to the drains

[@fatbroccoli8]

@@OdellCompleteConcretewon't the rain carry that mud down into the gravel though and just block it up eventually?

[@MrLX600]

Nice. Maybe overkill, but no need for a drain behind the wall? Filter fabric? Great job as always 🫡

[@landonmorel3715]

never put filter fabric behind a wall…..that could build up with mud pushing the wall out causing failure. i do hardscapes for a living and they honestly should have dug back further for more gravel behind the wall….we always dig about 6” back for every foot we go vertical. throwing more gravel in there is cheaper than having to come back and fix a bad wall. also…ALWAYS put a drain behind the wall…if the wall works as intended there should never be any water in the drain except for a tiny amount. i work in kansas/missouri so i’m guessing california has different specs since they don’t get much rain a drain behind the wall probably isn’t as critical.

[@MrLX600]

Thanks for the reply. I’ve seen a video of Odell using fabric for a block retaining wall… I guess each job demands different applications. Stay safe out there in Kansas/Missouri bud.. 😎

[@notsofast5495]

@@landonmorel3715 Novice DIY builder here in MN. I’m building a 3’ wall to separate my raised yard from my under deck patio. Does the perforated tubing have openings all around it or just on one half? Do the openings face up or down on the gravel? How do I dead end the tubing into my yard? Can I just make a deep gravel pad, lay the end of the tube on it, cover with gravel, then sod? Do I put fabric behind the wall between dirt and the gravel? Thanks

[@landonmorel3715]

@@notsofast5495 there are holes all over the perforated pipe. yes..you can just dig like a 2’ deep gravel pit and run the drain into that. cover the pipe with gravel…probably like 4-6” of good, clean gravel and then yes, put fabric over it to plant the sod. the filter should stop a lot of the dirt from clogging the drain. just do not put the fabric up the back of your wall…use nothing but gravel. you wall is 3’ tall so i would dig back about 18” and fill it all with gravel, compact it and maybe the last 4-6” you can lay fabric and then put grass on top. most walls are designed to let water weep through the seams…so gravel is crucial behind a wall.

[@notsofast5495]

@@landonmorel3715 excellent. Will I get dirt weeping theough the wall and onto my patio?

[@19993gt]

An offset backhoe always has some issues… try to avoid it….

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

probably

[@onetime1239]

No Geo grid?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

No need at this height

[@olson5252]

No grid? That might push out with no grid behind it

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

There designed for this

[@alanc5589]

@@OdellCompleteConcrete designed how?

[@eduardodedios8213]

@@alanc5589 the way these blocks are engineered is to interlock top layer to the lower and so on, they work together to form as an almost one solid wall, the reason they fill in the holes with gravel is to make it heavier and therefore stronger and also help with drainage,,, no need for any additional drain pipes or any fabrics, these stackable walls perform way better than your typical block/concrete/rebar ones , that’s probably why they are more expensive plus they look better

[@steveg5576]

So how long are people waiting for you to get to them these days ?

[@OdellCompleteConcrete]

I'm a two man team so quite a while