I had watched countless videos before I built my first retaining wall. On-screen, everything looked simple: dig, stack blocks, backfill, done. Real life was a very different teacher.
The first surprise came from how heavy retaining wall blocks actually are. Moving them repeatedly forced me to slow down and think through each step instead of improvising halfway through. That was probably my first helpful mistake.
The second lesson hit harder. After building almost half the wall, I realized my base trench wasn’t perfectly level across the entire run. That small difference grew more obvious with every row. By the time I noticed, the only real solution was to pull it apart and start again. It was humbling and tiring but completely worth it.
Once the base was reset correctly, the wall practically built itself. Each block locked into place, the lines stayed straight, and the final structure looked intentional rather than forced. The drainage pipe and gravel backfill behind the wall also made a noticeable difference. After the next big rainfall, everything stayed solid instead of bowing.
The project changed the way I look at retaining walls now. I no longer see them as decorative borders. They’re structural, and they demand respect. Cutting corners only means rebuilding later.
If anyone is tackling a first wall, my advice is simple: take your time on the first row. Dig deeper than you think, compact carefully, and don’t settle for “good enough.” That first course is your foundation.
Conclusion: Tutorials can show technique, but experience teaches patience. Building my first retaining wall reminded me that perfection early on saves frustration later and in hardscaping, the base determines everything that follows.
