Using a deadman retaining wall, you can build a crosstie retaining wall for a simple, economical way to terrace uneven ground and reduce dirt erosion. Dirt is not exempt from the law of gravity. It ...

Q. I want to build a retaining wall that’s going to look great for years. At my last house, I had a short retaining wall around a patio that started to lean out toward the lawn. The little wall was ...

This is the last of three stories on terracing hillsides. To read the first two stories, "Slippery slopes" and "Know your hillside," go to sfgate.com and type in Deborah K. Rich. "Almost all ...

Whether really tall, or relatively tiny—those picturesque, surprisingly short stone walls scattered about New England, for example—humans have long been fascinated with structures that delineate and ...