Here in the UK our gardens comes in all shapes and sizes, if you’re lucky enough to have a flat garden you may not need a retaining wall, garden edging or curbing may be better suited to you, but if your garden slopes up or down retaining walls can help to transform the space by allowing you to level the ground out, or create a series of terraces.

There are various materials that can be used to build retaining walls including bricks, railway sleepers, natural stone, gabions, breeze blocks and of course WoodBlocX - check out our <what to use for a retaining wall comparison blog> to see the cost for each and also information on materials and any labour required to help you make your decision on which is the best material for you.

One of the main benefits of WoodBlocX retaining walls is that they can built by you, whether you’re a skilled DIY’er or if you think you have zero DIY skills, the modular nature of the system makes it really straightforward to build, plus you will be armed with step by step instructions and videos to help you with every block.

WoodBlocX walls are built from numerous individual pieces of timber (rather like bricks), that are pinned together using strong plastic dowels. Each piece of timber – selected to use only the strongest parts of the tree and never the heart – is then pressure treated twice, and because the dowel holes are pre-drilled, the treatment penetrates almost 100% of the wood. The dowels can each withstand 0.9 tonnes of sheer force, making the walls strong under both tension and compression and strong enough to withstand frost and ground movement without distorting or cracking under pressure.

How to build a WoodBlocX retaining wall

Tools needed
Spade or rake for levelling
Spirit level* or laser level
Lump hammer*
String line*
Gardening gloves*
Hacksaw or dowel cutters* for the last layer of dowels
Garden scissors or a stanley knife for the liner

All starred items are available in our Building Kit

Materials needed
Permeable liner
Building sand
Subbase or compacted type 1

To find out more about our recommendations for liners and drainage click here

Preparation

Mark out the space using a string line, this will help to ensure you have a perfectly straight edge to work to. There is no need to include concrete foundations for a WoodBlocX retaining wall, simply level the area where you plan to build the wall. We do recommend using a layer of subbase - which is available from most high-street DIY stores or builders merchants - this helps to distribute weight and improve the ground’s ability to carry weight. We also recommend using a layer of compacted building sand or sharp sand which will help to ensure the BlocX are level before they are laid.

To read more about footings and getting started building your WoodBlocX retaining wall click here

Building

Base layer
Once you are happy that the ground is sufficiently levelled and prepped lay out your first layer of BlocX according to your step by step instructions and match up the dowels to the BlocX, fixing the dowels into the BlocX on the base layer before placing them on the ground will help to ensure you don’t knock your base out of level.

Securing the structure to the ground
When ordering a retaining wall kit you will have been asked at the point of purchase if you plan to build on grass or soil, if the answer is YES then you will be provided with a series of ground spikes, these are 40mm in length and need to be placed through the dowel holes on the first layer of BlocX and in every buttress to secure the structure to the ground. If you are planning to build WoodBlocX on a hard surface such as tarmac or concrete we would advise you replace our ground spikes with heavy-duty angle brackets. These can be purchased from most DIY stores.

Build up the layers
Follow your step by step instructions to build the layers up adding the dowels as you go. We include buttresses in all of our designs to provide added strength to the structure, these are particularly important when building retaining walls as they act as cantilevers with the weight of soil pushing down on them to keep the main structure supported. The buttress will always finish one layer below the main height of the structure and are spaced every 1500mm along the wall.

Angle plates
Our angle plates, which are made from hard wearing galvanized steel need to be placed at every point where the buttress meets the main structure to tie the structure together. They also need to be placed on the corners of the last layers of BlocX before the capping is added to the structure.

Capping and liner
When you've reached the final layer of BlocX and added the dowels and angle plates use the dowel cutters (provided in our Building Kit) or saw to cut the dowels down by three notches and place your liner (or lengths of liner) to cover the inside of your structure, cutting small incisions to let the dowels through, this will hold it in place, cut off any over hanging liner and secure the capping using a spare block between the capping and your lump hammer to fit it - this will prevent any impact marks being made in the capping.

For information on lining your WoodBlocX retaining wall and drainage click here

Maintenance

WoodBlocX retaining walls require zero maintenance, once installed the BlocX can be left to weather naturally, creating a great rustic look, or painted to suit the style of your garden.

To get an instant price for a retaining wall use our calculator tool, browse our pre-designed walls or get in touch and use our quick free design service, just send us your measurements and any preferences you have and we will create a design and quote for you.

More helpful retaining wall blogs

Our raised beds are really easy to build because everything you need is included in your kit, here we explain how to build a raised bed in one complete guide.

The wooden components used to build our DIY raised beds are all pre-cut so there’s no need to saw the wood and there’s no waste, making building quick and straightforward, after all, building raised beds should be fun!

 All of our kits are built in the same way so if you’ve ordered a raised bed, seat, pond or retaining wall kit this same building method applies to all.

Helpful tools to have to hand before you start your build:
- Sprit level for checking the surface you’re planning to build on
- Lump hammer for knocking the BlocX in place
- Small hand saw to trim the dowels on the final layer of BlocX in order to fit the capping

Read our six steps to building your WoodBlocX structure below...

Your delivery will look similar to this. Everything you need here, wooden blocks, capping, dowels and angle plates. All wooden parts are cut exactly to the sizes requested so there’s no waste at the end of the build.

Once you have decided where your raised bed will sit in the garden carefully set out the bottom layer and make any adjustments to where you’re going to build it if needed. Refer to the instructions to check where the supportive buttresses and angle plates need to be positioned.

Our clever dowel system holds the structure together, simply knock these into the recess holes, make sure you refer to your instructions to ensure you’re putting them in the correct places.

When you’ve completed the first and second layers you will be on a roll. Work your way up the layers matching the first to the third, the second to the fourth and repeat.

Angle plates need to be placed on the supportive buttressed for extra strength and on the corners of the final layer before you add the capping.

Once you’ve reached the final layer before the capping is added, cut dowels down by three notches using a saw (or dowel cutters if you have ordered a Building Kit) and fit the capping using a protective piece of wood to ensure you don't damage your caps.

Do raised beds need a liner?

We always recommend using a liner with our raised beds, this provides extra protection for the wood to ensure you get the maximum lifespan out of your raised beds.

Use a geotextile or damp-proof membrane (DPM) to cover the inside walls of your raised bed. There is no need to add lining to the base of the structure if you are building it on soil or grass. For raised beds built on patio paving, concrete or tarmac we do recommend lining the bottom and slightly up the walls of the raised bed.

How much soil do I need for my raised bed?

If you don’t already have some soil to fill your raised bed and need to order some top soil in, you can work out how much you need using this simple sum: length(m) x width(m) x height(cm), but if you are adding a drainage layer to the bottom subtract the height of the layer from the equation so you don’t over order. Contact your local soil suppliers to compare quotes.

Need a little more help? No problem

Watch our quick instructional videos which talk you through how to build a raised bed. You can find them all HERE or click on the most popular videos below.

Watch more helpful videos on how to build a raised bed here.

Build your own raised bed now!

If our 'how to build a raised bed' guide has inspired you to build your own, check out these links below.

Find hundreds of shapes and sizes here

Use our handy calculator tools and input your own measurements.

Need a bespoke design? Use of free design service to get exactly what you need for your garden.

A few of our happy customers' raised beds

We asked our designers Lachlan, Calum and Harry to provide some helpful tips to consider when planning a raised bed garden.

There are so many benefits to adding raised beds to your garden and our modular system makes it really simple to install them, cutting out labour costs and providing you with a planting solution that is practical, durable and attractive.

Our timber raised beds are made up of series of wooden blocks that are pressure treated which makes them super strong, the blocks are held together by strong dowels and this combination ensures your structure will not crack or warp.

The versatility of our system means the design possibilities are almost limitless, our team of skilled designers work closely with customers on a daily basis to ensure they get the best solution for their gardens, whether it’s a singular raised bed, multiple raised beds or a completely bespoke garden design.

Planning a raised bed garden - What is the best position for a raised bed?

Lachlan says: Look for an area of your garden that gets the most sun. Ideally, the location for your raised-bed garden receives at least eight hours of sun (you can provide shade if it needs it, but you can’t add sun). Other considerations are level ground, good drainage, and access to water.

If you want to maximise growing space for edibles, plants or flowers, think about the paths that are existing or that you're planning to use. Could you create a different path layout and add additional raised beds?

For 10 reasons why raised beds are great for the garden click here.

What is the best size for a raised bed?

Calum says: The length of a raised bed doesn’t matter just keep in mind you will need to walk around it to get to the other side.

Ideally, the depth of the bed is from 350-650mm deep. Almost all crops can be grown in this depth of raised bed. We wouldn't advise making any single height bed more than 2.5m across otherwise you'll have issues tending to the centre of it. Consider creating a higher section within which will allow you to lean over and gain better access.

Use our raised bed calculator tool and add your preferred to sizes and you can see what benefits the height offers.

How to maximise space in the garden using raised beds

Harry says: If you're limited for space, consider how you might blend the use of a single area. For instance, if you'd like to include seating consider integrating it into the wall of the raised bed instead. If you've got a sloping area and need to retain or landscape it, use one of our raised beds as a retaining wall.

You can browse our popular pre-designed raised bed kits by heading here or use our free design service. 

If you need advice, guidance or have any questions about using raised beds in your garden contact us directly via phone: 0800 389 1420, email [email protected] or click on the live chat box over on the left of the page. We offer all customers a free design service to ensure everyone gets exactly what they need for their garden.

Landscaping: a word that has many negative connotations including cowboy gardeners and boring municipal plantings, but which really only means to create a planted area. There are two types – soft landscaping is the planting part, and hard landscaping is the creation of patios, paths and beds, and which usually comes first in the process.

Most domestic gardeners would assume that hard landscaping comes at a heavy cost if you hire someone else to do it, or that it would require a substantial skillset and power tool collection to do it yourself, but that’s just not true!

WoodBlocX is a product that can transform your garden in a variety of ways, and requires absolutely no technical knowledge or power tools to put together. It’s also cheaper than many of the other options. Here are a few ways you could improve your garden using hard landscaping:

• Edging. A wooden – curved or straight – edge to lawns and beds really neatens the whole look of the garden, and makes maintaining the edge much easier. A good edge on a driveway or path also adds kerb appeal, and keeps gravel where it’s supposed to be.
• Terracing. Despite not needing any power tools to build, and being light and easy to handle, the WoodBlocX system can also be used to build strong and durable retaining walls and terracing, bringing flat garden lawns and beds to previously unmanageable slopes.
• Planters. Rather than a large pot, why not use a wooden planter? They will not crack like terracotta, and can easily accommodate small trees or large shrubs, which would make a striking centrepiece to a lawn or patio. Alternatively, use them for fragrant plants such as daphnes, lavenders and nemesias in a front garden or by a doorway, where their scent will be most appreciated.
• Seats. Durable, attractive and comfortable, WoodBlocX seats are a brilliant alternative to benches, which can quickly become rickety and unsafe. Kits range from a simple bench style to seats that incorporate planters at either end.
• Ponds. Having a water feature in a garden is perhaps the most advanced kind of hard landscaping, but not one that needs to be difficult, especially when WoodBlocX will even tell you what size liner you will need! The raised ponds are also a great option if you only have a courtyard, and can’t dig a pond into the ground.

Raised beds bring your flowers and veggies to within easy reach, and into view from windows, and can bring greenery and life to patios and courtyards.

In the south, there have been very few really hard frosts, so even some tender bedding plants like geraniums have survived and it means that many of the bugs and other nasties are also thriving! So now is the time to go slug and snail hunting and dispose of them! Really we do need a good old cold snap to freshen things up.

The constant damp and heavy recent rainfall is not good for the garden, resulting in waterlogged muddy beds that are difficult to work. So stick to ordering seeds, maintaining your garden, re-edging borders, pruning fruit trees, clearing out the potting shed and repairing your equipment ready for upcoming spring activity!

Maybe this year you should think about a “No-Dig” system for your veggie patch or  raised beds? It is a low maintenance system, ideal for organic enthusiasts and if combined with a WoodBlocXraised bed, will make growing your own veg easier and less of a chore!

Basically you remove any surface weeds and dig out perennials (in Autumn) then simply spread a generous quantity of well rotted manure or home made compost, on top of the raised bed (at least 4 inches deep) and leave it to nature. The mulch over the surface helps to keep the soil warm and, therefore, the worms active, drawing the compost into the ground. Later on, when you are watering your raised bed crops, you will find that on an un-dug bed it is easier because it soaks away through this organic matter whilst a bed that has been dug often has a surface that will smear and cause run-off.

Apart from maybe sowing some shallots, radish, carrots and parsnips under cloches, you are better to wait til the end of February before sowing any seeds, as despite the unseasonably warm weather, low light levels will suppress growth. Carrot Marion is a good Nantes variety which is suitable for all year growing. Towards the end of Feb you can sow early salad crops in the green house and peas and broad beans without heat, but under cover. One of the oldest and most nutritious of all cultivated vegetables, hundreds of years ago broad beans provided protein in a meat poor diet! Try Sciabola Verde or Red Epicure (both from Marshalls-seeds.co.uk)

Grow Your Own Anywhere!
Whilst you are planning what new vegetable seeds to order from the catalogues, why not try growing some Dwarf French beans in a WoodBlocX planter? Maxi is a good variety to try and also new White Aubergine- Ivory (what else!) is another crop that can be successfully grown in a planter.

Have a look at the various WoodBlocX planter options and see how you can create your own small kitchen garden anywhere.

All too often a great design idea has to be amended beyond recognition because of the practicalities and realities of the garden and the budget. Perhaps all the materials for the garden have to be taken through the house, perhaps there are pets or young children around, or perhaps you’re on a deadline – all these logistical problems and more can mean that the original vision is compromised. However, whether you want to add planters or raised beds, benches or more to a problematic area, the solution can be found in a modular timber system such as WoodBlocX.

Modular systems, because they are delivered in pieces rather than unwieldy pre-built wholes, can be taken into the garden much more easily. All the WoodBlocX components can be easily carried by one person, so even in the tightest of places there’s space to squeeze them through. They are delivered on pallets, which can be easily moved to get as close to the construction area as possible, saving time and effort in moving things around. This is also helpful when the garden build has to take place around household life – the components do not take up much space, so disruption can be minimised.

Modular systems built from small components are also light and can be easily carried up steps. This means that it is also possible to build quite large planters on rooftops, and incorporate a rooftop garden to bring some life to a dull area.

So, WoodBlocX are easy to get onto the site, but they are also easy to work with once the components are there. All the individual pieces are pre-fabricated to exactly the right size, and pre-drilled and mitred as well. Therefore you will not need any power tools to build up the BlocX themselves – no drilling, cutting or sawing is necessary. The BlocX are quick and easy to put together, and there is very little noise created in the process, keeping the disruption to family and neighbours to a minimum. Furthermore, the pre-cut modular system also means there is no dust or mess and virtually no waste to dispose of (and what waste there is can be easily moved and transported to the tip), saving time and money again.

Modular timber systems like WoodBlocX are the smart choice for any garden, but especially those with access problems. Call our team for a chat about your project and how we can help.

If you are working with an awkward area, off-the-shelf products and fixed dimensions may not work for you. WoodBlocX offer a design service for all of their products, so that you can create a bespoke project for your unique requirements. Better still, this service is entirely free and you have no obligation to buy. Alternatively, try the online calculators on the WoodBlocX website – just put in the measurements to get an idea of what you will need and the cost.

Perhaps you want to create an inspiring play area for your children, or a tree house – well, WoodBlocX have been used to build pirate ships and a model elephant over 6ft tall. Really the only limit is your imagination – WoodBlocX would love to work with you to create something amazing!