Boulder Wall Installation

What This Service Involves

Boulder walls use large, individually placed stones to retain slopes with a bold, naturalistic look that suits Pacific Northwest terrain. We machine-place each boulder on a keyed, compacted base and batter the wall back into the hillside so gravity and stone weight resist soil and water pressure. Gravel backfill and drainage are built in behind the boulders, because our wet winters generate the runoff that overwhelms lesser walls. The gaps between stones can be planted with hardy groundcover, blending the structure into the landscape while it does the heavy work of holding ground.

Benefits

Massive stones provide strong, gravity-based retention; Built-in drainage manages heavy Northwest runoff; Natural, rugged appearance suits regional landscapes; Keyed and battered placement resists sliding and heave; Planting pockets between boulders soften the structure

Our Process

1) Assess the slope, soil, and drainage needs; 2) Excavate and compact a keyed base trench; 3) Machine-place boulders with batter and backfill; 4) Install drainage, backfill, and finish plantings

What Affects the Cost

Wall height, length, and total boulder tonnage; Size and sourcing of the landscape boulders; Heavy equipment access to the work site; Excavation and drainage system requirements; Slope stability and soil conditions

Best Time of Year

Summer's firmer, drier ground provides the stable footing that heavy equipment and boulder placement require, avoiding the mud of the rainy season.