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PROJECT MATERIAL PLANNING

Retaining wall calculator Australia

Estimate retaining wall blocks, base and drainage stone in metres, millimetres, cubic metres and tonnes, with editable AUD prices.

US & metric units
No account needed
Your wall
m

Measure along the wall alignment.

m

Block face only; exclude the cap.

rows

Use the embedment from your plans.

mm
mm
mm

Presets are generic examples. Check actual product coverage and packaging.

Cutting & breakage allowance
%
Schematic wall section showing caps, wall units, base aggregate and the drainage zone. Not to scale.1 mCapDrainage stoneBase aggregate1 buried courseSECTION VIEW · NOT TO SCALEWall run: 10 m
Dimensions and material zones follow your inputs. Confirm the construction detail with your wall supplier.
Updates as you type
YOUR MATERIAL ESTIMATEPlanning quantity
165wall units to order

150 net units + 15 for cuts and breakage.

28Cap stones
4.53Stone · m³
3Whole pallets*
MaterialQuantity
Wall units125 exposed + 25 buried + 15 allowance165 blocks
Cap stones25 net + 3 allowance28 caps
Leveling base aggregateVolume plus your stone allowance1.01 m³
Drainage & core-fill stoneRectangular backfill zone plus selected core fill3.51 m³
Drain pipe1 roll(s) at entered roll length11.22 m
Geotextile sheet allowanceOne rear face and bottom strip, plus overlap17.31 m²
Cap adhesiveCoverage and bead count you specified3 tubes
Materials at entered pricesA$1,083

AUD · Individual units and volumes; delivery, labor and tax are extra.

*Pallet packaging is editable. Costs use individual quantities. Material estimate only; verify products and site-specific design.

THE COMPLETE TAKEOFF

Quantities, prices & assumptions

10 m wall run · 10 m² exposed face
MaterialOrder quantityEntered unit priceLine total
Wall units125 exposed + 25 buried + 15 allowance165 blocksA$2.75 / blocksA$454
Cap stones25 net + 3 allowance28 capsA$4.50 / capsA$126
Leveling base aggregateVolume plus your stone allowance1.01 m³A$78.48 / m³A$80
Drainage & core-fill stoneRectangular backfill zone plus selected core fill3.51 m³A$91.56 / m³A$322
Drain pipe1 roll(s) at 50 ft; fittings excluded11.22 mA$4.10 / mA$46
Geotextile sheet allowanceOne rear face and bottom strip, plus overlap17.31 m²A$1.94 / m²A$34
Cap adhesiveCoverage and bead count you specified3 tubesA$7.50 / tubesA$23
DeliveryEntered allowance—A$75
Labor10 m² exposed faceA$0.00 / m²A$0
Modeled tax0% on materials + delivery—A$0
Total example budgetReplace example prices with your quotesA$1,158 AUD
1 buried course10% unit allowance10% stone allowance7.52 tonnes stone at entered density

Unit dimensions: 400 × 200 × 300 mm. 1 buried courses. Cutting allowance 10%. Stone allowance 10%. Supplier density 1.66 t/m³.

Material estimate only. Package rounding, design, permits, equipment, excavation and fittings are separate. Verify all inputs against actual products and approved plans.

retainingwallcalc.org · 2026

Use your supplier’s metric dimensions

Enter wall length and exposed height in metres. Enter the actual block dimensions in millimetres. Volume is shown in cubic metres and the density is entered in tonnes per cubic metre. AUD is a currency label for your quoted prices, not a price or exchange-rate feed.

The metric block preset is a generic example. Replace it with the selected product’s installed coverage, depth and units per pallet. Do not assume an imported imperial preset matches an Australian product.

Block walls and sleeper walls are different systems

This tool estimates uniform face units, gravel, caps and related materials. It does not design a concrete sleeper wall’s posts, pier depths, panel spans or connections. A sleeper system needs its supplier’s specific design and installation details.

Australia-wide material arithmetic does not determine a council’s approval requirements or certify compliance with an Australian standard. Site loads, soils, drainage and local requirements need separate review.

Ask for a delivered metric quote

Confirm whether aggregate is sold by cubic metre or tonne and ask for the supplier’s conversion. Keep base and drainage products separate in the quote. Use the cost tab to enter block, cap and material prices, delivery and any installation allowance.

The calculator preserves the same physical project when switching to imperial units. Printable takeoffs show the measurement system and assumptions so the supplier can check the list.

References and scope

Arithmetic and worked examples are explained on our methodology page. These manufacturer references provide product-specific context, not approval of a generic wall. Accessed October 1, 2026.

Read the estimating and engineering limits, or send a correction.

KEEP PLANNING

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02

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