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PROJECT MATERIAL PLANNING

Retaining wall calculator Canada

Estimate blocks, drainage stone, caps and costs with imperial or metric measurements and editable CAD prices for your Canadian supplier quote.

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 pricesCA$1,083

CAD · 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 blocksCA$2.75 / blocksCA$454
Cap stones25 net + 3 allowance28 capsCA$4.50 / capsCA$126
Leveling base aggregateVolume plus your stone allowance1.01 m³CA$78.48 / m³CA$80
Drainage & core-fill stoneRectangular backfill zone plus selected core fill3.51 m³CA$91.56 / m³CA$322
Drain pipe1 roll(s) at 50 ft; fittings excluded11.22 mCA$4.10 / mCA$46
Geotextile sheet allowanceOne rear face and bottom strip, plus overlap17.31 m²CA$1.94 / m²CA$34
Cap adhesiveCoverage and bead count you specified3 tubesCA$7.50 / tubesCA$23
DeliveryEntered allowance—CA$75
Labor10 m² exposed faceCA$0.00 / m²CA$0
Modeled tax0% on materials + delivery—CA$0
Total example budgetReplace example prices with your quotesCA$1,158 CAD
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 the measurement system on your quote

Canadian product listings and project drawings may use metric or imperial dimensions. Choose the display system that matches your measurements, then enter the exact unit coverage and packaging from the supplier. CAD is available for the prices you enter.

The calculator distinguishes a US short ton from a metric tonne. If a supplier’s quote simply says “ton,” ask which mass unit is intended before using the weight estimate.

Embedment and frost are site-specific

A buried-course default is a counting assumption, not a Canadian frost-depth rule. Local ground conditions, the selected wall system and the design details determine what foundation and embedment are appropriate.

The calculator does not determine municipal permits, climate-specific construction procedures or compliance with local requirements. Have those details verified separately from the material arithmetic.

Build a consistent supplier request

Include the wall length, exposed height, buried courses, product dimensions and stone-zone geometry in the printed takeoff. Ask the supplier to verify caps, hollow-core fill, pallet counts and aggregate density.

Example prices are not Canadian market averages. Enter written CAD quotes and delivery costs. Switching units will preserve the same geometric project and convert the price bases for area and volume.

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

Related tools & guides

01

block calculator

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02

cost calculator

Build a retaining wall budget with editable block, gravel, cap, pipe, delivery and labor prices. See line items and cost per exposed square foot.

03

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Estimate retaining wall blocks, gravel, caps, pipe and project costs. Includes buried courses, waste allowance, metric units and a printable material list.