Retaining Wall Brick Sizes

Common Bricks

• Retaining walls can be built with common 2-4-8 bricks, used either to form the entire wall or to face the outside of a retaining wall built of concrete or concrete blocks. Walls up to 3 feet high can be built with bricks on both sides, laid on 4-inch sides in patterns so that mortar joints do not align. Bricks are sometimes laid crosswise, covering both sides of the wall, every third brick; that ties the two sides together and puts a 2-inch end out. Using concrete blocks will save money by conserving bricks.

Larger Bricks

• Retaining walls also can be built with larger bricks. King bricks, for instance, are about 4 inches by 3 inches by 10 inches, and a style called utility employs bricks that are 4 inches by 4 inches by 12 inches. An economy style is 4 inches by 4 inches by 8 inches, and jumbo bricks measure 4 inches by 3 inches by 8 inches. These larger bricks can be used for the entire wall or mixed with common bricks in a pattern.

Reinforcing

• Retaining walls over 3 feet high need to be built with a center cavity between two brick sides, filled with a cement-based grout and with vertical steel reinforcing bars every three bricks. Taller walls built with concrete blocks faced with bricks also need grout and steel reinforcing. Consult local building codes for specific requirements; walls more than 4 feet high may need special engineering, regardless of the construction style and brick facing.

Reclaimed and Paving Bricks

• Another frequent brick retaining wall style uses antique or reclaimed bricks, recovered from old buildings. These also usually are in the 2-4-8 pattern, but some very old bricks may actually be larger than modern versions, and some may be a full 2-4-8 dimension. Retaining walls also can be built with reclaimed paving bricks, which are 4 inches by 4 inches by 8 inches. These can be used for the full wall, or as facing on a concrete block wall.