Stone Retaining Wall & Deck

The Vision

Living on a higher ground is amazing because it can make you feel uplifted. However, it can
often come with its own challenges such as steep slopes that we need to work around. Our
client’s property is located in a beautiful hilly neighborhood. The challenge is the top of the
slope heads towards only one side of the back of the house. An uneven surface makes it
tricky and less functional to be used as an entertaining space. Our client loves gardening
and they wanted to have natural stones to plant little flowers and shrubs in between them.
They envisioned a lush natural backyard with a stone retaining wall and steps, complete
with a ground level deck. Final Cut Creations came in to help them transform their natural
garden wonderland vision into reality in just 2.5 weeks.

Building the Natural Stone Retaining Wall and the Ground Level Deck

We came straight in to start the build by reshaping the dirt on the steep slope using a skid
steer. After we were all happy with the new shape, we started setting the boulders to create
the stone retaining wall. We had to be careful here as we had to place the stones
according to the angle of the slope. We stacked the boulders on top of each other to create
the wall and the connecting steps. We installed these stone steps to ease access from the
deck to the upper barbecue area. After the stone retaining wall was in place, we were then
ready to start our work on the deck.

We started placing the ledger and beams, followed by the joists and deck boards – all made
of pressure treated spruce. This choice of wood really complements the natural rocks and
lush garden look that our client was aiming for. The wooden deck started out from the back
door of the house, all the way to the stone retaining wall. We then tailor-cut the edges of
the deck to fit exactly around the contours of the stone retaining wall. Our client was really
thrilled with this because it makes the stone retaining wall and wooden deck fit together
seamlessly.

The Magic Touches

Our client wanted the ground level deck to have a natural and organic look, instead of rigid
and rectangular. So, we added a long sweeping curve with a step that flows naturally
towards the lower grounds of the backyard.

After completing the stone retaining wall and deck, our client brought the garden to life
with their gardening talents. They planted lush plants and flowers around the rocks and
added a rock waterfall towards the barbecue area. We love partnering with our clients,
especially when they have a strong vision such as this. We enjoy bringing their ideas to life
which can then be further enhanced by their own personal lifestyle touches.

To see another version of a ground level deck, click here.