Modifying Wall Blocks

Capping Curves

Capping a curved retaining wall takes a bit of cutting and fitting, but produces a beautiful finish. Be sure to wear appropriate safety gear, including protective eye wear, dust mask, and hearing protection when cutting, and operate power saws carefully.

For AB Capstones & AB Fieldstone Capstones

Modifying capstone for curved walls

• Place two caps on top of the wall, spaced so a third cap will fit tightly between their widest point.
• Set another cap on top of the first two caps in the center and mark where they overlap on the bottom of the center cap.
• Remove the center cap and cut along the marks. Then set in place so the three fit tightly together.
• For complete details see instructions on building curved retaining walls.

Capping Corners

For AB Capstones & AB Fieldstone Capstones

Cut caps at 45 degree angles

• Cut caps at 45 degree angles to complete the inside corner and give the wall a custom finished look. It's a good idea to secure caps with a high strength construction adhesive once they are all cut.
  More options for finishing your retaining wall.

Cuting Anchoring Units

• Removing the “wings” of the blocks will be needed on projects with curves, corners or step downs. For smooth outside curves, remove one or both of the “wings” from the back of the anchoring units and tighten the radius of the curve. Break wings off with a hammer and chisel in the existing score line to obtain a clean break.
• When working with corners and/or stepping down a wall, split an anchoring unit in half to tie the corner together. Split the block by using a hammer and chisel to make a break down the center of the block.
• On some projects you will need to modify the bottom lip of the block to fit on the course below. Use a hammer and chisel and tap along the lip to remove.

Remove wings

Split anchoring unit in half

Remove bottom lip