A boulder retaining wall turns a steep slope into level ground, and it looks like part of the hill behind it. At Village Precision Pros, we build boulder walls and stone terraces for homes across Central Arkansas. Hot Springs Village is hill country, and a hillside lot here needs serious masonry. Our crew hand-picks the moss-rock boulders for each wall.
Why boulders suit a hillside lot
Boulders bring the look of the Ouachita hills into the yard. Their rough faces and soft color blend with the woods and the lake, and the wall looks like it has always been there.
Our stone retaining walls are part of our stone masonry service, along with dry-stack and cut limestone walls. A boulder wall suits the wilder parts of a lot, near the trees or the water.
How our crew sets a boulder wall
Western Lehigh Services, a contractor, says the biggest and heaviest boulders go at the bottom, on compacted gravel. A slight backward lean called batter then helps the wall resist the soil behind it. Our crew builds from there, and each smaller stone rests firmly on the stones below it.
Boulders are heavy, and setting them takes machines as well as skill. Our crew brings both. Mixing boulder sizes helps close the gaps between the big stones.
A boulder wall is thicker than many other walls, and it takes up more ground. We plan the line of the wall with you during the visit.
Boulders in terraced walls
Many slopes need more than one wall. Terraces step a hillside down in tiers, and each tier makes room for a level bed or a path. On our Lakeside Terraces project in Hot Springs Village, three tiers of dry-stack Ouachita sandstone with moss-rock boulder accents keep a steep lake lot in place.
The boulders on that project lend the dry-stack walls weight and a natural edge. You can see the whole hillside on our page about the Lakeside Terraces project, and more walls on our page of retaining walls and terraces.
Boulder stairs and slab steps
A wall on a slope needs a way through it. We have built a boulder stair on a lakeside slope, and it climbs the hill like a natural path. On the Lakeside Terraces project, slab steps connect a curved seat wall to a flagstone patio over the water.
We choose the stone for the steps to match the walls they meet. You can see how the steps and the walls work together on our page of boulder stairs and slab steps.
Boulder walls and dry-stack walls
A dry-stack wall uses flatter stones stacked without mortar, and its face looks tighter and more tailored. Our post on a dry stack stone wall covers that style.
We often build both kinds of wall on one slope. Our post on terraced backyard ideas shows how tiers of stone can share one slope.
Questions about boulder retaining walls
Can you use boulders as a retaining wall?
Yes. A boulder wall keeps the soil back with the weight and fit of its stones. We plan the height of each wall during the free visit, and we handle POA approval and permits as part of the job.
Does a boulder wall need drainage?
Western Lehigh Services says water passes through the gaps between boulders, and it still recommends drainage pipe or gravel behind the wall.
Are boulder retaining walls strong?
Yes. Western Lehigh Services says a boulder wall can last for decades. On our Lakeside Terraces project, a waterfall with boulders stands at the top of the slope. We also built a fire-pit patio with stone columns on the point over the water.
Can a boulder wall have planting beds?
Yes. On the Lakeside Terraces project, a planted boulder and ledge wall stands among the terraces, and a terrace wall has boxwoods along it. The stone frames the plants like a raised garden.
Plan your boulder wall with our crew
Village Precision Pros is a licensed and insured crew of ten in Hot Springs Village, and we have completed more than 2,000 projects across Central Arkansas. Readers of the Hot Springs Village Voice voted us first place for Landscaping in the Readers’ Choice Awards in 2025 and 2026.
The first on-site visit and the estimate are free. We will look at your slope and plan the wall with you. Call us at (501) 340-0711, Monday to Friday from 7:30 to 4:30, or send us a message to book your visit.