The Railroad Ties for Retention Wall calculator computes the number of railroad ties needed for a retention wall.
INSTRUCTIONS: Choose units and enter the following:
- (L) Length of Retention Wall
- (H) Height of Retention Wall
- (tL) Railroad Tie Length (default 96")
- (tH) Railroad Tie Height (default 9")
Railroad Ties (n): The calculator returns the number of standard railroad ties needed to build the retention wall. The calculator also returns an estimated cost of the ties in US dollars based on the railroad tie price survey information below. Note: the standard length used for the railroad tie is 8 feet.
The Math / Science
The common railroad tie is 96 inches long and 9 inches high and 7 inches wide. This is face area of 864 square inches, or 6 square feet (ft2). The formula for the number of railroad ties needed for a retention wall is:
`n = (L*H) "/" tL * tH`
- n = number of railroad ties needed for the wall
- L = Length of Wall
- H = Height of Wall
- tL = Tie Length
- tH = Tie Height
Note: standard ties are 7" x 9" x 8'. There is more face (surface) area if the wider dimension (9") is used vertically.
The Railroad Ties for Retention Wall formula calculates the number railroad ties needed to build a wall based on the length and height of the wall, and based on the assumption that the wall is one tie deep. The user identifies the height and length of the wall vCalc simplifies this calculation by performing numerous steps for the user. These include unit conversions. The user can enter the height and length of the wall in any of the units provided by vCalc, and the system will automatically convert those units when calculating the area of the wall.
The Railroad Tie Pricing table contains an informal survey of pricing of standard railroad ties based on information from retailer websites.
Pricing Survey for Railroad Ties:
- Date of Railroad Tie Price Survey: 8/13/24
- Railroad Tie Store Surveyed: Menards
- Price of one Railroad Tie: $23.99 USD
Note: standard ties are 7" x 9" x 8'. There is more face (surface) area if the wider dimension (9") is used vertically.
CAUTION: The pricing information provided is for calculating convenience with NO implied guarantees to the accuracy of the values listed. Authoritative sources should be sought to confirm any value before risking health or wealth on the veracity of the data. Furthermore, Calc gives no guarantee that you will be able to buy products at listed prices or even if they will be available. The data provided is purely a convenience for making estimates, so we strongly recommend that one ALWAYS use local pricing and authoritative specifications.
A Retention Wall is a vertical or diagonal wall structure used to retain soil or 
water at an elevated height on one side of the wall, keeping it above the natural level that the soil or water would achieve. Retention walls are used to create relatively flat areas such as roads or gardens that are cut into a hillside. Retention walls are also used as levees to keep water out of an area. The soil and moisture on one side of the wall exerts pressure (stress) on the wall. This is why the materials used must be appropriate for the application in both density and porosity.
