Retaining Wall Block Sizes, Weights and Specs by Brand
This is a lookup chart of retaining wall block sizes, weights and specs for 18 common segmental wall units from Allan Block, Versa-Lok, Rochester, Keystone, Belgard, Unilock and Techo-Bloc. Every number comes from a manufacturer’s or licensed producer’s spec sheet, linked in the chart, checked Nov. 11, 2026. Where a sheet doesn’t give a number, the cell says “not stated.”
For which system to pick, see our retaining wall block systems compared and Allan Block vs. Versa-Lok. For pavers, see the companion chart, paver sizes, thickness and specs by brand. This page is just the numbers.
Quick answer
Most wall block in this chart has an 8 × 18 in. face (1 sq ft) or a 6 in. tall face 16 to 18 in. long (about 0.67 to 0.75 sq ft), and is usually 12 in. deep. Full-size 8 × 18 in. units in the chart weigh about 71 to 96 lb. Setback runs from vertical to 12°. Where makers publish an unreinforced height, it runs from under 3 ft to over 5 ft depending on the block and soil, and each maker measures it differently.
Block sizes, weights and face area
Face height × face length and depth are in inches. Face area is what one block covers on the wall face. Belgard’s sheets print pallet weights but not unit weights, so those weight cells say “not stated” and the pallet weight is in the last column.
| Block and spec sheet | Face H × L (in.) | Depth (in.) | Weight per unit | Face per unit | Per pallet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB Classic Allan Block · Nitterhouse | 8 × 18 | 12 (AB); 11 1/4 (Nitterhouse) | 75 lb (AB); 76.5 lb (Nitterhouse) | 1 sq ft approx. | 48 (Nitterhouse) |
| AB Stones Allan Block | 8 × 18 | 12 | 75 lb | 1 sq ft approx. | not stated |
| AB Vertical Allan Block | 8 × 18 | 12 | 75 lb | 1 sq ft approx. | not stated |
| AB Jumbo Junior Allan Block | 8 × 9 | 9 1/2 | 35 lb | 0.5 sq ft approx. | not stated |
| AB Lite Stones Allan Block | 4 × 18 | 12 | 35 lb | 0.5 sq ft approx. | not stated |
| AB Junior Lite Allan Block | 4 × 9 | 12 | 18 lb | 0.25 sq ft approx. | not stated |
| AB Europa Dover Nitterhouse | 7 1/4 × 17 5/8 | 10 1/2 | 83 lb | 0.90 sq ft | 40 |
| Versa-Lok Standard Rochester | 6 × 16 (listed as 14/16 wide) | 12 | 82 lb | 0.667 sq ft | 40 (26.7 sq ft, 3,350 lb) |
| Rochester Classic 6 Rochester | 6 × 18 | 12 | 64 lb straight face; 60 lb beveled | 0.75 sq ft | 36 (27 sq ft) |
| Rochester Classic 8 Rochester | 8 × 18 | 12 | 85 lb straight face; 79 lb beveled | 1.0 sq ft | 36 (36 sq ft) |
| Keystone Compac Rochester · Keystone spec | 8 × 18 | 12 | 71 to 76 lb, Straight Split (Rochester) | 1 sq ft (Keystone) | 36 (36 sq ft) |
| Keystone Standard Rochester · Keystone spec | 8 × 18 | 21 (Rochester); 18 to 21 (Keystone) | 85 to 96 lb (Rochester) | 1 sq ft (Keystone) | not stated |
| Belgard Diamond Pro Stone Cut Belgard Mid-Atlantic | 8 × 18 | 12 | not stated | 1 sq ft | Crofton 48 (48 sq ft, 3,467 lb); Richmond 45 (45 sq ft, 3,510 lb) |
| Belgard Diamond 9D Belgard APG New England | 6 × 17 3/4 | 9 | not stated | 0.74 sq ft | 60 (44.4 sq ft, 3,300 lb) |
| Belgard Diamond 10DS Belgard Mid-Atlantic guide | 6 × 17 1/4 | 10 | not stated | 0.72 sq ft | 60 (43.2 sq ft, 3,154 lb) |
| Belgard Highland Stone, 18 in. retaining unit Belgard Mid-Atlantic guide, Crofton | 6 × 18 | 12 | not stated | 0.75 sq ft | 45 (33.75 sq ft, 3,622 lb) |
| Unilock Pisa2 Standard Unilock | 6 × 8 | 12 | 48 lb | 0.333 sq ft | 72 per bundle (3,456 lb) |
| Techo-Bloc Mini-Creta 6 in. Techo-Bloc · spec sheet | 5 7/8 × 7 1/16 to 14 3/4 (units A, B, B*, C and D) | 9 13/16 | 36 to 64 lb | Mixed pallet: 30 sq ft | 60 units (3,192 lb) |
Setback, connection, gravity height and caps
Gravity height is the tallest wall the maker says the block can hold without geogrid. It is quoted with each maker’s own conditions, because they don’t measure it the same way.
| Block | Setback or batter | Connection | Unreinforced (gravity) height, per the maker | Caps on the sheet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB Classic | 6° | Raised lip and notch, dry-stacked without mortar | 3 ft 2 in. (clay) to 4 ft 7 in. (silty sand), level ground above; exposed height with the cap; AB calls it reference only | AB Capstone 4 × 18 × 12 in., 55 lb (AB); AB Classic Cap 4 × 12 × 11 3/4 in., 46 lb, 84 per pallet (Nitterhouse) |
| AB Stones | 12° | Raised lip and notch, dry-stacked without mortar | 3 ft 6 in. (clay) to 5 ft 4 in. (silty sand), same basis | AB Capstone |
| AB Vertical | 3° | Raised lip and notch, dry-stacked without mortar | 2 ft 11 in. (clay) to 3 ft 9 in. (silty sand), same basis. AB lists it as custom order, for commercial use | AB Capstone |
| AB Jumbo Junior | 6° | Raised lip and notch, dry-stacked without mortar | not stated for this unit | AB Capstone is the collection cap |
| AB Lite Stones | 6° | Raised lip and notch, dry-stacked without mortar | not stated for this unit | AB Capstone is the collection cap |
| AB Junior Lite | 6° | Raised lip and notch, dry-stacked without mortar | not stated for this unit | AB Capstone is the collection cap |
| AB Europa Dover | 6° (AB’s gravity chart groups Europa with its 6° blocks) | not stated on the producer sheet | 3 ft 2 in. (clay) to 4 ft 7 in. (silty sand) on AB’s 6° chart | AB Europa Wall Cap 4 × 18 × 11 in., 62 lb, 56 per pallet |
| Versa-Lok Standard | 3/4 in. (7°) or vertical | Two pins per unit | not stated | 4 in. Universal cap (cut sheet); 3 in. Universal or Chiseled (Rochester’s 2026 wall guide) |
| Rochester Classic 6 | 1.0 in., adjustable (cut sheet); 0.75 in., 7.1° (2026 wall guide) | not stated | not stated | 4 in. Universal or Chiseled cap |
| Rochester Classic 8 | 1 in. (7.1° in the 2026 wall guide) | not stated | not stated | 4 in. Universal or Chiseled cap |
| Keystone Compac | Near-vertical or battered; Keystone’s spec: about 1/8 in. per course near vertical, or 1 in. per course per the design | Two pins per unit | not stated | Not listed |
| Keystone Standard | Near-vertical or battered | Two pins per unit | not stated | Not listed |
| Belgard Diamond Pro Stone Cut | 7.1° batter | Rear-lip locator | Up to 4 ft, including the buried course; Belgard notes site conditions can lower it | Crofton: 4 in. Universal Cap, 48 per pallet. Richmond: 4 × 16 × 12 in. cap, 60 per pallet |
| Belgard Diamond 9D | 1 1/8 in. (10.6°) | Rear lip | Up to 3 ft, including the buried course; site conditions can lower it | Universal Cap, 3 in. thick, 17 1/4 in. front and 12 in. back, 96 per pallet |
| Belgard Diamond 10DS | Not stated as a number | Rear lip | Up to 3 ft 6 in., including the buried course | XL Cap, 3 in. thick, 18/12 × 13 in., 72 per pallet |
| Belgard Highland Stone | Not stated as a number | Rear lip | Up to 4 ft 6 in., including the buried course; site conditions can lower it | XL Cap, 3 in. thick, 18/12 × 13 in., 72 per pallet |
| Unilock Pisa2 Standard | 3/4 in. per row | Tongue and groove | 36 in. under optimum conditions | 24 in. coping, 3 × 12 × 24 in., 145 lb, 16 per bundle |
| Techo-Bloc Mini-Creta 6 in. | 5.3° batter or near vertical | HDPE horizontal key | not stated | not stated on these sheets |
How to read the chart
- Face sq ft to blocks per sq ft. Blocks per square foot of wall = 1 ÷ face sq ft. A 1 sq ft block is 1 per sq ft, 0.75 sq ft is about 1.33, 0.667 sq ft (Versa-Lok Standard) is 1.5, and 0.333 sq ft (Pisa2 Standard) is 3. Count the buried course too. The row-by-row math is in how many retaining wall blocks do I need.
- Setback. How far each course steps back from the one below. Sheets give it in inches per course, degrees, or both. More lean generally helps a gravity wall; see retaining wall batter.
- Gravity height. Read the conditions. Allan Block’s chart is exposed height with the cap, for level ground above, and AB calls it reference only. Belgard’s figures include the buried course and can be lower for your site. Unilock’s 36 in. is “under optimum conditions.” A driveway, slope or clay soil above the wall cuts these numbers, and none of them replace an engineer’s design.
- Caps. Cap sizes differ by plant and sometimes by document. Our retaining wall caps guide covers overhang and adhesive.
Plant-to-plant differences
The same block can ship with different numbers depending on who makes it. Examples from these sheets:
- AB Classic: Allan Block lists 75 lb and 12 in. deep; Nitterhouse Masonry, a producer in Chambersburg, PA, lists 76.5 lb and 11 1/4 in. deep, 48 to a pallet.
- Belgard Diamond Pro Stone Cut: on the same Mid-Atlantic sheet, the Crofton plant ships 48 blocks per pallet at 3,467 lb, and Richmond ships 45 at 3,510 lb, with a different cap.
- Keystone Compac and Standard: Rochester lists Compac at 71 to 76 lb and Standard at 85 to 96 lb, 21 in. deep. Keystone’s own spec gives ranges by version and face, and Standard depths of 18 to 21 in.
- Rochester’s own documents: the Classic 6 cut sheet lists a 1.0 in. adjustable setback while the 2026 wall guide lists 0.75 in. (7.1°), and the Versa-Lok Standard cut sheet calls for a 4 in. Universal cap while the 2026 guide lists 3 in. Universal or Chiseled caps.
- Not in this chart yet: LibertyStone Fortus. Its two LibertyStone product pages list different unit, corner and cap numbers, which our LibertyStone Fortus guide lays out.
Before you order: get the cut sheet from the yard that will deliver your block, and count from that sheet. Weights, pallet counts and caps change by plant, and a block’s gravity height only applies to the conditions the maker wrote down.
Capping the wall? Our wall cap chart lists sizes, weights and units per pallet for 23 cap units from Allan Block, Rochester, Keystone, Belgard, Unilock, Techo-Bloc and Nitterhouse.
Turn the specs into a block count
Our free retaining wall block calculator has presets for AB Classic, AB Europa Dover, Versa-Lok Standard, Belgard Diamond Pro and Diamond 9D, Unilock Pisa2, Rochester Classic 6 and 8 and Keystone Compac, plus a custom block size. Enter the wall length and height and it counts block, caps, pallets, weight, base and drainage stone. For an installed price range by material, use the retaining wall cost calculator.
Pennsylvania permits: Under the state Uniform Construction Code, 34 Pa. Code § 403.62(c)(2), a retaining wall is exempt only if it is not over 4 ft from the lowest level of grade to the top of the wall and doesn’t hold up a surcharge such as a driveway or a slope. Your township can add its own rules. Other states: retaining wall permits by state.
FAQ
What size is a standard retaining wall block?
There isn’t one standard size. In this chart, the most common faces are 8 in. tall by 18 in. long, which covers 1 sq ft, and 6 in. tall by 16 to 18 in. long. Depths run from about 9 in. (Belgard Diamond 9D) to 21 in. (Keystone Standard), with 12 in. the most common.
How much does a retaining wall block weigh?
It depends on the unit. Full-size 8 x 18 in. blocks in this chart run from 71 lb (Keystone Compac, low end of Rochester’s range) to 96 lb (Keystone Standard, high end of Rochester’s range), and Allan Block lists AB Classic at 75 lb. Smaller units are lighter: AB Junior Lite is 18 lb and Unilock Pisa2 Standard is 48 lb.
What is the heaviest block in this chart?
Keystone Standard. Rochester Concrete Products lists it at 85 to 96 lb, 8 x 18 in. on the face and 21 in. deep, and Keystone’s own spec lists Standard units up to 114 lb depending on version and face. Wet-cast big blocks weigh far more but aren’t in this chart.
How many retaining wall blocks per square foot?
Divide 1 by the block’s face area. A 1 sq ft block such as AB Classic is 1 per sq ft, a 0.75 sq ft block about 1.33, Versa-Lok Standard at 0.667 sq ft is 1.5, and Pisa2 Standard at 0.333 sq ft is 3. Add the buried course and an allowance for cuts.
What is setback on a retaining wall block?
How far each course steps back from the one below, which gives the wall its lean, or batter. In this chart it ranges from vertical to 12 degrees: Allan Block makes 3, 6 and 12 degree units, Versa-Lok Standard sets back 3/4 in. (7 degrees) or stacks vertical, and Belgard Diamond 9D sets back 1 1/8 in. (10.6 degrees).
How tall can a block wall be without geogrid?
Only as tall as the maker says for your soil and load. Belgard’s sheets list 3 ft for Diamond 9D, 3 ft 6 in. for Diamond 10DS, 4 ft for Diamond Pro and 4 ft 6 in. for Highland Stone, all including the buried course. Unilock lists Pisa2 at 36 in. under optimum conditions. Allan Block’s chart for its 6 degree blocks runs from 3 ft 2 in. in clay to 4 ft 7 in. in silty sand with level ground above. The Versa-Lok, Rochester and Keystone sheets in this chart don’t state one.
Does a retaining wall need a permit in Pennsylvania?
Under the state Uniform Construction Code, 34 Pa. Code § 403.62(c)(2), a retaining wall is exempt only if it is not over 4 ft from the lowest level of grade to the top of the wall and doesn’t hold up a surcharge such as a driveway or a slope. Your township can add its own rules.
Sources: Allan Block, AB Collection retaining wall (unit sizes, weights, setbacks); Allan Block, Gravity Retaining Walls (gravity wall height chart); Nitterhouse Masonry, AB Classic; Nitterhouse Masonry, AB Europa; Rochester Concrete Products, Versa-Lok Standard cut sheet; Rochester Concrete Products, Classic 6 and 8 cut sheet; Rochester Concrete Products, 2026 wall reference guide; Rochester Concrete Products, Keystone catalog; Keystone Retaining Wall Systems (Contech), specifier; Belgard Mid-Atlantic, Diamond Pro Stone Cut cut sheet; Belgard APG New England, Diamond 9D cut sheet; Belgard Mid-Atlantic resource guide (Diamond 10DS, Highland Stone); Unilock, Pisa 2 cut sheet; Techo-Bloc, Mini-Creta technical data sheet; Techo-Bloc, Mini-Creta spec sheet; 34 Pa. Code § 403.62(c)(2). All checked Nov. 11, 2026.
Related: what a segmental retaining wall is, Versa-Lok Standard in detail and the full retaining wall guide.
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