- 1403 Industrial Way, Prescott, AZ 86301
Versa-Lok
Residential & Commercial
Versa-Lok Retaining Wall Blocks & Systems
Yavapai Block manufactures Versa-Lok Standard and Square Foot retaining wall units at our Prescott, Arizona facility, with Square Foot available by special order. These segmental retaining wall systems are used for residential landscaping, commercial sites, terraces, grade changes and other retaining wall applications throughout Northern Arizona.
Versa-Lok blocks are dry-stacked and interlocked with pins, providing a durable and flexible system for straight walls, curves, corners and engineered retaining structures. Multiple colors and split-face textures are available, with pickup in Prescott and delivery based on order size and project location.
Hardscape Products
- Versa-Lok
- Handy-Wall
- Handy-Stone II
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Handy-Wall units are 50 percent larger and twice as heavy as Handy-Stone II units. Handy-Wall units feature tapered sides that allow for curved installations and are available in a straight-face design. A bottom lip on the rear of each unit ensures proper alignment and provides some earth-retention support when stacked.
Yavapai Block manufactures Versa-Lok Standard and Square Foot retaining wall systems, with Square Foot available by special order. Contact our Prescott team for current colors, availability, pricing and project quantities. For complete shapes and engineering specifications, visit the Versa-Lok website.
Homeowners
Handy homeowners appreciate the many advantages that Versa-Lok wall systems provide to do-it-yourselfers. Yavapai Block Company offers two attractive segmental retaining wall systems equally suited for residential applications: Standard and Square Foot. These plantable retaining wall system become a living part of your outdoor landscape.
YBC Manufactures Standard & Square Foot (special order) ONLY
Contractors
Landscaping contractors like Versa-Lok retaining wall blocks because they make installing great-looking walls easy and cost-efficient. Versa-Lok blocks are a match for just about any retaining wall or hardscaping feature, and walls are made of high-strength concrete blocks, dry-stacked, interlocked with pins and set on granular leveling pads. These mortarless walls do not need frost footings. Versa-Lok walls easily accommodate soil reinforcement with geogrid, a cost-effective method for stabilizing soil behind tall walls.
YBC Manufactures Standard & Square Foot (special order) ONLY
Architects & Engineers
Versa-Lok offers exceptional value in segmental retaining wall solutions, suitable for everything from detailed landscaping features to large-scale commercial walls. Versa-Lok units provide an attractive look and limitless design possibilities while ensuring a cost-effective and stable wall system. Thousands of commercial, public works, and residential projects across North America have chosen Versa-Lok, and it is frequently specified by state transportation departments and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Additionally, the Highway Innovative Technology Evaluation Center (HITEC) has published evaluations of the Versa-Lok retaining wall system, attesting to its reliability and performance.
YBC Manufactures Standard & Square Foot (special order) ONLY
Architect & Engineer Standard and Square Foot Specifications
The following information will provide you with a general understanding of retaining wall construction. For in-depth installation information, visit the Versa-Lok website.
Step 1 – Leveling Pad Preparation
Excavate and compact a 24-inch wide trench deep enough to accommodate a 6-inch crushed-rock leveling pad, 1/2-inch layer of sand and the embedded below-grade courses. The first course of Versa-Lok units should be embedded below grade at a minimum of 1/10 of the exposed wall height.
Step 2 – Install Base Course
Place Versa-Lok units on the compacted leveling pad. As you proceed, level each unit front to back, side to side and with adjacent units. Leveling is crucial at this stage, so take your time! Use a stringline stretched behind the wall to ensure straight alignment. If your wall has a corner, begin at the corner and work out from there.
Step 3 – Backfill Base Course
Replace and compact native soil behind and in front of the base course, level with the grade in front of the wall.
Step 4 – Install Successive Courses
Stack one course at a time, setting units 3/4″ back from the front of the wall. Overlap adjacent lower-course units by at least 4 inches to enhance structural stability, and keep all vertical face joints tight. Insert two pins in the front holes of the units so they fall into the rear slots of the units beneath, and tap them down with a pin and maller.
Step 5 – Install Drainage Aggregate & Backfill
Place and compact drainage aggregrate 12″ behind each course as it is completed, to a level of 12 inches below the top of the wall. Backfill and compact soil in any remaining open area behind the drain aggregrate. If required, install perforated drain pipe at base of drainage aggregate.
Step 6 – Install Caps & Finish Wall
Complete your wall by placing Versa-Lok cap units on the top course. Install caps with a slight overhang (recommended), set back and flush with the wall face. Secure cap units to the wall with concrete adhesive. Backfill the caps with topsoil after they are secured, complete your final grading and landscaping, and your Versa-Lok wall is now complete.
6348 Hwy. 36 Blvd, Suite 1
Oakdale, MN 55128
Phone: (651) 770-3166
Functionality
How Versa-Lok Retaining Walls Work
In numerous situations, Versa-Lok segmental retaining walls function as unreinforced gravity structures, relying solely on the weight of the blocks to counteract earth pressures. The maximum permissible height for these gravity walls can fluctuate based on various factors, including soil characteristics and loading conditions. Typically, when backfill is level and there is no excessive loading present, unreinforced gravity walls made with Versa-Lok can be constructed up to a height of approximately four feet.
However, if the sheer weight of the units is inadequate to withstand soil loads, horizontal layers of Versa-Grid or alternative types of geogrid can be incorporated to provide additional reinforcement for the soil located behind the walls.
With appropriate soil reinforcement and expert design support from a licensed professional engineer, Versa-Lok retaining walls can reach impressive heights of 50 feet or even greater. This flexibility allows for a wide range of applications while ensuring structural integrity and safety.
Retaining Wall Supplies We Carry
- Sack Goods
- Color Additives
- Rebar
- Ladder Wire
- SRW Adhesive
- Caulking Gun
- Foundation Vents
- Master Seal
Standard & Square Foot
Available Block Types & Specifications
Versa-Lok Standard
The Versa-Lok System is a permanent, attractive alternative to ordinary wall types. Versa-Lok walls display a natural split-face texture to compliment any environment and because they are made of concrete, are environmentally safe. Versa-Lok retaining walls are economically installed without mortar and do not require concrete footings.
| Standard Unit Measurements | |
|---|---|
| Height: | 6" (152.4mm) |
| Width (face): | 16" (406.4mm) |
| Width (rear): | 14" (355.6 mm) |
| Depth: | 12" (304.8mm) |
| Face Area: | 2/3 sq. ft. (.062 sq m) |
| Weight (without aggregate fill): | 82 lbs. (37.19kg) |
| Weight (with aggregate fill): | 123 lbs./sq. ft (599.84kg/sq m) |
Versa-Lok Square Foot
Square Foot is available by special order only. Square Foot is a premium cored unit that covers a full square foot of wall face economically, making it a low-cost alternative for some commercial applications. Its trapezoidal shape and top-pinning system allow for variable bond construction, accurate alignment, tighter vertical joints and easy installation. Square Foot’s unique design enables a near-vertical setback, and its thick face affords greater durability than other cored systems.
| Square Foot Unit Measurements | |
|---|---|
| Height: | 8" (203.2 mm) |
| Width (face): | 18" (457.2 mm) |
| Width (rear): | 14" (355.6 mm) |
| Depth: | 12" (304.8mm) |
| Face Area: | 1 sq. ft. (0.093 sq. m) |
| Weight (without aggregate fill): | 87 lbs. (39.46 kg) |
| Weight (with aggregate fill): | 130 lbs. (58.965 kg) |
