CurveSetHow to calculate your wall
- Set your wall to straight, inside curve or outside curve.
- Enter top-course run details and the effective coverage per cap.
- Check the calculated caps, then verify the manufacturer's cap dimensions and miters.
FREE RETAINING WALL PLANNING TOOL
Retaining Wall Cap Calculator
Cap counts depend on the top course's front-face run and the effective coverage of the cap product you plan to install. Use this tool as a preliminary cap takeoff.
Use free calculatorOpen calculator in full screen ↗Worked example
A 90-degree arc with a 10-foot top-course radius has a top-course run of about 15.7 feet. At 16 inches of effective cap coverage, this first-pass estimator reports 12 caps.
These are preliminary quantities, not a substitute for site measurements or product specifications.
Planning tip: Curved caps, miters, cut pieces, end treatments and waste can make final cap orders differ from the nominal count.
CURVESET FIELD GUIDE
How many blocks does a curved retaining wall need?
Understand radius, height, course setback and waste with a worked 90-degree wall example. Then open its measurements in the free calculator.
Read the curved wall calculation guide ↗
What this estimate includes
The CurveSet app adds cap geometry, retained-shape previews and cutting details that the web calculator intentionally doesn't reproduce.
Frequently asked question
Does cap quantity equal the number of wall blocks on the top row? Not necessarily. Caps can have different coverage, overlaps and cutting requirements than the wall blocks.
Need more than a first-pass estimate?
CurveSet's Android and iOS app adds S-walls, rounded U-walls, 3D views, excavation and drainage takeoffs, saved projects and installation planning. Lifetime Pro adds unlimited projects, complete printable PDFs and detailed cut and field records.
See CurveSet mobile features ↗