Pool & Water-Feature Retaining Walls

A pool on a sloped lot almost always needs a retaining wall — to hold back the higher grade, create a level deck, and keep soil and runoff out of the water.

Why pools need walls

When a pool is cut into a slope, the uphill side has to be retained or the grade will slump toward the water and the deck. A well-built pool retaining wall creates the flat, safe deck space around the pool and keeps the surrounding soil and drainage where they belong.

Drainage is critical near water

Water management matters even more around a pool. JCL builds drainage into the wall so groundwater and runoff are carried away rather than saturating the soil behind it or washing silt into the pool. We match the wall material and cap to your deck and coping.

Building or removing

Whether you’re building a wall to finish a pool area or you’ve decided the pool has to go, JCL can help — see our retaining wall installation and replacement and our pool removal and demolition services.

Frequently asked questions

Does my pool need a retaining wall?

If the pool is cut into a slope, the uphill side must be retained or the grade will slump toward the water and deck. A pool retaining wall creates the flat, safe deck space around it.

How do you keep soil out of the pool?

Drainage built into the wall carries groundwater and runoff away rather than washing silt into the pool, and grading keeps surface water moving away from the water.