The site work division of ICFHome.ca · Building since 1979 · Insured to $2,000,000 · 705-533-1633
Armour Stone2026Tiny, Tay, Midland, Wasaga, Collingwood
Armour Stone Retaining Wall Cost in Ontario (2026)
An installed armour stone retaining wall in Ontario runs roughly $30-$60 per square foot of wall face, with the stone itself about $45-$95 per ton before delivery (rough range, 2026). Shoreline armour stone runs higher, roughly $150-$400 or more per linear foot, and needs permits. Below: armour stone versus block, stone sizes and weights, drainage, the 1 m permit line and shoreline rules.
Updated October 2026 · Georgian Bay Siteworks, the site work division of ICFHome.ca
Insured to $2,000,000Site work division of ICFHome.caBuilding since 1979250+ projects in Simcoe County
Rough Prices (2026)
| Item | Rough range (2026) | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Armour stone wall, installed | $30-$60 per sq ft of face | Project Landscaping, Ontario 2026 |
| Concrete block wall, installed | $30-$55 per sq ft of face | Same source. Techo-Bloc’s report puts standard block walls at $40-$80. |
| Armour stone, material | $45-$95 per ton | Smaller stones cost more per ton than big ones. Delivery extra. |
| Shoreline armour stone | $150-$400+ per linear ft | Forty Five Scapes, Ontario shoreline 2026 |
| Engineering (walls over 1 m) | $1,500-$3,500 | Project Landscaping |
| Building permit fee | $200-$600 | Varies by municipality |
The same Ontario source breaks stone price down by size: small 200-500 lb stones at about $65-$85 per ton, medium 500-1,200 lb at $55-$75, large 1,200-3,000 lb and up at $48-$65. Big stones are cheaper per ton but need a bigger machine to set.
Builder truth: the stone is the cheap part. The base, the drainage and the machine time are what you are really paying for, and they are what keep the wall standing.
Armour Stone or Block?
Armour stone
Big quarried limestone blocks, set by excavator. Heavy enough to hold a slope by weight, looks at home on a Georgian Bay lot, and shrugs off frost and the odd bump from a mower. Faces are rough and joints are uneven, which is the point.
Concrete block
Engineered segmental units, set by hand on a levelled base. Tidier lines and curves, good for steps and patios next to the house. Taller block walls usually need geogrid reinforcement back into the slope.
Our usual call
Armour stone for slopes, walkouts, driveway cuts and anything near the water. Block where you want crisp edges beside a patio. Price is closer than most people think.
Stone Sizes and Weights
Limestone weighs about 2.6 tonnes per cubic metre. The box math below shows why you cannot set these by hand. Real stones are irregular and usually come in a bit lighter than the box. Our armour stone calculator runs your own wall.
| Nominal size | Metric | Weight at 2.6 t/m3 |
|---|---|---|
| 18 x 24 x 48 in | 0.45 x 0.6 x 1.2 m | About 0.84 tonnes |
| 2 x 2 x 4 ft | 0.6 x 0.6 x 1.2 m | About 1.1 tonnes |
| 2 x 3 x 4 ft | 0.6 x 0.9 x 1.2 m | About 1.7 tonnes |
| 3 x 3 x 5 ft | 0.9 x 0.9 x 1.5 m | About 3.2 tonnes |
Example, with assumptions: a 40 ft wall with 3 ft of exposed face is 120 square feet of face. At $30-$60 per square foot, that is roughly $3,600-$7,200 installed, on decent access and ordinary soil. Three feet is about 0.91 m, which keeps you under the 1 m permit line. Add 4 inches and you are over it.
The Drainage Is the Wall
Walls do not fail because the stone is too small. They fail because water builds up behind them, freezes, and pushes. Frost in Simcoe County is strong enough to shove a poorly drained wall out of line in a couple of winters.
- Base: dig out the topsoil and organics, and set the first course on compacted granular, partly buried so the wall cannot slide.
- Filter cloth: line the native soil behind the wall so fines do not wash into the drainage stone and plug it.
- Drainage stone: clear stone behind the wall, all the way up, so water drops instead of pushing.
- Perforated pipe: at the base of the drainage stone, run to daylight or a soak away, not into the neighbour’s yard.
- Batter: each course stepped slightly back into the slope.
- Cap with soil, not water: grade the top so surface water runs along the wall, not over it.
When You Need a Permit
Under the Ontario Building Code, a retaining wall more than 1 m (1,000 mm) of exposed height next to public property, a building access, or private property open to the public needs a building permit and engineered drawings. Wasaga Beach’s lot grading checklist also says any retaining wall over 1.0 m on a grading plan must be designed by a P.Eng. When in doubt, call the building department before the stone arrives.
Shoreline Walls Are a Different Animal
On the water, the permits are the schedule. The NVCA has said shoreline owners must apply for a permit before any shoreline work, and that the municipality, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Fisheries and Oceans Canada may need permits too. NVCA work without a permit can bring fines up to $50,000.
Below the high-water mark is shore land. The Province’s Crown land and shore land work permit page says a work permit may be needed to build a new erosion control structure or place fill on shore lands that are Crown land or close to Crown land. In-water work can also trigger federal review under the Fisheries Act.
Tiny Township has no conservation authority, but the provincial and federal rules still apply on the Tiny shoreline, and you should check with the Township as well. Our NVCA permit guide covers the CA side.
Holding Up a Slope or a Shoreline?
Send photos and rough measurements. We will check the height, the drainage and the permits, and give you a written price.
Related guides
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an armour stone retaining wall cost in Ontario?
Roughly $30-$60 per square foot of wall face installed in 2026. A 40 ft wall with 3 ft showing works out to about $3,600-$7,200 on easy access.
How much does armour stone cost per ton?
About $45-$95 per ton for the stone, before delivery. Small stones cost more per ton than large ones.
How much does one armour stone weigh?
Limestone is about 2.6 tonnes per cubic metre, so a 2 x 2 x 4 ft stone is roughly 1.1 tonnes and a 3 x 3 x 5 ft stone about 3.2 tonnes.
Is armour stone cheaper than a block wall?
Installed prices overlap, roughly $30-$60 per square foot for armour stone and $30-$55 for block. Armour stone usually wins on slopes and near water, block on tidy patio edges.
Do I need a permit for a retaining wall in Ontario?
A wall over 1 m of exposed height next to public property, a building access or property open to the public needs a building permit and engineered drawings. Shoreline walls can need conservation authority, provincial or federal approvals at any height.
Can I put armour stone on my Georgian Bay shoreline?
Only with the right permits. NVCA says shoreline work needs a permit first, the Province may need a work permit for erosion structures on shore lands, and in-water work can trigger federal review.
Why do retaining walls fail?
Water and frost behind the wall. Without filter cloth, clear drainage stone and a pipe at the base, water builds up, freezes and pushes the wall out.
