Brownsey Block

Brownsey Block We supply construction materials to the building industry in Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland regions.

From Pit to Paradise: Why One Homeowner Said No to a 12m Concrete WallCape Town's Kanonberg Lifestyle Estate presented a...
06/09/2026

From Pit to Paradise: Why One Homeowner Said No to a 12m Concrete Wall

Cape Town's Kanonberg Lifestyle Estate presented a classic challenge, a steep, unusable embankment threatening to leave a homeowner literally living in a pit. The solution? A stunning multi-terrace retaining wall system using Terraforce® L11 blocks, installed by Decorton Retaining Systems, a Terraforce® Recommended Contractor.

Contractor S.P. van Blerk crafted a series of undulating terraces with grassed platforms, outcrops, and integrated stairways - transforming an unstable slope into a fully usable, accessible outdoor space. Every terrace was engineered with its own foundation, drainage system, cement-stabilised infill, and geofabric reinforcing for long-term stability.

The finishing touch? A lush Moroccan-inspired garden by Helmut Henstock of Gardening Adventures with creepers, tree aloes, ponytails, and indigenous plants softening the walls into a flourishing, textured landscape.

The alternative? A stark 12m concrete wall. We know which we'd choose!

Selected Terraforce® products are manufactured under license by Brownsey Block, Vancouver Island:

Art Wiersma
Tel: +1 250-246-4393
Email: [email protected]

The Terraforce® round face retaining walls at Harbour Bay Mall, Simon's Town, have been beautifully claimed by cascading...
06/05/2026

The Terraforce® round face retaining walls at Harbour Bay Mall, Simon's Town, have been beautifully claimed by cascading creepers in every shade of green, softening the structure and bringing it to life in the most natural way possible.

Just think of all the insects and birds drawn to this little urban ecosystem!

What you're seeing isn't just happy coincidence - the Terraforce® block is specifically designed with planting in mind. When installed with the round face side facing outwards, the blocks create natural pockets that encourage vegetation to take root, spread, and thrive along the wall face.

A great example of how the right retaining wall doesn't just hold the ground, it becomes part of the landscape.

Want walls that work with nature? Let's talk 👇

Selected Terraforce® products are manufactured under license by Brownsey Block, Vancouver Island:

Art Wiersma
Tel: +1 250-246-4393
Email: [email protected]

05/29/2026

Still standing strong after 24+ years!

Back in 2001, Terraforce® installed a heavy-duty retaining wall at the iconic Montecasino entertainment complex in Johannesburg and it's performing flawlessly to this day.

Here's what makes this project stand out:

· 2 700 m² face area
· 9 m average height
· Completed in just 4 months
· 25 MPa concrete foundation
· Cement-stabilised backfill & pre-tensioned geotextiles

This wall stands as a true testament to the engineering excellence and long-term durability of the Terraforce® system. When it's built right, it lasts decades.

Client: Tsogo Sun Casinos
Designer: BKS Consulting Engineers
Terraforce® licensed Block Supplier: Remacon Products

Installed 13 years ago at Sasol's Shondoni coal mine near Secunda - and not a block out of place!When the project engine...
05/27/2026

Installed 13 years ago at Sasol's Shondoni coal mine near Secunda - and not a block out of place!

When the project engineers specified Terraforce Retaining Walls® in 2012, the challenge was clear: coal dust eliminates any possibility of plant growth, making conventional open-gap retaining walls a long-term liability. The Terraforce® closed-face system was the only logical solution - no gaps, no soil loss, no compromise.

Geofabric reinforced fill for high structures, as well as gravity cut face wall designs for lower wall heights, were submitted, accepted and constructed. The highest walls - at a 70° angle - are situated at the main conveyor feeders to the coal bunkers. In total, 2185m² of Terraforce® L11 blocks were installed.

https://www.terraforce.com/6-2018-shondoni-mine-conveyor-box-cut-retaining-walls

Blocks manufactured by Terraforce® licensed manufacturer Remacon Products, Gauteng.

Selected Terraforce® products are manufactured under license by Brownsey Block, Vancouver Island:

Art Wiersma
Tel: +1 250-246-4393
Email: [email protected]

Celebrating Success at ! 🏆A great day for Terraforce Retaining Walls® at the Specilink Specifying CPD event, InnovateX ...
05/19/2026

Celebrating Success at ! 🏆

A great day for Terraforce Retaining Walls® at the Specilink Specifying CPD event, InnovateX 2026, held throughout the day at the Coastlands uMhlanga Hotel and Convention Centre in KwaZulu-Natal!

Terraforce® was joined by representatives from licensed manufacturers Corobrik, Precast Structural Products, and Retain-A-Wall — a great reminder of the people and partnerships that make the Terraforce® network what it is.

There were plenty of good conversations across the day, with industry professionals sharing their experiences with Terraforce® products and reaffirming the brand's position as South Africa's original hollow core block system.

A big thank you to Specilink Specifying for organising a well-run event, and to everyone who stopped by the Terraforce® display — the continued support keeps the team focused on doing what they do best!

Find a Terraforce® recommended contractor: https://www.terraforce.com/contractors

Terraforce® turns a Cape Town hillside into a hockey field.Back in 2019, Terraforce® L Range retaining walls created the...
05/13/2026

Terraforce® turns a Cape Town hillside into a hockey field.

Back in 2019, Terraforce® L Range retaining walls created the platform for the new hockey field at St Cyprians School, and with Table Mountain as a backdrop, it's hard to argue with the result.

The distinctive round-face finish of the Terraforce® block isn't just structural, it gives the wall a clean, consistent texture that holds its own visually even at this scale.

Installed by Isidima Civils.

Selected Terraforce® products are manufactured under license by Brownsey Block, Vancouver Island:

Art Wiersma
Tel: +1 250-246-4393
Email: [email protected]

Where engineering meets elegance - Exeter Estate, Bishopscourt, Cape Town.These beautiful Terraforce® round face retaini...
05/08/2026

Where engineering meets elegance - Exeter Estate, Bishopscourt, Cape Town.

These beautiful Terraforce® round face retaining walls are a highlight of one of Cape Town's most exclusive new residential addresses. Ten luxury homes of 650–800 m², each designed with mountain and Atlantic Ocean views, tennis courts, lap pools, steam rooms, temperature-controlled wine cellars and multi-car garages. The retaining walls don't just hold the hillside, they set the scene.

The best part? Once the landscaping by Alan Dawson Gardens is fully established, it will look even more breathtaking. Watch this space.

A proud collaboration between some of the best in the business:

• Developer: Kings Hill Development, The Keep & New Land Developments
• Architect: Zeanne & Goss Designs
• Terraforce® recommended contractor: Decorton Retaining Systems
• Terraforce® licensed manufacturer: Klapmuts Concrete / Cape Retaining Systems
• Landscaping: Alan Dawson Gardens

Selected Terraforce® products are manufactured under license by Brownsey Block, Vancouver Island:

Art Wiersma
Tel: +1 250-246-4393
Email: [email protected]

Terraforce Retaining Walls® is now on Revit!Most of our block range is now available as a Revit Family Showroom, thanks ...
05/05/2026

Terraforce Retaining Walls® is now on Revit!

Most of our block range is now available as a Revit Family Showroom, thanks to our collaboration with York Bros Construction. The file is just 12mb, easy to share, and works across Revit and other Autodesk platforms. IFC exports are also available for ArchiCAD, SketchUp, and more.

Read the full story here: https://www.terraforce.com/4-2026-terraforce-is-now-on-revit-and-heres-how-to-get-started/

Request access: [email protected]

York Brothers: https://www.yorkbros.co.za

Terraforce® Rock Face Garden Retaining Walls, British Columbia, CanadaTransform your landscape with genuine Terraforce® ...
04/29/2026

Terraforce® Rock Face Garden Retaining Walls, British Columbia, Canada

Transform your landscape with genuine Terraforce® rock face blocks. This eye-catching, tiered retaining wall showcases how Terraforce® block can build functional, long-lasting outdoor spaces that work with your terrain, not against it.

Whether it's a garden wall, slope stabilisation, or full landscape makeover - Terraforce® is your trusted solution, supplied by licensed manufacturers worldwide, in this example the Terraforce® L18 block manufactured in Abbottsford by Terraforce® licensed manufacturer Tristar Brick & Block.

Selected Terraforce® products are manufactured under license by Brownsey Block, Vancouver Island:

Art Wiersma
Tel: +1 250-246-4393
Email: [email protected]

Terraforce Retaining Walls's story:From a backyard machine to walls on six continents.In 1979, Holger Rust started out i...
04/24/2026

Terraforce Retaining Walls's story:

From a backyard machine to walls on six continents.

In 1979, Holger Rust started out importing wire mesh gabions from Spain. But something nagged at him - there had to be a better, more practical way to hold back the earth. So, he built a small "egg layer" machine in his backyard and cast the very first Terraforce® S block. It weighed 50kg. And Terraforce has never looked back.

The humble beginning grew into something remarkable. By 1984 the first licence agreements were signed. By the 90s, Terraforce® blocks were being made in every major South African city. Today they're produced in Canada, Australia, the UK, India, Spain, the UAE and beyond - with sales running into the millions.

What made the difference? A block that was hollow, reversible and plantable - meaning a retaining wall didn't have to be a grey slab of concrete. It could be green. It could breathe. It could grow.

Over years that followed, the Bayer Trophy, the Concrete Manufacturers Associations’ (CMA) highest construction honour, has gone to Terraforce® eight times. In 2002, the World Summit on Sustainable Development invited them to present. Architects, landscapers and engineers on every continent trust the system.

And today? Holger's daughters Elgin Rust (Director of Accounts & Media) and Karin Johns (Director of Marketing & Business Development) carry the flame - both passionate about what this family business stands for. Different skills, same DNA: innovation, integrity, and an absolute refusal to take the easy road.

Selected Terraforce® products are manufactured under license by Brownsey Block, Vancouver Island:

Art Wiersma
Tel: +1 250-246-4393
Email: [email protected]

Address

9385 Trans Canada Highway
Chemainus, BC
V0R1K4

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm

Telephone

+12502464393

Website

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