Batter (walls)

In architecture, batter is the receding slope of a wall, structure, or earthwork, the opposite of an overhang. When used in fortifications it may be called a talus.

A battered corner is an architectural feature using batters. A batter is sometimes used to reinforce the stability of foundations, retaining walls, dry stone walls, dams, lighthouses, and fortifications. Other terms that may be used to describe battered walls are "inclined”, “tapered" and "flared".

Battering allows for a wide stable base and both more economic use of material through tapering and a proportional minimalization of the wall’s foundation. The batter angle is typically described either as a ratio of the offset and height or a degree angle. The amount of allowable batter is dependent on the building materials and application. For example, typical dry-stone retaining walls step back 1 foot for every 6 feet of rise, a 1:6 ratio, or just under 9.5°.

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