Retaining walls are great solutions for sloped landscapes, adding value and functionality. Built from various materials for different styles such as timbers for rustic charm or concrete for modern elegance.
However, how long a retaining wall lasts will depend on factors that are invisible; such as having sturdy footing buried deep under the soil and drains that prevent water build-up behind it.
Wood
Retaining wall contractors provide invaluable services that keep your property secure, beautiful, and safe. However, choosing an unprofessional company could turn out to be costly over time. Failure to use professional techniques and make informed decisions when selecting your retaining wall company could mean it doesn’t fulfill its intended function or compromises could actually end up costing more money in the long run.
Step one of constructing a retaining wall involves excavating in the area you plan to place it, giving it extra strength and protecting it from being pushed outward over time due to soil pressure.
Stacked timbers and mortared stone can create unique aesthetics in any garden, while concrete or retaining blocks provide sleek modern home architecture aesthetics. If you prefer something with more natural aesthetics in mind, walls made out of grasses or planting flowers add color and depth to any yard space.
Wood retaining walls can be more vulnerable to moisture and insect damage than other materials and may rot if left untreated, making them best suited for short walls designed to support light loads.
Poured concrete walls are strong, durable, and an ideal choice for supporting heavy landscaping loads. Concrete can be formed into any shape you need and comes in an assortment of colors and finishes to match your decor; however, its price may be more costly than other retaining wall materials.
Brick retaining walls combine attractiveness and functionality, offering a timeless, traditional aesthetic with long lifespan. Eco-friendly and weather resistant, they require careful installation with drainage accommodated accordingly for optimal results.
Natural stone retaining wall materials are stunning and unique, but also the most expensive of the available choices. Durability is long-term with natural stone being extremely dense but its weight can make installation challenging requiring special drainage provisions and drainage requirements for proper functioning.
Stone
Retaining walls are an integral component of property protection, holding back soil to combat erosion and making sloped land usable for garden beds and landscaping projects. Retaining walls also add curb appeal while increasing property values.
Foundation is key for creating a long-lasting retaining wall. When digging a trench to hold its base, care must be taken when digging and compacting with hand tampers or vibrating plate compactors to ensure compacted areas. However, this step is often neglected or done improperly and compromises structural integrity of an otherwise successful wall.
Once the foundation of your retaining wall is in place, it’s time to begin creating its walls themselves. There are various kinds of retaining wall blocks available, each featuring different shapes, sizes and textures which can be used to craft walls in various styles. Prefabricated systems that stack like Lego blocks may also be used – however these may prove more expensive than custom stone or brick structures.
Building a retaining wall requires adhering to local building codes and regulations, including permitting requirements in some areas and following any specific guidelines regarding height or location requirements.
As part of the planning for any retaining wall project, drainage must also be considered carefully. Crushed stones of appropriate sizes must be backfilled behind it with perforated drain pipe installed to direct any excess water away from your property rather than pooling behind. Unfortunately, many DIY-ers overlook or fail to properly implement this step, leading to costly and harmful consequences down the line.
Once a wall is in place, it’s essential to anchor it properly so it won’t tip or collapse under its own weight. This usually involves installing horizontal anchors called deadman tiebacks into the soil behind it and using them to anchor deadman tiebacks that come in different materials and designs (including helical).
After installing the blocks on the retaining wall, they need to be covered with capping material that matches or complements their design. Caps can typically be secured using construction adhesive made specifically for masonry products.
Concrete
Garden and retaining walls serve an integral purpose in protecting sloped grounds around your home, keeping soil in place and preventing it from disintegrating gradually or collapsing abruptly and injuring structures or people nearby. Furthermore, well-built retaining walls add value, curb appeal, and functionality to landscape designs.
Retaining walls are constructed from various materials, such as rock or stone stackings, wood beams, pavers, poured concrete or retaining block systems. The best selection will depend on your land configuration, height and length requirements as well as any lateral pressure it must withstand and whether or not it supports an overhead structure. Retaining walls should last decades with proper maintenance – they should withstand rainwater runoff without becoming compromised while having sufficient drainage behind it so water doesn’t pool behind the wall and pooling behind it.
A well-constructed retaining wall will not only look attractive and add style to your home’s architecture, but should also be sturdy and reliable. Professional designers must build it so it fulfills its key functions instead of crumbling or collapsing over time due to freeze/thaw cycles.
Concrete makes for an excellent retaining wall material because it is both durable and offers a range of color and texture options, which can be stamped, stained or veneered to complement or contrast with your home. Plus, precast blocks make assembly and installation simpler.
Concrete is an extremely heavy material, which makes it suitable for walls that must withstand significant soil pressure lateral soil pressure. To build your retaining wall successfully with concrete, it’s crucial that a firm foundation be laid – either sand or gravel is best- as is hiring professional help with excavation and laying of the material so as to avoid costly structural damages which might need costly repairs in the future.
Plastic Lumber
Retaining walls are hardworking structures designed to hold back soil and protect it from erosion, but that doesn’t mean they have to look industrial and utilitarian; indeed, these sculptural elements can add definition and style to any landscape design as well as turning inconvenient slopes into garden space. However, like any landscape structure it is essential that your retaining wall is constructed correctly in order for it to serve its intended function successfully.
Plastic lumber has become an increasingly popular material for retaining walls, as a green product made from recycled materials. Made of HDPE, ABS or polypropylene plastic lumber is often “capped” with wood grain patterns or other textures to give it the appearance of natural wood decking; such caps typically use low VOC water-based chemicals and paints in order to reduce environmental impact. Some capped products even use fiber glass or newspaper pulp from recycled newspapers for strength enhancement.
Manufacturers of plastic lumber typically source their primary feedstock from municipal recycling programs, often mixing in homogeneous HDPE recyclate as well as blowing agents, UV stabilizers and colorants to maximize product performance.
Plastic lumber retaining wall materials will shrink and expand with changes in temperature, so regular checks should be conducted to make sure it doesn’t shift, cracks are filled in properly and any shifts or shifts are addressed quickly.
Plastic lumber may not be as strong or durable as concrete or stone walls, but it still resists mold growth and resists mildew growth. Furthermore, its construction is more eco-friendly since there are no harmful toxins used during manufacturing; furthermore it does not rot and requires chemical treatments like concrete.
Plastic lumber makes construction of retaining walls simpler, since standard woodworking tools and instructions from most manufacturers are compatible. Before purchasing plastic lumber for use in building retaining walls, however, make sure your local building officials approve of your retaining wall project – some locations require permits and have strict rules about its height or location.
