Construction Guidelines for Retaining Walls
If you live in a hilly area, learn about the landscaping technique that can prevent soil erosion and beautify your backyard, and how simple it is to do yourself with the appropriate materials.
Retaining walls serve Realtor in Maple ridge, including preventing soil erosion, transforming precipitous slopes into terraced backdrops, and creating focal points in the landscape. Indeed, these are some of the most prevalent methods for addressing problems induced by hilly terrain! Effective retaining walls convert inaccessible slopes into gardenable outdoor space.
Despite their apparent simplicity, these walls require considerable planning and, in some cases, professional engineering to maintain their shape. A four-foot-tall, fifteen-foot-long retaining wall may be required to withstand up to 20 tons of soil pressure, given that soil is dense, particularly after a recent downpour, and that it must support up to 20 tons of soil pressure. With each additional foot of height, soil pressure increases significantly. Incorrect construction calculations could result in a wall that is at risk of expanding or, worse, collapsing entirely. Because of this, retaining walls taller than four feet should be designed and built by professionals.
However, ardent do-it-yourselfers with fundamental construction knowledge can construct shorter retaining walls. Does that describe you? These guidelines for building a retaining wall will help you get off to a solid start if you want to improve your landscape by constructing a retaining wall.
Check with the appropriate authorities.
The effect of a retaining wall on the natural flow of water could have an impact on your neighbors, so some municipalities require homeowners to obtain a permit prior to construction. You may be required to submit plans for your wall and schedule a property inspection to ensure that the construction of a retaining wall will not result in drainage issues.
Choose a material that is simple to manipulate.
Retaining walls can be built from a variety of materials, including poured concrete, massive timbers, natural stones, and even bricks. Choose manufactured blocks designed specifically for building retaining walls for do-it-yourself applications; a securing flange along the bottom edge provides a secure connection between rows. These blocks (available in gray and earthy tones with flat or textured faces, such as these at The Home Depot) are available at virtually every home improvement store and numerous garden centers.
DO build a solid foundation.
Your retaining wall is only as sturdy as its support structure. For a four-foot-tall stacked-block retaining wall, a trench containing three inches of crushed gravel will prevent the wall from shifting and settling. The precise depth of the trench depends on the proposed wall height, but as a general rule: Excavate a trench that is one-eighth the wall depth plus three inches. For instance, if you want your retaining wall to be three feet (36 inches) tall, you would need to excavate a trench eight inches deep to accommodate three inches of crushed rock and about five inches (or one-eighth of the visible retaining wall) to begin the wall below grade.
