Retaining Wall Dos and Don’ts

What is Retaining Wall?

A retaining wall is a structure built to hold back soil or water. They are commonly used to prevent erosion and to stabilize slopes in landscape. A retaining wall can be made from various materials, including brick and stone, timber, steel, or concrete.

Choose a Durable Material

There are several factors to consider when choosing a material for retaining walls. The most important is finding a material that you can easily work with. Some materials, like concrete, are much easier to work with than others. You’ll also want to choose a material that will be durable and stand up to the weather.

The type of material that should not be used in retaining walls is a porous material. A porous material allows water to pass through it, which can lead to erosion of the retaining wall. Instead, a non-porous material should be used in retaining walls, as it will not allow water to pass through and will help to keep the wall stable.

DO Stack Blocks

Building retaining walls at a slight backward slope is achieved by stacking blocks. When building the wall, the blocks should be placed in a complex pattern to ensure that the wall is stable. Using this technique, the wall will be able to withstand pressure from the soil and will not collapse.

Good Foundation

One of the most important things to remember when building a retaining wall is to start with a good foundation. This means using a solid base and compacting the soil well before starting to build. If you don’t, the wall may not be stable and could collapse.

DO Backfill Accurately

When building retaining walls, it is important to backfill them accurately. This means using soil that is of the same composition as the soil that was removed to create the wall. This will help to ensure that the wall remains stable and does not collapse.

Build Multi-Tiered Walls

If you are looking to build a retaining wall, it is important to consider how many tiers (levels) the wall will have. A single, tall wall can be very expensive and is more likely to fail than a wall with multiple tiers. A strong wall with multiple tiers is more stable and will be less expensive to build than a single, tall wall. Multi-tiered retaining walls consist of several small walls stacked on top of each other. This type of wall is very effective at holding back soil and rocks, and it is also aesthetically pleasing.

Make Good Drainage Space

When building a retaining wall, it is important to ensure there is adequate drainage space. This will help prevent the build-up of water behind the wall, which can cause it to collapse. You can achieve this by spacing the base of the wall and the top of the drainage pipe at least 3 times the pipe diameter. In simpler terms, make sure there is plenty of room for water to flow freely behind the wall.