Retaining walls are a great way to enhance your landscape design and increase the value of your home. From a functional standpoint, retaining walls hold back soil within a landscape area, preventing it from eroding down a slope. On the aesthetic side, retaining walls add subtle texture to your yard and serve as an attractive backdrop for plantings.
The most common retaining wall is made of interlocking concrete blocks, usually stacked on top of one another with an object like gravel or sand in between each layer to add stability. Other materials can also be used to construct retaining walls, including wood, gabion baskets {a structure made out of wire cages filled with rocks or other materials}, or poured concrete.
When considering what retaining wall to build {or hire someone to install}, there are a few things you should keep in mind:
Cost: Materials like gabion baskets can be very expensive, while concrete blocks are relatively inexpensive.
Time: Installing a gabion basket wall can be time-consuming since you have to fill each wire cage with rocks by hand. Interlocking concrete blocks are much easier and faster to install by yourself.
Function: The purpose of the retaining wall will determine what type you choose. For example, building
Gravity Retaining Walls
A gravity retaining wall is a versatile and cost-effective way to hold back the earth. It can be constructed of almost any material, but it’s most commonly made out of concrete blocks, reinforced concrete, and natural stone.
Gravity retaining walls are constructed of large, heavy materials so they can’t learn or tilt excessively. Gravity retaining walls hold back the earth by resisting lateral pressure from the soil behind them, and the weight of the wall itself acts as the primary vertical force holding up the earth.
Gravity retaining walls are usually recommended for slopes up to 4 ft (1.2 m) high. However, taller gravity retaining walls can be constructed successfully when built with appropriate engineering and care.
Sheet Pile Retaining Walls
Sheet pile retaining walls are a type of earth retention system used to provide lateral support for soil. As the name suggests, they are constructed from sheets of steel that form sections that are driven into the ground.
Sheet piles were first used in construction during the 19th century. However, they were not widely used until just after World War II. This is because there was an increase in construction projects, and steel demand rose dramatically. At this time, sheet piles became a more viable alternative to timber and concrete retaining walls.
Timber Retaining Walls
Planning and building a timber wall is surprisingly easy. And the results are so satisfying that you’ll want to build one in every part of your yard.
A timber retaining wall does a great DIY project, and it can be used to solve all kinds of landscaping, garden, and grading challenges. And it’s not hard to do — the basic construction for most walls uses simple timbers and a few readily available materials.
A timber retaining wall comprises several rows of stacked timbers, fixed together with nails or spikes driven into the ground at an angle. The weight of the stacked timbers helps hold them in place, while the ends are held together by stakes (dead men) buried under the backfill behind the wall. The upper courses are anchored to each other with nails or spikes driven at an angle through their sides.
As a general rule, if you’re building a retaining wall that’s more than 4 feet tall, you should consult a professional structural engineer before constructing it and make sure you get a building permit from your local building authority.