Does your property have a slope? Are you struggling to figure out how to carry out a construction design due to elevated soil? Alternatively, is your land relatively level but you want to complete a construction or landscaping project that requires different levels? If your answer to any of these questions is ‘yes’, you need to find out more about retaining walls:
What is a Retaining Wall?
A retaining wall is a structure designed to hold back, or retain, one level of ground from another. A retaining wall can be used to divide a beach from a street, a garden from a road on a lower level, or even two levels of the same garden (also known as a terrace garden). Retaining walls are a great way of dividing space that would be unusable without such a barrier.
Retaining walls also act as a protective barrier, helping to combat the negative effects of soil erosion. Because they prevent soil from moving outside the perimeter of the barrier, they help to prevent downward slope movement. The best way of thinking about a retaining wall is comparing it to a dam. Retaining walls act as a dam for soil, stopping it from ‘overflowing’.
Soil erosion can be dangerous because if too much erosion occurs, there will be weak spots throughout your property. This can lead to the ground shifting, or flooding to occur in places where the soil level is degraded. Retaining walls can also be combined with other methods of controlling erosion in order to change the flow of rainwater. If you live in an area with heavy rainfall, this can make your house vulnerable to water penetration. Retaining walls are a way to ensure your home doesn’t become vulnerable to the elements.
A secondary function of a retaining wall is to add curb appeal to your property. Their primary purpose may be to hold back soil, but this doesn’t mean your retaining wall has to be an eyesore. They can be used to create unique, beautiful outdoor spaces too.
Types of Retaining Walls
Before deciding on the material you want to use, there are a number of things you should know about retaining walls. They don’t necessarily have to be straight, and there are some materials that can be curved in order to work alongside the natural lines of the slope. Alternatively you can add a curve to an already straight retaining wall by bulking up materials where you want it to bend. A curve can add a really interesting element to a wall so that you can combine functionality with creativity.
The larger the wall, the more complex the design will be. Professionals should be consulted before decided to build tall, complex retaining structures. Another thing you should consider before choosing a material is the topography of your property, and what shape you need the wall to be. Each material has its pros and cons:
Building a retaining wall using wood has advantages that include the overall finished look. Wood walls blend themselves into the exterior environment in a more natural way than manufactured construction materials. Accessing wood is usually pretty easy too. The main problem with wood is that it is porous, meaning that over a long period of time it may become soft or even rot.
2. Landscape Blocks
Made of concrete that is precast, landscape blocks are a great choice for retaining walls as they have a rustic finish and can be cut easily. The appearance of landscape block is intentionally rough, so if you have a pristine garden that would be complemented better by a smooth surface, this may not be the choice for you.
A natural stone retaining wall will be more expensive than cheaper materials like wood, but it is durable and aesthetically pleasing. There is also the ability to customize your retaining wall in accordance with your personal taste because natural stone occurs in many colors. A stone retaining wall requires a more complex installation technique, so be sure to consult a professional.
Brick is another good alternative for retaining walls as it is strong and durable. However, it requires more consideration of drainage options than other materials because it is incredibly non-porous.
Fill Dirt or Topsoil?
Once you’ve decided on a material for your retaining wall, the next thing to think about is the type of soil to use. Fill dirt is a more stable version of soil than topsoil, and has many uses with regards to contouring gardens or flowerbeds. If you are modifying the elevation, fill dirt is strong enough to support the varying layers.