Table of Contents
What is the purpose of a retaining wall?
As previously stated, one of the main purposes of a retaining wall is to hold back soil. If the soil slopes downward, it could easily create erosion in the area. Retaining walls can also be used to hold back water.
What is a retaining wall in building?
A retaining wall is a structure that holds or retains soil behind it. There are many types of materials that can be used to create retaining walls like concrete blocks, poured concrete, treated timbers, rocks or boulders. Some are easy to use, others have a shorter life span, but all can retain soil.
What is the difference between a garden wall and a retaining wall?
Retaining walls can be of any height but are usually higher than 3 feet. Garden walls are low walls, usually about 18-24 inches in height, that line a landscape feature. Garden walls are not meant to withstand the weight pressure of heavy, packed earth. Topsoil is relatively light and can be supported by a garden wall.
Will a retaining wall stop water?
Retaining walls do not completely stop water, but they do manage overflow and prevent soil from sliding. When it comes to drainage, your retaining wall should have drain holes or piping to direct water away from your property.
Is a retaining wall necessary?
YOU NEED TO PREVENT EROSION. Retaining walls can prevent soil from falling down a slope onto your home. They can also prevent dirt from falling down a slope and out from under your house. Both of these situations are very serious, and a retaining wall may be the only thing between you and losing your home.
Are retaining walls structural?
A retaining wall is a structure designed and constructed to resist the lateral pressure of soil, when there is a desired change in ground elevation that exceeds the angle of repose of the soil. Every retaining wall supports a “wedge” of soil.
Do I need building regulations for a retaining wall?
Independent, freestanding retaining walls may not require building regulation approval; however, any structures must be structurally sound and well maintained. Where a retaining wall is near to a boundary, it may be subject to the provisions of the Party Wall Act, and may be required to continue a right of support.
How much weight can a retaining wall hold?
Even small retaining walls have to contain enormous loads. A 4-foot-high, 15-foot-long wall could be holding back as much as 20 tons of saturated soil. Double the wall height to 8 feet, and you would need a wall that’s eight times stronger to do the same job.
What can I do instead of a retaining wall?
Reinforced Soil Slopes. Reinforced soil slopes are a quick and easy construction style that uses a geotextile, such as polyethylene or polypropylene, to lock existing soil into place to create a reinforced mass. Natural Stone Walls. Wooden Timbers. Gabion Walls. Soil Bioengineered Walls.
How do you drain a retaining wall?
For proper drainage, the first 12 inches of space behind a retaining wall should be filled with crushed stone or gravel. This is so that when water gets into the space, it does not become bogged down in soil but instead can flow down the wall to the drains or weep holes.
Does a 2 foot retaining wall need drainage?
These walls need a drainage system regardless of the wall height. If there are poor draining soils such as clay behind the wall, there needs to be drainage incorporated the wall system. Clay when wet is very weak, so it is essential to provide a way for water to escape from behind the wall.
What is the maximum height of a retaining wall?
Most retaining walls, whether load-bearing or not, average between 3 and 4 feet in height. As a general rule, you do not want to build any sort of structure over 4 feet in height without including some type of structural support within.
Do I need a concrete footing for a retaining wall?
A buried structural footing is usually required for larger retaining walls. To create this, a landscaper pours concrete below frost level (the depth to which the ground will freeze during the winter). Footings poured too shallow are prone to shifting and moving if moisture in the soil freezes and heaves.
Does retaining wall need rebar?
Retaining walls must be stronger than freestanding walls. Insert rebar in the footing when you pour it; this should be done at every three blocks or at intervals specified by your local codes. Expect to spend 20-36 hours building a 3×10-foot concrete-block retaining wall.
When should you build a retaining wall?
You Might Need a Retaining Wall If… You need a way to control downhill erosion. If mountains of erosion materials are clogging important areas on your property, adding a retaining wall is a wonderful idea. Retaining walls minimize erosion by decreasing the angle of a slope and holding back soil.
Should retaining wall blocks be filled?
That’s why your DIY retaining wall must have a solid gravel base and firm backfill to ensure it’s stability. If you find you’re spending 80% of your time reinforcing your wall and 20% of your time stacking blocks, you’re doing it correctly.
