Stone retaining wall construction advices: Ensure you order everything you need at once and set aside an allowance for breakages and cutting. Contrary to popular belief, building a fence on top or behind a Block Retaining wall is rather easy. In some cases where only a small amount of retaining is required as in 200-400mm, the fence can be built directly on top of the wall with the fence posts passing through the walling blocks and concreted into the ground as normal. This method would be ok to use with all forms of fencing such as post and rail, colour bond post and rail, good neighbour fencing, tubular panel and even pool fencing.
Why you should compact the trench? Compact the soil in the trench bottom with a hand tamper or vibrating plate compactor. This step is often neglected. The excavator, and even hand shovels, can disturb and loosen the top inch or two of soil, and that’s enough to make your wall settle-settling is bad! Our experts prefer crushed stone for the base rather than naturally occurring gravel dug from a pit. Crushed stone is a little more expensive. However, it provides better drainage, and because of the sharper angles on the stone, it requires less compacting, and once it’s compacted, it stays that way.
While you’re at it, do also place a call DigSafe (811), a nationwide service that will notify local utility companies that you plan to dig. These can determine whether their buried lines will be in the way and mark their exact locations. Retaining walls can be constructed using a variety of materials, from poured concrete and large timbers to natural stones, even bricks. For DIY purposes, opt for manufactured blocks that are designed specifically for building retaining walls; a locking flange along the bottom edge creates a secure attachment between rows. These blocks (available in gray and earthy tones in smooth or textured faces, like these at The Home Depot) can be found at virtually any home improvement store and many garden centers as well.
Other systems offer different interlocking features. Some blocks have a cast tongue-and-groove connection. Some systems utilize fiberglass pins that insert between the blocks to ensure proper alignment and a strong mechanical connection between the courses. Some blocks feature a hollow core, which, when filled with gravel, creates a semi-solid, interlocking web of rock throughout the wall. And many systems require reinforcing mesh layered between the courses of block. Find more details at Building and repair of retaining walls Colorado.
We serve all of Colorado out of our home office in Colorado Springs. Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions you may have. Estimates are always free and everything we touch comes with a warranty. Colorado Retaining Wall specializes in the building and repair of retaining walls. Whether the wall is for a backyard or driveway of a residence or a commercial Shopping Center, we design and build large block walls for all Earth retention requirements. We have the ability to fortify the wall with shotcrete or soil nails which would include helical tie-backs or micropiles. Nearly every wall we build requires engineering and we have deep relationships with engineers that work hand-in-hand with our foremen regardless of the size of project. Please read our reviews and look and our photo gallery.