Building a Reliable Block Retaining Wall!

When used appropriately, retaining walls are an essential landscaping item that can be used for aesthetic reasons and to make sloped terrain useful for garden beds and outdoor spaces. Langley retaining walls are constructed to help with landscaping, hold back soil to prevent erosion, and allow you to contour slopes rather than mark property or function as a fence around an area.

However, there are many factors to consider while designing and building a retaining wall, from aesthetics and material selection to controlling water runoff and the weight of the retained soil.  

  

Design Factor 

Retaining walls are fundamentally constructed to hold back soil, and the soil's pressure on the wall is significant. Only the wedge of soil between your wall and the steepest slope that naturally forms before existing soil collapses under its weight will be supported by your wall, not the entire hillside. This wedge presses against the retaining wall due to gravity, with the base of the wedge experiencing the most pressure.  

When constructed properly, garden walls and short retaining walls composed of stacked stone or concrete wall blocks can support themselves by combining their weight, base friction, and an interlocking block system to push back against the ground. Above 4 feet tall large, scale retaining walls require extra support, and most towns demand a building permit and advice from a licensed engineer before you can begin building one.  

 

You can use numerous tiers of barriers if you need to keep a steeper slope in place. As a general guideline, place a space between these layers twice as high as the walls. This gives each wall a distinctive terrace-like aspect and relieves strain on each wall individually.  

   

Materials

  

Numerous forms and materials can be used to make retaining blocks. The bricks that form the wall are the most apparent material you'll need for your retaining wall. Although concrete wall blocks are widely available, dependable, and frequently perfectly shaped for building Langley retaining walls, natural stone is an excellent alternative for people who find concrete to look overly fake. If you decide to use natural stone, it is recommended to utilize quarried stone that has been cut at the quarry so that it can be piled more readily; "rubble" or "boulder" walls made of irregularly stacked stones are difficult to assemble into a sturdy structure. To increase stability, retaining wall blocks typically interlock. 

 

To put it all together, you'll need some more supplies in addition to the bricks. Sand or gravel that has been compacted is essential for the foundation. Additional gravel should be used for backfilling to prevent it from collapsing and promote drainage. Additionally, landscaping fabric between the backfilling and recompacted topsoil further helps drain groundwater by preventing the soil from slipping into the gravel.  

  

Conclusion 

Hiring a professional engineer can construct Langley retaining walls to liven up your backyard, shield your home's foundation from erosion and runoff, or simply add a rustic touch.