Are You Planning to Build a Retaining Wall?
When you are landscaping your property then one of the biggest problems you could face is the slope of the ground. Not only could a slope interfere with your chosen landscaping design but it could have serious environmental consequences as well. At other times you may want to include a feature at height or in a location where the required soil or water would not naturally stay without assistance from you. When you are faced with landscaping problems like this, the best solution is to build a retaining wall.
How can a retaining wall help?
Retaining walls can be used to either help the land keep its natural features or to reshape the landscape to create a more desirable landscape. There are various types of retaining walls that you could consider, but they are all intended to withstand lateral pressure. They are normally built to keep soil, sand or even water in a specific location and to stop it moving sideways or downwards and either destroying the landscape or perhaps causing long-term erosion damage.
Which type of retaining wall do you need?
In many cases, a gravity retaining wall would be an ideal choice; they can be built of concrete, natural stone or even masonry. Gravity retaining walls employ the natural force of gravity to counteract the pressure of the material pushing against the wall. Gravity retaining walls are popular but they are rarely suitable for small gardens or anywhere that space is tight. Since they rely on gravity they need the weight of the wall to be large enough to withstand the pressure of the material and that normally means using large, heavy stones to build the wall. In addition to gravity, you must also bear in mind any sliding or similar forces that could bear on the wall and affect its construction.
Other types of gravity retaining wall
If you have evaluated your options and a conventional gravity retaining wall won't work in your circumstances then you could always consider using a crib retaining wall or a Gabion wall as an alternative. These are both types of gravity wall but bring additional features which can alter the design. A Gabion retaining wall uses wire mesh boxes full of rocks or stones instead of conventional stone blocks, while a crib retaining wall employs individual interlocking boxes that have been filled with crushed stone. Ask a landscape designer about the best option for your property.
For more information, contact a retaining wall service in your area.