| If you're currently trying to discern whether or not | | | | grade changes, an effective one must be |
| you could benefit from building a retaining wall, try | | | | constructed in such a way as to accommodate and |
| answering the following questions: | | | | redistribute the lateral pressure caused by sloping. As |
| 1. Do you own a home or property situated on or | | | | a result, they vary in size and type, and often include |
| near sloped, uneven ground? | | | | materials like stone, brick, concrete, vinyl, steel, and |
| 2. Do you live in a particularly wet climate where | | | | pressure treated timber. |
| flooding and soil erosion are prevalent? | | | | If you're brainstorming ideas for a retaining wall, the |
| 3. Are you looking to add a touch of uniqueness and | | | | following are commonly used types. |
| beauty to your yard and/or property? | | | | Gravity retaining walls rely on their mass to hold back |
| If you've answered "yes" to any one of the | | | | pressure. Often these walls are constructed from |
| questions above, it's time to consider installing one. | | | | large pieces of stone, concrete, or other heavy |
| The Benefits of a Retaining Wall | | | | materials that are often a composite of elements |
| Retaining walls have a number of uses as well as | | | | including steel, rock, timber, soil, and concrete. |
| offer many practical advantages to the homeowner. | | | | Sheet pile retaining walls are utilized for soft earth |
| Generally, the main purpose is to prevent the erosion | | | | and limited space. These walls are typically |
| of sloped earth that may threaten to shift and slide; | | | | constructed from thin sheets of steel, vinyl, or wood |
| thereby, potentially damaging or destroying your | | | | which are driven into the ground. |
| home or property. They are also particularly effective | | | | Cantilevered retaining walls were more popular before |
| tools in climates with heavy precipitation, e.g., the | | | | the introduction of gravity walls. These walls are |
| Pacific Northwest. Not only will an effective one | | | | typically taller and fashioned from thin stems of |
| properly support sloping earth, but it will also act as | | | | steel-reinforced concrete often cast in the shape of |
| an effective means of draining water runoff and | | | | inverted T. In effect, they will "cantilever" loads, |
| reducing hydrostatic pressure. Furthermore, they | | | | diverting pressure downward toward the strong base |
| provide a number of agricultural benefits. For warmer, | | | | instead of forward. The advantage to this particular |
| dryer climates, a wall can delay seepage of water | | | | type of wall is that it uses less material than most |
| from land, and for wetter climates, properly drained | | | | others. |
| walls can divert water from areas prone to flooding. | | | | Anchored retaining walls employ the use of anchors |
| In addition to practical purposes, these structures | | | | placed behind the wall (into the earth) for support. |
| maintain a certain aesthetic value as well. As such, | | | | The size and shape of anchors vary, and a number |
| adding one may increase the resale value of your | | | | of different methods are used to place them. They |
| home, while also enhancing your own enjoyment of | | | | are typically used when either high loads are |
| your property. For example, a wall can be | | | | expected or the wall itself is required to be thin, |
| constructed in a series of steps or levels, granting | | | | rendering it too weak to stand alone. |
| you unrestricted creativity to include all kinds of | | | | Finally, soil nailing is a technique actually used to |
| plantings, flowers, or other elements that will add | | | | reinforce the wall. Usually, a number of relatively |
| texture, color, and new life to each successive level. | | | | slender elements, like steel bars, are installed through |
| Not to mention, stepped retaining walls have proven | | | | the wall at a downward angle. This allows them to be |
| to be a more effective form of erosion control. | | | | easily modified during the construction process and, |
| Retaining Wall Options | | | | typically, built from the top down. |
| Since these structures provide support for vertical | | | | |