Anybody got experience building a retaining wall?
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wrote on 3 Jun 2020, 02:50 last edited by
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wrote on 3 Jun 2020, 20:10 last edited by
This first row is kicking my ass. Once I’ve got it in, it will go faster, but today I’m working my behind like an Irishman trying to earn money for a bottle of whisky.
@Copper I am impressed with that wall.
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wrote on 3 Jun 2020, 20:14 last edited by
If you were really Irish you'd have found a way to get someone else to do it while you drank the whiskey.
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wrote on 3 Jun 2020, 20:44 last edited by Copper 6 Mar 2020, 20:45
I think I spent a day on the bottom row, then the next 4 or 5 rows in less than a day.
You have to get the first row straight (or the correct shape) and level.
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wrote on 17 Jun 2020, 16:46 last edited by
Okay, the wall is pretty much done. Getting ready to put the caps on top. The wall is only 14” above ground and 6” - 12” submerged (I have a slope in the yard and have an extra row of block for 6ft (1/4 the wall length). The wall is not holding back against natural terrain but is simply one side of a raised garden bed 24’ x 4’. The other sides are bordered by a wooden fence (that is next year’s project) so the pressure against the wall isn’t that high. Still, I dropped a 3’ perforated drainage (ran it from the catch basin from the gutters to kill 2 birds with one stone), and even dropped some rebar down through the block (decorative hollowed cinderblock). It’s perfectly level (except the drainage pipe) and all that’s left is putting the caps on... Except, a neighbor just suggested filling the holes in the block as much as possible with gravel. Thoughts? I don’t want to do this again in 10 years...
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Okay, the wall is pretty much done. Getting ready to put the caps on top. The wall is only 14” above ground and 6” - 12” submerged (I have a slope in the yard and have an extra row of block for 6ft (1/4 the wall length). The wall is not holding back against natural terrain but is simply one side of a raised garden bed 24’ x 4’. The other sides are bordered by a wooden fence (that is next year’s project) so the pressure against the wall isn’t that high. Still, I dropped a 3’ perforated drainage (ran it from the catch basin from the gutters to kill 2 birds with one stone), and even dropped some rebar down through the block (decorative hollowed cinderblock). It’s perfectly level (except the drainage pipe) and all that’s left is putting the caps on... Except, a neighbor just suggested filling the holes in the block as much as possible with gravel. Thoughts? I don’t want to do this again in 10 years...
wrote on 17 Jun 2020, 16:48 last edited byBy the way, it’s taking so long because after I had the first row done, I started working on the drainage system and then we had a ton of rain and work...
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wrote on 17 Jun 2020, 16:54 last edited by
I think the gravel is a good idea but with only 14" above ground it might be overkill.
That is just a guess I don't know what the limit should be.
The gravel will obviously help prevent mud from working into the holes and wet mud and ice could cause things to move around. Dry gravel would be better than mud.
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I think the gravel is a good idea but with only 14" above ground it might be overkill.
That is just a guess I don't know what the limit should be.
The gravel will obviously help prevent mud from working into the holes and wet mud and ice could cause things to move around. Dry gravel would be better than mud.
wrote on 17 Jun 2020, 17:03 last edited by@Copper said in Anybody got experience building a retaining wall?:
I think the gravel is a good idea but with only 14" above ground it might be overkill.
That is just a guess I don't know what the limit should be.
The gravel will obviously help prevent mud from working into the holes and wet mud and ice could cause things to move around. Dry gravel would be better than mud.
Pea or a little bigger? I worry that pea isn’t as good for drainage.
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wrote on 17 Jun 2020, 18:23 last edited by Improviso
I had to put in a drain pipe from my driveway to the ditch on the edge of the property to prevent water from backing up into my garage during heavy rain. About 75 feet.
I used corrugated drain pipe and put this pipe sock on it to prevent sand and silt from clogging the pipe over time. Been working fine for over 10 years now.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/4-in-x-100-ft-Preloaded-Drain-Sleeve-34140-6/203092475
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I had to put in a drain pipe from my driveway to the ditch on the edge of the property to prevent water from backing up into my garage during heavy rain. About 75 feet.
I used corrugated drain pipe and put this pipe sock on it to prevent sand and silt from clogging the pipe over time. Been working fine for over 10 years now.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/4-in-x-100-ft-Preloaded-Drain-Sleeve-34140-6/203092475
wrote on 17 Jun 2020, 19:25 last edited by@Improviso thanks!
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@Copper said in Anybody got experience building a retaining wall?:
I think the gravel is a good idea but with only 14" above ground it might be overkill.
That is just a guess I don't know what the limit should be.
The gravel will obviously help prevent mud from working into the holes and wet mud and ice could cause things to move around. Dry gravel would be better than mud.
Pea or a little bigger? I worry that pea isn’t as good for drainage.
wrote on 17 Jun 2020, 19:49 last edited by Copper@LuFins-Dad said in Anybody got experience building a retaining wall?:
@Copper said in Anybody got experience building a retaining wall?:
I think the gravel is a good idea but with only 14" above ground it might be overkill.
That is just a guess I don't know what the limit should be.
The gravel will obviously help prevent mud from working into the holes and wet mud and ice could cause things to move around. Dry gravel would be better than mud.
Pea or a little bigger? I worry that pea isn’t as good for drainage.
That sounds right
Something like this is what I had
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Sakrete-60-lb-Brown-All-Purpose-Gravel/3066391
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wrote on 17 Jun 2020, 19:50 last edited by Copper
Actually I used some thing a little coarser, like this
https://texasgardenmaterials.com/product/black-star-gravel/
