Concrete Block Retaining Wall
Sandi_W
11 years ago
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mrsgalihad
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoSandi_W
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
Compacted base vs. poured footings
Comments (8)This is the primary reason that segmental retaining walls (described by Mojave) have become so common. They move with the freeze thaw cycle, allow water to weep through, don't require deep excavation, and don't need a secondary treatment for aesthetics (if you are willing to accept the aesthetic of the block it self). If you try to attach cultured stone to it, the attachment will fail with the movement of the wall. The mechanism that is used by these walls is not exactly as someone mentioned above. These are what is called a "gravity wall". The mechanism has less to do with setting its feet or leaning into the slope and more to do with mass. The theory is to build enough mass into the wall to overcome the force against it. This is most often done using "geogrid". Many people believe that geogrid holds back the blocks from toppling over. Instead, it is tying the soil or gravel behind the wall to the wall to add to its mass. That material essentially switches teams (not that there is anything wrong with that) and works with the blocks to counteract the force applied against it instead of being part of that force that is acting against the wall. The poured concrete or mortared block wall on a footing works in an entirely different way. Ever step on a rake? It is what is called a cantelevered wall. The strength is determined in part by the width of the footing. The wall must be tied into the footing as Mojave explained. The wall sits near the front of the footing with the greater part of the footing extending back toward the retained land. This forms an "L" with the wall being the vertical element and the footing being the horizontal. It works like a chair. YUou can easily push a chair over by exherting force to the top of it and pushing it backward. The backfill is placed on the footing much like placing your butt in the chair. The mass holding down the bottom of the "L" keeps the vertical part from toppling over. It is much harder to push a chair over when someone is sitting in it vs. when there is not. And chairs fall over very easily when you hang your jacket on them, don't they? Now, have you ever stepped on a rake? Cantelevered walls work pretty well don't they?...See MoreConcrete Block retaining wall
Comments (5)tabber, You may not be getting a response to your question because it is a little more complicated than a simple ratio that would require a certain footer for a given height. A demo program I downloaded from Retain Pro was helpful to me to assess the walls I'm building. I live in Arkansas and around here there have been a lot of DIY block walls built. Most of them have failed or are in the process of failing. Best I can tell, those that stood up over the years were built on a substantial footer and the block cavities have rebar and concrete. Steel stubs up from the footing to lock the wall to it in many of the block cavities. The good walls that are over 3 feet high were made with 12" block and they all have a system to prevent the ground behind the wall from becoming saturated with water. Not a cheap thing to construct. Lately, a lot of homeowners have built walls using the modular blocks that lock together. Close attention to the details will bring most DIY walls of this type to a good result. But they are what they are. If you like the look, it's not a bad way to go. If you want a true vertical wall that can have a finish of stone , tile, or some other material, then you have to look elsewhere. Timber walls are another possibility that some choose. But they aren't a permanent solution. The life span of a timber wall is also shortened if you have a long season where the ground is warm and you garden on the up side keeping the ground wet and fertilized. In the end I chose to do poured concrete walls. Most would say that this type wall is beyond a DIY project, but in my second year of wall building, I would say that there are no special skills needed, nor is the cost of tools that much more than needed for other types. One might call it an advanced DIY project, not for a beginner. I didn't have experience with concrete when I started but I did have a lot of DIY projects and was well experienced in working with wood. Most would do well to keep their wall heights to 3 feet and under. Keep in mind that down here the ground does not freeze more than a few inches deep, something that might be a major problem for those in colder areas. I now have about 200 feet of wall up with another 125 to go. One of the things I like about poured concrete is that I don't have a lot of really heavy lifting to do. There is a lot of labor, but the form panels and other materials are not much more than 20 pounds, something an older man can handle. James...See MoreVenetian plaster on concrete block retaining wall?
Comments (2)For the most part plasters are for interiors only. You do have some other alternatives. If you have unlimited money to spend, look into tadlect. This is not a DIY material. I am a professional faux finisher and worked with a tadlect applicator and I decided not to do it any more. You have several other practical alternatives. You could simply have the wall parged or stuccoed. You can have pigment added to the material and it will maintain it's color. You can paint it a dark color and cover it with trellises and grow vines on it. Made sure to have some evergreen vines if it is visible from your windows in the winter. If it's a prominent feature in your garden, consider doing your own mosaic on it. You could also include a wall fountain made from the mosaic material. If you are on a tight budget, you can make the mosaic out of marble and tile scraps that people get rid of on Craig's list. If the top is really ugly, you can get slabs of stone from a stone yard cut for you, and just mortar them on yourself. Have them cut the pieces into lengths that you can pick up yourself....See MoreCascading plants for a retaining wall...
Comments (3)How does Sweet Autumn Clematis (clematis terniflora) do in your zone? A couple of those (3 max. as they can grow to 30+ feet) will cover/drape your 120' wall in pretty short order. I had a magnificent specimen in the mid-Atlantic, but it self seeded like gangbusters and became somewhat thuggish. However, with deference to a spectacular plant - the growing season there usually started in March and could go beyond Thanksgiving. Zone 5 wouldn't have the same lengthy conditions and SAC would probably be better behaved. Then there is always Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus Quinquefolia) which could be trained to drape. I have the creeping phlox subulata in a stone retaining wall built into a slope. It's good to soften the edges of walls, etc. but its cascading habit is somewhat limited. Also look into sweet potato vines - annuals, but cheap at the big box garden centers. Saw some Google images of spv's used as both ground covers and trailers so there's cascading potential there too....See Morechristinmk z5b eastern WA
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoSandi_W
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoaftermidnight Zone7b B.C. Canada
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agochristinmk z5b eastern WA
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoianna
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11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoNHBabs z4b-5a NH
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoSandi_W
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoNHBabs z4b-5a NH
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoianna
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoSandi_W
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoNHBabs z4b-5a NH
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoianna
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoianna
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agomemo3
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoSandi_W
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoianna
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoSandi_W
11 years agolast modified: 9 years ago
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