Help with a retaining wall
I have a 12ft by 4ft sloping patch between my house and my sidewalk. I want to level it out with a retaining wall but I don’t want to cause any structural damage doing so. I have seen a few articles on the H or I beam support posts but Im having a hard time understanding all the parts that I will need to purchase. A few of my concerns are the drainage as well as the weight of the wall being pushed against the sidewalk. I feel that a wood retaining wall will be the quickest and cheapest to build but I’m open to suggestions. Can anyone provide some helpful advice as to the direction and steps that I should take? I’ll be doing this alone, under a tight budget, and transportation is limited to a 4 door 2009 Honda Civic. I figure that info may be helpful considering it costs money to have stuff delivered (heavy stones), etc). Thank you. Btw, the bushes are gone it’s just dirt and weeds now.
Also, I could really use suggestions on shutter colors too.
Comments (11)
Related Discussions
Call for help - new retaining wall is a budget killer
Comments (10)It actually was a series of walls. I will try find a good pic/drawing. Our architet is very good, but has seemed to reach a creative block on this one - all of her solutions bust through 25K. I will say we live in a neighborhood were some people wouldn't blink at 50-75K, but we blink, choke, then pass out. So she is used to working with those people. We are probably talking about 120-150 sq ft of wall plus steps and entryway, holding up about 6 ft of earth at the highest....See MoreHelp needed on Retaining wall planting
Comments (8)I am surprised that you did not think of the following. You need to build a temporary dam at the top edge of the wall to hold back the clay. This is done by pegging lengths of board along the wall. Boards can be found in construction site dumpsters or your local newspaper probably has wooden pallets for nothing that you can take apart. This is your first step. You seem to think that it is possible to till the clay and reduce the slope. I am not certain this is a wise move as you will have disturbed clay which will quickly erode. Perhaps it is best to leave the slope as it is presently and lay landscape erosion netting on the surface, mulch on top of this and plant. The netting can be ordered from any landscape nursery. I would urge you to pay for a consultation with the owner of a landscape nursery to advise you on this situation. It will save you from making costly mistakes and allow you to address the situation correctly. Then you will understand 'terracing' which may be the prefered solution. Either way, netting or terracing, it is important to stabilize the slope before planting. Most fast growing ground covers in Zone 7 are very invasive and after a few years you will hate them. Better to consult with an expert who can suggest shrubs and native plants that will grow in clay and afford you an attractive view. There is a solution to your problem, but as a non-gardener you need expert direction for a tricky situation. Hopefully you will set out to find the help you need before making some serios mistakes....See Moreneed help covering a retaining wall
Comments (4)Actually, I think you might be bothered over this for a reason that is purely of your own making. You might try a hit of ecstasy and see if the whole problem doesn't just go away. :-) Another factor is that you are prejudging the outcome of the project while it is still in a state of unfinished disarray. By the time that the mess was cleaned up and plantings were installed and grown out, I think you could count on a much better appearance. Too, the stone is going to weather out and take on a softer, more homogenized look. Plantings that trailed over the wall at strategic places would also work toward making the wall look like it has always been there and seems well integrated into the surroundings. Finishing the whole area with furniture, a few large containers & decor will, I think, be enough that you can put the color dislike out of your mind. Lots of times people focus obsessively on details of a new job. Later, as they start enjoying the space, they just forget about those things that once seemed so bothersome. I would finish this project and see if it becomes more tolerable....See MoreHelp with my retaining wall
Comments (4)Also, in areas with deep cold you may need a deeper foundation for stability from frost heaves. Are you planning this as a DYI or hiring it out? Are you replacing an existing wall or starting from nothing? Do you prefer stone over engineered materials like some type of modular block? If you are planning to DYI you will need to put in a proper foundation for your area and create proper drainage to release water from behind the wall....See More
Deb Zilch
4 years agoDeb Zilch
4 years ago
PROYardvaark
4 years agoMelissa B
4 years ago- PRO
Yardvaark
4 years ago everdebz
4 years agoMelissa B
4 years ago- PRO
Yardvaark
4 years agoIf you want a real fix, not a band-aid fix, it is to place a retaining wall outside of the walk, rebuild the walk, and adjust all the fixtures (railing, etc.)
But that will obviously be more expensive than the band-aid fix.
When considering the latter, you could easily mock it up on site with sticks vertically in the ground to represent the corners, and level strings connecting to the sticks to represent the top of walls/curbs. I think that would instantly give you confidence in what any idea would feel like in real life.
Melissa B
4 years ago
Yardvaark