Retaining Walls

The steps going up to the deck needed to be reinforced for part of the installation.

I reinforced the area under the steps with two filler blocks prior to putting the wall in.  A pre-existing lentil sat on top of the two filler blocks.  The steps would rest on the pre-existing lentil after the wall was built.

I use filler blocks when making my foundation.  They are solid, plain concrete blocks that will be below the grade.  Since they will not be seen, there is no need for the more expensive retaining wall block.

Behind the wall, I installed permeable fabric.   I covered it with  3/4" clean stone.  Next a 4" perforated corex pipe is installed on top of the stone. It was covered with more 3/4" clean stone. Permeable fabric was draped over top of the drainage system before covering it with soil.

This was all done simultaneously as the wall was built upwards.  If done properly, the wall will not heave when the ground freezes.

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Two retaining walls were installed in the flower beds.

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This second wall is near the AC unit.

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Small retaining wall with walkway and steps.

The owner had material left in the yard from the previous owner.  I made a walkway and retaining wall over a sewer line that was replaced.

The sewer line goes behind the wall ....just barely.  It can be repaired without destroying the wall.

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This retaining wall was created for an above grade flower bed. 

  The foundation was installed from the lowest side working up to the highest point.  Block adhesive is used on the corner stones because there are no interlocking features.

The wall will be back-filled with topsoil.

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On the back side of the same house,  retaining walls were built on either side of the entrance.   A paver ramp goes from the front of the entrance up to the grade.

Imperial Rustic Block/Pavers  (Earth  color) was used.

There is a preexisting drainage trough in front of the door.

The foundations were installed so that when the walls were completed, the tops of both would be level with one another.  Also, they had to be equidistant from one another for the length of the wall.

There was a slight curve put at the wall ends for visual appeal.

This area was excavated for pavers.

I removed the drainage trough and reinstalled it so that it was:  at he proper depth, equidistant from the garage, and sealed so that water went out the pipes and not down into the ground.

The sub-base needed to be at the correct height to allow that the paver tops would  be just slightly above the surface of the drain.

The pavers were installed to direct water from the walls and garage entrance towards the drain.

Polymeric sand was used to seal the interlocking pavers.  This also improved the flow of water to the drain.  I could not use a plate tamper due to having the bricks angled angled at four different grades.  I pounded them in with a rubber mallet and a dead blow hammer.

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This customer wanted something done to the embankment so that they did not have to cut grass on the steep slope anymore.

The ground was first carved out so that footers and a foundation could be installed.  The wall would be highest on left side.  I installed footers with rebar then connected them together with more rebar similar to dental braces.  I was just experimenting with this technique.  It is not necessary if the footer is made correctly.

2A modified is tamped into place over the footers.

Next, stone dust is tamped over the 2A so that the blocks can nestle snug in the foundation.  I now use concrete sand instead of the stone dust.

Holes were drilled in designated blocks so that they could be set directly on top of the spike.  This prevents any heaving or pushing out due to the weight of the earth on the blocks.

I used stone dust in front and behind the block for stability.  These days I use rice stone to level the blocks.  Rice stone makes levelling the blocks so much easier.  It was found to be less prone to shifting.  Concrete sand is good to tweek the levelling process here and there.

Next, the foundation of the other rows were added one layer at a time.

With the foundation finished, the other layers could now be added.

A perforated corex drainage pipe sleeved with weed mat was surrounded by 3/4"clean quarry stone.  It was installed behind the wall for drainage.  Weed mat was used so that soil could not clog up the pipe pores or 3/4" quarry stone.
More 3/4" quarry stone covers the tube from the outside.  It was back-filled with top soil.

The wall grows.......

Finally, all that is needed are capstones and back-filling.

Capstones are cut with a diamond blade wet saw and custom fit.

This part of the wall was to have a set of steps added at a later date.

The block color goes well with the house and gives it a new look.

The area inside the wall was to be turned into a flower bed. The wall ends were to extend further and connect with other walls.   

Additional retaining walls will be displayed as these projects are completed.