anyone have experience building a retaining wall?
10-29-2009, 03:34 PM
#11
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Posts: 5,425
Score, found some railroad ties for $8 each. They're lower quality (they have higher quality ones for $12 each), but I only need them to last a year or two, until I can get the bricks.
I think I'm going to start the wall at the last vinyl step-down, below the electric meter, making the first terrace step. That will also allow me to pull some of the dirt away from the upper part of the hill, in order to start on the second terrace. Any additional dirt needed will come from the portion closest to the gate, where the ground was sloped at an acceptable amount before the dirt was dumped, and there isn't a runoff issue there. If more is needed, there's an excavation company just a couple miles away that will dump a bulldozer-load into the bed of your pickup for a very reasonable price.
But I'm sure I'll change my mind 20 time along the way.
I think I'm going to start the wall at the last vinyl step-down, below the electric meter, making the first terrace step. That will also allow me to pull some of the dirt away from the upper part of the hill, in order to start on the second terrace. Any additional dirt needed will come from the portion closest to the gate, where the ground was sloped at an acceptable amount before the dirt was dumped, and there isn't a runoff issue there. If more is needed, there's an excavation company just a couple miles away that will dump a bulldozer-load into the bed of your pickup for a very reasonable price.
But I'm sure I'll change my mind 20 time along the way.
11-01-2009, 02:57 PM
#14
Member
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 32
advice/tips/suggestions needed!
Our house is on a hill. The downhill side has been washed away over the years. In-laws, who live across the street, are doing major home improvements (building an addition, extending driveway, etc.) which resulted in the removal of a lot of earth. The workers carted each load across the street and dumped it in our yard.
So now I have a very large amount dirt, 90% of it is where I'd like to keep it, it's flat and slopes slightly away from the driveway and foundation of the house. I want to keep it there.
The deepest/tallest portion is around 5'-6' deep. I was reading that building a wall that tall can get pretty complicated and pricey, making sure it's strong enough and dealing with drainage and such. I was thinking of dividing it into a 2 step terrace sort of thing.
Now, since this was a spur-of-the-moment thing, I didn't exactly save up for this landscaping project. I was thinking of using cinder blocks for the walls (there's a CL ad for cinder blocks at $.80 each), and when I can afford it, bricking up over the cinder blocks with something more attractive. I even read that I could buy molds for making my own blocks out of concrete, which I'm thinking I could color as well, for a decorative and cost-efficient finished look.
Your thoughts?
Our house is on a hill. The downhill side has been washed away over the years. In-laws, who live across the street, are doing major home improvements (building an addition, extending driveway, etc.) which resulted in the removal of a lot of earth. The workers carted each load across the street and dumped it in our yard.
So now I have a very large amount dirt, 90% of it is where I'd like to keep it, it's flat and slopes slightly away from the driveway and foundation of the house. I want to keep it there.
The deepest/tallest portion is around 5'-6' deep. I was reading that building a wall that tall can get pretty complicated and pricey, making sure it's strong enough and dealing with drainage and such. I was thinking of dividing it into a 2 step terrace sort of thing.
Now, since this was a spur-of-the-moment thing, I didn't exactly save up for this landscaping project. I was thinking of using cinder blocks for the walls (there's a CL ad for cinder blocks at $.80 each), and when I can afford it, bricking up over the cinder blocks with something more attractive. I even read that I could buy molds for making my own blocks out of concrete, which I'm thinking I could color as well, for a decorative and cost-efficient finished look.
Your thoughts?
11-01-2009, 06:41 PM
#16
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 14
How permanent do you want this to be? Do rebar and cement retaining wall and create steps where you want them. You can etch the concrete later for the 'pretty' look. You can google how to create a small retaining wall. Tying rebar is a pain in the *** back breaker but you'll only have to do it once.
11-02-2009, 08:09 AM
#20
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 3,928
also laid down landscaping cloth before adding the soil.. used a pvc pipe with holes and sock to channel water..