anyone have experience building a retaining wall?
11-02-2009, 08:55 AM
#21
Super Moderator
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: VA
Posts: 2,532
My parents' property in Northwestern New Jersey is literally covered with large boulders. Many years ago the land was farmed, and the farmers hauled the stones out of the fields and left them in a row which over time became also became home to some huge old oak trees.
The problem with using large stones in Florida, is that there are no native boulders, and trucking in a lot of big boulders from many miles away is likely to run into a bit o'cash.
I'm thinking concrete might be your best bet, since nobody here seems to like railroad ties.
The problem with using large stones in Florida, is that there are no native boulders, and trucking in a lot of big boulders from many miles away is likely to run into a bit o'cash.
I'm thinking concrete might be your best bet, since nobody here seems to like railroad ties.
11-02-2009, 09:50 AM
#22
Super Moderator
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Posts: 5,425
I think I'm going to totally ignore any advice for anything but railroad ties, feel free to get your "I told you so" ready for when I mess it all up. Rocks are expensive, and I'm afraid of doing anything permanent involving mortar/cement (for now), especially since I would be cementing it up to the foundation. If there were any wall failure or damage, I'd hate for it to mess up the foundation at all. And if it turns out that we don't like the layout or the drainage doesn't work out, it would be much more difficult to change it. With the ties, it'll be a lot of labor, but we can dig it all up and relocate them if necessary.
As for the ties not holding, the walls will only be 2 or 3 high, spiked together and into the ground. I see walls this height all over, that have been in place for years without failing (with no "dead man" anchors). For drainage, right now I'm planning a french drain (or even something more robust) where the concrete of the driveway meets the dirt fill to attempt to divert a large portion of the rain water that comes from up hill, and french drains at each wall. Each wall will have a layer of gravel or some other rock between it and the dirt fill, with some sort of mesh or cloth separating the two.
I'm thinking of directing the water to a dry well, depending on the soil underneath, I'm not sure yet. I've been tossing around the idea of a small pond for our turtles, and/or a gray water cistern for a garden that I'd like to eventually have (or for flushing water in case of plumbing issues following a hurricane).
For the details on what rock and cloth to use, I'll be getting as much free advice as I can from the landscaper I'm buying the supplies from. I know different soil in different areas can change the way water drains, so I'm hoping he has some good advice for our type of soil.
For the folks who suggest just sloping it and sodding it, we've had problems with keeping grass growing where we want it. With dogs and kids, they tend to wear down the lawn in certain spots, and periodic dry spells can take their toll. Also, we have too much on our plates to spend a lot of time maintaining a healthy lawn (we mow maybe 5 times a year at most), keeping the dogs and weeds and pests off of it. This portion of the yard eroded over the years for several reasons, I'd hate to see it all happen again.
When we have more time and money, we'll go for a more professional, permanent solution; be it a sodded hill, concrete wall, or fancy bricks.
We're on a time crunch. It's the rainy season and I have my facial-rearrangement surgery day before Thanksgiving. So I'm going to borrow a truck and buy supplies after payday this week, and we're going to have as many men-folk as we can rustle up to help out this Saturday, tempted with home cooked meals and beer. I'll be sure to take a bunch of pics on our progress (if any), and of course any major disasters that occur.
As for the ties not holding, the walls will only be 2 or 3 high, spiked together and into the ground. I see walls this height all over, that have been in place for years without failing (with no "dead man" anchors). For drainage, right now I'm planning a french drain (or even something more robust) where the concrete of the driveway meets the dirt fill to attempt to divert a large portion of the rain water that comes from up hill, and french drains at each wall. Each wall will have a layer of gravel or some other rock between it and the dirt fill, with some sort of mesh or cloth separating the two.
I'm thinking of directing the water to a dry well, depending on the soil underneath, I'm not sure yet. I've been tossing around the idea of a small pond for our turtles, and/or a gray water cistern for a garden that I'd like to eventually have (or for flushing water in case of plumbing issues following a hurricane).
For the details on what rock and cloth to use, I'll be getting as much free advice as I can from the landscaper I'm buying the supplies from. I know different soil in different areas can change the way water drains, so I'm hoping he has some good advice for our type of soil.
For the folks who suggest just sloping it and sodding it, we've had problems with keeping grass growing where we want it. With dogs and kids, they tend to wear down the lawn in certain spots, and periodic dry spells can take their toll. Also, we have too much on our plates to spend a lot of time maintaining a healthy lawn (we mow maybe 5 times a year at most), keeping the dogs and weeds and pests off of it. This portion of the yard eroded over the years for several reasons, I'd hate to see it all happen again.
When we have more time and money, we'll go for a more professional, permanent solution; be it a sodded hill, concrete wall, or fancy bricks.
We're on a time crunch. It's the rainy season and I have my facial-rearrangement surgery day before Thanksgiving. So I'm going to borrow a truck and buy supplies after payday this week, and we're going to have as many men-folk as we can rustle up to help out this Saturday, tempted with home cooked meals and beer. I'll be sure to take a bunch of pics on our progress (if any), and of course any major disasters that occur.
11-02-2009, 03:31 PM
#24
Super Moderator
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Posts: 5,425
"Hold my beer...watch this!"
I couldn't imagine what we would do if I rented a bobcat. My brother contemplated borrowing the front end loader from his work and driving it to my house, about 2 miles away.
I couldn't imagine what we would do if I rented a bobcat. My brother contemplated borrowing the front end loader from his work and driving it to my house, about 2 miles away.
11-03-2009, 07:58 AM
#29
Super Moderator
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Posts: 5,425
11-09-2009, 08:11 AM
#30
Super Moderator
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Posts: 5,425
We laid 16 ties down so far, got the first tier and almost all of the second tier done, but not back filled yet. It went better than expected, I didn't have to change my plans at all, which is unusual. We overlapped at the corners for a stronger hold, and tied the first tier to the second tier as well (rather than just butting up against it) for strength. These things are very much worth the $8/piece that I paid.
None of the things I was worried about posed a problem:
1. chainsaw not cutting through the ties due to creasote- no problem, sliced right through!
2. drill bit (bought a 1/2" auger) wouldn't drill, were told it would gum up and shred- no problem, drilled right through!
3. measurements/expectations way off- no problem, everything lined up very well!
We didn't put gravel under the bottom ties, the landscaping guy we bought our stuff from said that it wasn't necessary if we had a good, hard-packed surface that doesn't get slushy in rain. We drilled and hammered 18"x1/2" rebar through any ties on the ground, and 12"x1/2" rebar to hold two ties together.
Between 5 of us (including the 2 female spectators/cooks), we went through about 34 beers.
None of the things I was worried about posed a problem:
1. chainsaw not cutting through the ties due to creasote- no problem, sliced right through!
2. drill bit (bought a 1/2" auger) wouldn't drill, were told it would gum up and shred- no problem, drilled right through!
3. measurements/expectations way off- no problem, everything lined up very well!
We didn't put gravel under the bottom ties, the landscaping guy we bought our stuff from said that it wasn't necessary if we had a good, hard-packed surface that doesn't get slushy in rain. We drilled and hammered 18"x1/2" rebar through any ties on the ground, and 12"x1/2" rebar to hold two ties together.
Between 5 of us (including the 2 female spectators/cooks), we went through about 34 beers.