Retaining Wall FAQs

A retaining wall holds soil on a slope to create a flat surface on top or prevent erosion. Many homeowners do not comprehend the retaining wall concept. Below is an extract with some retaining wall FAQs to help you learn more about retaining walls. 

What Are The Benefits of Retaining Walls? 

The obvious benefit of retaining walls is that they help prevent erosion. For instance, if your landscape is on a slope, you could be worried that heavy rains could wash away soil, plants and fertiliser. A retaining wall allows you to level the slope, thus controlling and preventing erosion. Another benefit of retaining walls is that they help enhance the appeal of your landscape. For instance, the wall could have a beautiful brick pattern to make it stand out. Alternatively, you could use retaining walls to create terraces on your landscape. Terraces allow you to play with gardening ideas. For example, each landscaping level could have a different theme. Retaining walls also help increase the functionality of your landscape. For instance, suppose you own a beach property; a retaining wall could protect your property from harsh ocean waves.

What Are The Types of Retaining Walls? 

Gravity retaining walls use their weight to hold the materials behind them in place. These walls are pretty popular since they are easy to build and can be made from a variety of materials, including bricks or mass-cast in-situ concrete. Cantilever retaining walls are constructed using reinforced concrete. Usually, the build resembles an inverted T. Usually, the wall transfers vertical stress to the foundation. Embedded retaining walls are used to hold soil in place when building underground structures such as basements or bunkers. 

What Considerations Should You Make When Building A Retaining Wall? 

As a best practice, you should hire a retaining wall contractor to build the retaining wall. The contractor begins the building process by examining local building regulations to establish if they must comply with a particular standard when building the wall. Moreover, they check whether they need permits to build the retaining wall. Consequently, the contractor conducts a geotechnical survey to determine the soil conditions at the site. For instance, they would need a reinforced foundation to hold clay soil due to its expansion and contraction properties. The contractor also checks land maps to identify underground utilities that could be damaged during the build. Finally, the professional examines your needs and budget to determine a suitable retaining wall.  

For more information, contact a local company like Maitland Ready Mixed Concrete Pty Ltd.