Absolutely! Even a 2-foot retaining wall needs an effective drainage system. Without it, water can build up behind the wall, leading to pressure that might cause the wall to lean or even collapse. All walls need systems to manage water effectively, preventing damage over time.
The height and length of your retaining wall also affect the overall cost. Taller and longer walls require more materials and labor, increasing expenses. For the cheapest retaining wall, consider building a shorter wall or using terracing techniques to reduce the required height.
For DIYers, it's easiest to use concrete retaining wall blocks that interlock. Interlocking blocks fit together and add extra security to the wall. For retaining wall ideas, visit your local store for inspiration. When the soil behind a retaining wall gets wet, it exerts much more pressure and weight against the wall.
Excavation
Dig a trench for the bottom row of blocks. They should be buried about 1 inch deep for every 8 inches of wall height. This provides strength and stability to your retaining wall. Make sure that your trench is level and compacted.
Base thickness = 1/8 of the height of the wall but not less than 12 inches. Stem thickness = 6 inches + ¼ inch for each foot of wall height.
You may be wondering what the situation is when a retaining wall might be necessary – let's take a look! In most cases, a retaining wall is needed when the slope of the land exceeds a certain angle, usually around 4:1.
You can make a 3-foot-tall concrete block retaining wall if you have average DIY skills and a reasonably strong back.
Typically, retaining walls up to four feet in height can be constructed based on the manufacturer's guidelines without additional engineering input. These recommendations ensure that the wall can support itself and the forces exerted by the soil behind it.
Soil saturation is the most common external factor that causes retaining wall failure, but there are many ways to prevent it.
Gravity retaining walls
They are the simplest and earliest recorded type of retaining wall. Built of concrete, masonry, brick, blocks or mass cast-in-situ concrete, these hard-wearing structures rely on their large weight to resist toppling and sliding caused by the lateral earth pressure from the soil behind them.
In summary, retaining walls do need a footing to ensure they are structurally sound and have proper drainage to prevent cracking or collapse. Without a footing, the ground beneath the retaining wall can shift, which can cause the wall to shift as well, leading to cracking or collapse.
A concrete block retaining wall is one of the most common versions because it is simple and relatively inexpensive to build. Because concrete blocks are available in various sizes as well, they are a versatile option, especially when filled with concrete and/or rebar.
The average cost to build a retaining wall is $20 to $50 per square foot or $40 to $300 per linear foot. Installing a 50' long retaining wall costs $4,000 to $10,000 on average. Retaining wall labor costs $10 to $30 per square foot, and material prices are $5 to $20 per square foot on average.
All posts should be 2.4m apart from centre-to-centre, except for the two end posts which should be 2.3m apart from centres (this will give a 12 metre long wall using 2.4m sleepers as rails).
Poured concrete is the cheapest type of retaining wall, in terms of materials. Pressure-treated pine is next, and wood retaining walls are becoming more popular now. If you prefer stone, granite is generally the least expensive option.
Concrete block retaining walls must be stronger than freestanding walls. Insert rebar in the footing when you pour it; this should be done every three blocks or at intervals specified by your local codes.
Proper drainage is critical to prevent water buildup behind the wall, which can lead to pressure and eventually cause the wall to fail. For effective drainage, the choice of gravel is paramount. Fractured rock is often the preferred choice for the drainage layer of retaining walls.
Yes. It is entirely possible for you to create a retaining wall yourself. In order to achieve the best possible retaining wall, you must be aware of all the processes required, and ensure you are able to do them.
What Is the Cheapest Material to Build a Wall With? While prices of materials will vary depending on where you're building, the least expensive types of siding for exterior walls tend to be vinyl and composite. Vinyl is synthetic, low-maintenance, and comes in all different types to match aesthetic desires.
A gabion wall is a retaining wall made of stacked stone-filled gabions tied together with wire. Gabion walls are usually battered (angled back towards the slope), or stepped back with the slope, rather than stacked vertically.