Ask Experts Questions for FREE Help !
Ask
    swerty2_04005's Avatar
    swerty2_04005 Posts: 11, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #1

    Apr 1, 2009, 06:11 PM
    Retaining wall. Job for pro?
    We have a hill in our back yard that had been dug into by the previous owners. We would like to build a retaining wall. The wall will be 20ft. Long and up to 4ft. High. We have done some homework online and have only found examples up to a couple feet high. Is this something that can be done by the average Joe, or should we hire a pro?
    21boat's Avatar
    21boat Posts: 2,441, Reputation: 212
    Ultra Member
    		  
    #2

    Apr 1, 2009, 08:15 PM

    What's your skill level and what do you want to build the retaining wall with. Concrete poured. Block wall. Interlocking deco block.

    Can help here build big retaining walls all the time.

    Post back even if you hire it out. Can't tell you how many concrete or block retaining walls I had to rip out with the backhoe and replace.
    swerty2_04005's Avatar
    swerty2_04005 Posts: 11, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #3

    Apr 2, 2009, 04:03 AM
    We were hoping to uses blocks-12"x7" that slightly taper in the back. We had also done some research on a hidden morder technique and were hoping to do that, in hopes that it would be stronger. We have never done a retaining wall before but we do have some experience in doing a brick patio. And we have a friend that has assisted in building a couple walls. We were just concerned about the hight of the wall and if there was anything more we needed to do to reinforce it and keep it safe.

    Thank you,
    Sarah
    rtw_travel's Avatar
    rtw_travel Posts: 347, Reputation: 36
    Full Member
    		  
    #4

    Apr 2, 2009, 12:38 PM

    In our jurisdiction, walls over 3' high need to be engineer approved.

    What we have done is made two walls each of 2' height, with a two foot garden between them (i.e. a terraced effect) . If you have the space, it can look really nice.
    amricca's Avatar
    amricca Posts: 851, Reputation: 92
    Senior Member
    		  
    #5

    Apr 2, 2009, 12:44 PM

    RTW is right on, you can build 2 two foot walls without an engineer. There is certain distance they need to be apart, I want to say 2 feet but could be wrong there. Hard work, a pro would get it done way faster and already have all the equipment.
    rtw_travel's Avatar
    rtw_travel Posts: 347, Reputation: 36
    Full Member
    		  
    #6

    Apr 2, 2009, 02:23 PM

    amricca's gut feel is right - it's 1 foot of horizontal space for every foot of vertical wall. So a 2' wall needs a two foot (minimum) garden. 3' wall needs a 3 foot space etc.
    swerty2_04005's Avatar
    swerty2_04005 Posts: 11, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #7

    Apr 2, 2009, 03:30 PM
    That is a great idea! Thank you everyone. We had not thought about it that way. We were just think about something staight up and down. A terrace look would fit in and look great in the yard with the trees around it. Thanks again.
Not your question? Ask your question View similar questions
 

Question Tools Search this Question
Search this Question:

Advanced Search

Add your answer here.


Check out some similar questions!

Do I need a retaining wall? [ 3 Answers ]

Hello, I am going to be building a simple pole barn style shed, approximately 20 ft wide and 16 ft deep. The poles will be sunk into undisturbed soil, but the terrain where I want to place the shed slopes. The slope is about 3 feet over the 16 foot depth of the shed site. I'll be filling this...

Retaining wall [ 1 Answers ]

We put in a 24 round above ground pool... our yard is graded and they had to dig 31/2 feet into hillside to level... now we have this ditch sort of likearound 3/4 of pool... what the heck do I do to hold back all the earth from sliding into ditch and the walls of the pool..?

Exterior retaining wall [ 4 Answers ]

Retaining wall runs the length of my property on the side of my house going from 2' to about 4' high. As it has been there many years would like to paint or use some product to spruce it us as I just had a concrete walk installed adjacent to it and the wall now really looks bad... please let me...

Retaining wall [ 4 Answers ]

Hi all I have a 1.9 metre drop in elevation from my grade line on my home to the back alley and was wondering what the specs of lumber has to be tobuild a retaining wall, sections will still be 8 feet. What size posts and what thickness of planks do I have to use, and finally how far up towards...

Do I need a retaining wall? [ 8 Answers ]

Hi, Sorry for the long post... I've just had a 15x24 ft above ground pool installed. There is a slope of about a foot, so at one end the pool is ground level, and a foot in-ground at the other. The guys working for the pool installer say they're finished the job, but they've left a 1 foot...

View more questions Search