What You Should Know About Retaining Wall Construction

When home and business owners consider the landscaping of their property, they often consider retaining wall construction. Retaining walls are usually used to enhance a landscape and make it look more pleasing to the eye. There are a few things to consider before beginning construction.
 

One of the first things to consider is not just how the retaining wall will look on the outside, it's also important to think about what's going on beneath the soil the wall is being constructed against. If not thought out properly the wall won't look good or do its job properly for long.

Soil that's been sitting and naturally compacting by itself has what's known as a failure plane. This is simply the soil that won't stay together without any help, you've likely seen yards where the soil spills out onto the sidewalk. That's the point at which you'd want to start your retaining wall construction.

One of the most important parts of retaining wall construction is to make sure that you start with a solid, even base. Once your wall is at the height you want it, you'll need to fill in the area the wall surrounds so that the ground is level with the top of the wall. You'll also want to use materials that are able to absorb water at the spot where you've determined the failure plane exists.

If you simply fill this area in with soil, water will fill in over time, and push the retaining wall. The pressure will cause your wall to fail and most likely it will crumble. You want to use materials such as sand or gravel that are better at absorbing water.

Drainage is another important thing to consider. You want to make sure that you move any excess water not absorbed by your sand or gravel away from the wall. This is done with a drain tile which works a lot like the gutters you probably have on your home. It will help to move the excess water away from the wall keeping it safe from failing.

Retaining wall construction is a great way to improve your landscape. Make sure that you use quality materials and that your base is both solid and even. Lastly make sure that you use water absorbent material to fill in your failure plane, and install proper drainage. By remembering these points you'll have a landscape you can be proud of. Check the boat docks in Orlando website for more information and any needed help.