Types Of Retaining Walls And Where It Should Apply In Your Landscape

Retaining walls are designed to lock up soil and to landscape an outdoor area shaped accordingly on your desired design. It is constructed to counterattack the lateral pressure of the soil. It is sometimes made to add structure and beauty to a leaned landscape. It is intended to hold back soil in case of drastic change in elevation. It is usually used on outdoor to control erosion. Aside from the said advantages that it brings, it is usually used to add design, appeal and beauty to a landscape design.

But an improper built retaining wall may give you a problem and headache, so to avoid this here are some things that you have to consider in building a quality wall that will last longer without a problem:

1. It must be built on a suitable or right base. It is very important to start your wall with a good base by setting it below ground level to support the wall. A good base is made of compacted soil with compacted sand and gravel.
2. It must have been properly compacted with its backfill. It refers to the dirt behind the wall which should be installed directly behind the wall.
3. Ensure proper drainage of water behind your retaining wall. If not do so, there can be a water pressure behind the wall which can caused damage such as bulging or cracking. To make this happen, make sure your landscape contractor backfills at least a foot of space behind the wall with gravel and to have piped installed along the inside.
4. Know the height of your retaining wall and determines the load it can bear to calculate the proper height which will provide excellent strength for any other additional reinforcement.
5. Coordinate well with your worker on your plan and expected outcome so that they can work continuously without any destruction or hassle on their part and to avoid extra cost.

Since we are already aware on some things to remember in putting a wall for us to create a quality wall, below are the basic types of retaining walls to be used on residential landscaping.

• Gravity Walls. It is usually suitable as small retaining walls and not to exceed the height of four feet. It does not necessarily need the services of a landscaping company to be built. Its base is thicker that it’s top and is regularly leaning back towards the retained soil.
• Cantilever Retaining Walls. It uses much less material than a traditional gravity wall but require a steel support on its base and its surface. It is a single-layered wall built in uniform thickness that are capable of holding significant amount of earth and can support tall slopes.
• Sheet Pile Retaining Walls. Also known as piling retaining wall. It is usually used in soft soils and tight spaces. It is made out of steel, vinyl or wood planks.
• Anchored Retaining Walls. It is similar to piling retaining wall in a sense that they are both uses cables for added strength.
• Counterfort retaining Walls. This is closely similar to cantilever walls. The difference is that it is built with the addition of thin vertical concrete webs or counterfort installed at regular intervals along the rear side of the wall and is better and economical to use.

If you require retaining walls installation in your home or simply want to learn some tips from real experts, you may visit Diggers Bobcat Service website. It's a retaining walls Joondalup based company providing installation and supplies of quality retaining walls in the localities.