Retaining walls have the ability to accent the design of your landscape, strengthen the soil, and act as a foundation for a garden. Retaining walls are especially beneficial if you have a sloped property since this kind of property is more vulnerable than others to erosion. If you are interested in having a retaining wall built on your residential property, you may want to learn more about retaining wall design so that you can be familiar with the decisions that professionals make. Here are three important factors that are taken into consideration when designing retaining walls.
Solid Base Construction
There are various materials that can be used to build a retaining wall, but it doesn't matter what materials are used if there isn't a solid base to hold it all up. Retaining wall bases generally constructed below the ground. As a general rule, the taller the retaining wall, the deeper into the ground that the base needs to be. The base can be made from a variety of materials including compacted soil, gravel, and soil.
Drainage Strategy
To ensure that the retaining wall has the capability of lasting for years to come, it needs to built to stand the test of time, which means it needs to be able to hold up against an incredibly destructive force: water. One of the most effective ways to do this is for a drainage system to be built. For drainage to be properly facilitated, the soil needs to be stacked behind the wall and then a pipe should be ran through that soil. Then, any water that hits the retaining wall will run into the pipe through what are known as weep holes, ensuring adequate drainage.
Reinforcement
You may have an idea of how tall you want your retaining wall to be, but the height of the wall will also rely heavily on the reinforcement that the retaining wall requires. For instance, simple rock retaining walls don't tend to be more than about four feet or so in height, and as a result, they don't need much reinforcement. If you have a sloped property and require a terraced or higher wall, then there is a good chance that anchors will need to be incorporated into your retaining wall design.
If you are interested in having a retaining wall designed and installed on your property, contact a landscaping company such as Rock Solid Services LLC in your area to learn more and get the process started.
