Building a retaining wall for landscaping or home improvement can be an enjoyable DIY project because constructing it is pretty funny. If an owner possesses sufficient knowledge and knows the calculation of constructing one, he can surely build successfully for himself.
Retaining walls are constructed to hold the soil behind it in its place because when water enters into the soil, the shear resistance slowly decreases, and stress increases. When the stress exceeds the resistance capability of soils in that slope, landslides occur. Retaining wall ideas hillside will be discussed here.
People often become confused while constructing one in their land, and most of the time, they become worried about the materials. We recommend you use the concrete blocks because these can be the best choice. Wood materials can often decompose after absorbing water, though these materials provide a natural look. But after the decomposition, the entire structure may collapse easily. Here, we will show you the ways to build a retaining wall using concrete blocks step-by-step.
Retaining wall ideas hillside with concrete
At first, you will need a few basic things for the construction, and after that, you should advance slowly.
Things that are required
- Shovel
- Hand tamper
- Geotextile
- Level measuring tools
- Construction adhesive
- Cement
- Perforated pipes
- Gravel and stones
Procedure for constructing the retaining wall
- Preparation and excavation
In the beginning, you need to calculate accurately for the installation of this retaining wall in your backyard. The width or base of the wall is important and try to maintain the width nearly 0.6 times more than the height. Dig the trench after the calculation is done.
2. Place the gravel and stones and compact the soil
After the excavation is done, the owners need to use the geotextile and place the stones and gravel. These stones and gravel will improve the drainage system under the construction. After this, compact the area with a hand tamper slowly, and after that, check the level once again with the level measuring tool to understand whether it is leveled or not.
3. Place the first layer of the blocks
It is time to use the concrete blocks. Place three or five blocks on the ground and check the level. If it seems okay, then place the perforated pipes and use cement to fill the gaps. After that, use the adhesive material and place the second layer one by one. If the first layer is not leveled, either remove some of the stones beneath the blocks or add some. Using perforated pipes will improve the drainage of the design.
4. Backfilling
Once the building is done, it is time for backfilling. Many people do mistakes here because some may advise using native soils directly but remember that placing the native soils right behind these structures will increase the pressure slowly, which will affect the longevity of the wall. Therefore, we encourage you to use stones and gravel as the backfilling materials and use the native soils after that. It will prevent the retention of the water behind the wall.
A concrete block retaining wall can stand for a longer duration if it is managed properly.