Retaining walls can be used to increase your land area and stop soil erosion, whether you’re a homeowner or landscaper. The creation of terraces on sloping terrain with usable land has been possible using retaining walls all over the globe. Retaining walls were used by the Ancient Egyptians to divert water from the Nile river into reservoirs. They also used retaining walls for controlling the flow of water into their irrigated garden.
Although retaining walls are most commonly made from concrete, they can also be made out of wood, steel, or sheet pile. A retaining wall consists of three main components: a foundation, a load-bearing substance, and a control joint. A base of six inches is sufficient. It should be composed of compacted gravel and sand. To avoid heavy rain damage, the base should be below the ground.
A retaining walls charleston sc is built to keep sloping soil from settling and to reduce slope angles. Drainage pipes can be installed into retainer walls. This will drain the water down into the soil below. Proper drainage requires that retaining walls are designed with weep vents at four feet from the center. These vents need to be kept clean and maintained clear. To prevent leakage, vents should have a waterproof liner.
A lack of maintenance is one major reason for the retaining wall’s deterioration. Without proper maintenance, mortar joints in walls can begin to deteriorate over time and allow water into the walls. It is possible to avoid this by making sure that the fence posts and railings have been properly embedded in the wall.
Seasonal changes can also cause deterioration. When the soil freezes during winter, water in the soil expands, which causes the wall’s shift. Walls could collapse if they wall isn’t designed to support more load. Retaining walls often are built alongside roads or along coastlines. Retaining walls can prevent the land from shifting away from fault lines in areas where earthquakes are possible.
A retaining wall can be constructed to hold an above-ground garden bed or water feature. These can be added to a retaining wall by adding a drainage tile to the back to prevent water from pooling.
A waterproof membrane is required for retaining walls. This will prevent water seepage and keep water from freezing. This is especially important for those who live in areas that experience freezing temperatures. To avoid drainage problems, it’s a good idea also to clear the area behind your wall of any vegetation or debris.
It is a good idea to keep the feet of your retaining walls below the required frost depth. This will help prevent frost heave which is when the soil freezes.
Another purpose of retaining walls is to hold back water from neighboring properties. You can create a retaining wall to contain water from neighboring properties.
