Leveling off the ground where you want to build your retaining wall is an essential step. A retaining wall, which can be made up of various materials from poured concrete to natural stones, is designed to keep soil on one side of the structure. Often used in yards with uneven topography, retaining walls not only help with erosion and water drainage but also add more usable space and visual interest to sloped landscapes. They’re also ideal for areas with poor soil conditions or when you have shallow-rooted plants.
Plants are essential to make a good retaining wall, so place one plant every five feet along the wall.
You will also want to add plants to the wall to help hold soil in place and prevent erosion. Plants are a good way to add color and beauty, but they can also help with privacy and cooling the wall in hot weather.
Don’t buy your materials too far in advance because this may cause you to purchase more than required.
It is common to underestimate the amount of materials you will need. For example, you may think that one cubic yard of stone will be enough but only to realise that it is not quite enough. You could then have to buy more stone or change the design of your wall so as not to have any gaps between the stones.
Also, if you are building a block retaining wall above ground level, such as one for a house foundation or driveway, then there will be additional material costs associated with bringing in fill soil and gravel from elsewhere.
Dig a trench 24 inches deep and 18 inches wide in the area where you are going to build the retaining wall.
Dig a trench 24 inches deep and 18 inches wide in the area where you are going to build the retaining wall.
The width of your trench should be narrower than the width of your block retaining wall, as this will help keep it from falling over as it’s being built.
Fill the base of the trench with gravel, but do not tamp down it down.
- Fill the base of the trench with gravel, but do not tamp down it down.
- Most people will tell you to tamp down your gravel so it stays in place. In fact, this is one of the most common mistakes people make when building their block retaining wall! Tamping will actually compact and settle your foundation soil beneath your stone more than it should be compacted, which can cause problems later on when you’re trying to build a sturdy retaining wall. It also makes sense if you think about it: when water seeps into a loose pile of sand and gravel, some portion of that water will be absorbed into the ground around them. If those materials are tightly packed together (because they’ve been tamped), then that portion becomes trapped within those materials instead of being released back into an underground reservoir where it belongs.
Use a spade or helper to level off the gravel as much as possible.
Use a spade or helper to level off the gravel as much as possible.
Leveling is important for the next step, which involves placing the first row of blocks on top of your foundation. Make sure that the rows are straight and even from side to side.
The next layer should be made up of 2 inches of coarse sand that extend 6 inches past the edge of the gravel on each side.
The next layer should be made up of 2 inches of coarse sand that extend 6 inches past the edge of the gravel on each side. This will create a deeper foundation, preventing erosion and helping to ensure your wall remains stable for years to come.
Level off the sand just like you did with the gravel.
- Place the sand in the form and level it off with a ruler.
- Smooth out the sand with a trowel until it is perfectly even with no high or low spots.
- Use a level to make sure the sand is level on all four sides of your block retaining wall frame.
You may need to use a spirit level if you are working on uneven ground or if you have any doubt about how much your blocks will settle when they are filled with concrete and then set in place as part of this wall project.
Place your first course of block across from each other at either end of the trench and then place another layer on top of that.
Place your first course of block across from each other at either end of the trench and then place another layer on top of that. Make sure your blocks are level, so you can use a chalk line to keep everything level. If you don’t have a helper, you can use a level to make sure the blocks are level or just try to eyeball it yourself.
Use a chalk line to keep everything level and make sure all blocks are sitting firmly on top of each other.
- Use a chalk line to keep everything level and make sure all blocks are sitting firmly on top of each other.
- Check your block retaining wall with a level to make sure it is straight and level along its length.
- If you need help laying the blocks, get someone else to help you (the more people working together, the faster this job will go).
- Dig out the trench for the block retaining wall using a spade or shovel—a deep trench is better than one that’s too shallow because it will give you more room for error when laying your blocks later on in step 5 below: digging deeper means less chance of having an uneven foundation below any part of your project which can lead to cracks developing over time as moisture gets trapped inside where there should be none.
After laying down three courses, backfill 4 to 6 inches with tamped soil along both sides of each block.
After laying down three courses, backfill 4 to 6 inches with tamped soil along both sides of each block. This will help prevent water seepage through the membrane and keep it in place as you continue building up the wall. You can use a tamper to compact the soil if you have one available or simply stomp on it with your feet or knees (depending on how tall you are).
In order for this process to work properly, you need to tamp down the soil well so that there is no visible soil showing through anywhere on top of your concrete blocks.
Add a flexible permeable membrane between layers and over top of the bottom layer to separate them from any water drain off.
To complete this step, you’ll need:
- A flexible permeable membrane to separate the layers of dirt and block. This will keep water from seeping into the blocks and causing them to crack.
- Tamped soil to act as a base for your wall.
- A chalk line that’s 2 inches longer than whatever length of block you’re using so that you know exactly where each one goes when laying it down.
Building a retaining wall is not that hard, it just takes some time and patience.
Building a retaining wall is not that hard, it just takes some time and patience. There are a few key things to keep in mind while building your retaining wall:
- You will need the right tools for the job. This includes a shovel, rake, level and tape measure.
- You will need to have the right materials for the job. This includes stone or concrete blocks which come in various sizes (4 inches thick is standard). They also come in different colors so you can add an artistic touch to your project.
- You will need to have a plan before starting this project so that there are no mishaps or mistakes made during construction time which could lead up costing more money down the line when fixing mistakes was unnecessary because better planning occurred beforehand.
Conclusion
This is just one way you can build a retaining wall with block. There are many other materials that can be used and techniques utilized, but this method is very easy to follow and has been proven successful. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below! I hope the information contained in these articles was helpful for those looking into how to do such an endeavor themselves.
