When building a retaining wall for the garden, it should be sturdy and long-lasting. It will hold back soil or rock from a structure or building and control erosion. There are many reasons homeowners may need to install a retaining wall. This can include preventing soil erosion, providing adequate drainage and proper water runoff, adding garden structure that enhances beauty. If you are considering building a retaining wall in your backyard, this article will provide some helpful information and tips so that you have an idea of what is involved in the process.
First Step: Determine Which Type of Block Is Best
Before you begin to build a retaining wall, it is important to understand the various types of retaining blocks. The size and weight of the block will determine how easy it is to work with, as well as its ability to withstand weathering. The type of soil when mixing concrete will also affect how strong your wall will be. You should also consider what type of plants you intend on growing in your garden and choose a block that won’t harm them if there is too much moisture between the joints in your retaining wall.
Once you have considered these factors, you can then decide which type of block would be best for your particular situation
Second Step: Think About The Drainage
The next step is to think about drainage. The soil should be able to drain water away from the wall. You do not want the soil to be too wet or too dry, otherwise the retaining wall will not be sturdy enough. If it’s too wet, the soil will erode and if it’s too dry, you will have problems with erosion as well.
Third Step: Weather in Your Area
The third step is to consider your area’s weather conditions. You want to do this because the way that a wall will perform in your region depends on the weather and soil type. For example, if you live in an area with heavy rain, then your wall should be able to handle water flowing through it. If you live in an arid climate and receive little rainfall, then your wall needs to be able to retain enough water for plants or trees as well as prevent erosion on slopes.
You also need to consider how much sun will hit each side of your retaining wall—this is important because some materials can get hot in direct sunlight while others may not hold up well during hot summer days. Wind can also affect how well a retaining wall performs (especially one made from wood); gusts of wind could blow away loose debris that accumulates against the face which would eventually lead them falling down onto people below if they aren’t properly secured down first
Fourth Step: Measure Your Wall Before Shopping
- Measure the length and height of your wall:
o How many feet long do you want it to be? If you’re building a retaining wall around a garden, this will probably be determined by how much space you need for growing plants or where the property line is.
If you’re building a retaining wall around the perimeter of your property, it’s best to measure from corner-to-corner at each end. Then subtract about 1 foot for every 20 feet for overlap with other sections so that they are joined together seamlessly without leaving any gaps open (unless this was intentional).
You can also opt for shorter sections if there are areas where you don’t need as much support or land elevation such as walkways through gardens or narrow paths between beds dedicated entirely to edibles like tomatoes which won’t require extra protection from erosion due to rainwater runoff onto nearby surfaces below them during storms.”
Fifth Step: Decide Where The Bottom of The Wall Will Be and Dig A Trench
After deciding where your wall will go, dig a trench to the desired height of the wall. This will be the base of your retaining wall. You can use a shovel for this step but it may be easier to rent or borrow a power tool such as a backhoe or skid steer loader that has an auger attachment on it (like this one). If you do not have access to these tools, you can hire someone else to dig out your soil for you. After digging out all of the soil from around where you want your retaining wall, level it with sand if necessary and compact it by running over it with heavy equipment like trucks or tractors until everything is nice and solid.
Sixth Step: Remove Any Stones, Grass or Compacted Earth
After you have located the wall in its final position, remove any stones and grass. This is easily done with a shovel or rake. It is important to remove all debris from the ground surrounding the area where your retaining wall will be built.
You should also remove any stones from the area where you plan on building your garden wall, as well as any grass or compacted earth (which can be filled with weeds).
Seventh Step: Lay a Base of Sand or Gravel
- Use a level to make sure that the base of the retaining wall is level.
- Lay down a layer of sand or gravel, and use a tamp or rake to compact it. Add more sand or gravel until you have reached your desired height (it is recommended that you lay out three to four layers). The last layer should be tamped firmly, as this will help ensure that all loose soil is firmly bound together and creates a solid foundation for your retaining wall.
Eighth Step: Build A Level Base For Your Cinder Block Wall
- Build a level base for your cinder block wall
It’s important that the base of your wall is level, otherwise the wall will not be straight and vertical. If you’re building it with blocks on top of concrete, use stakes to hold them in place while they’re setting, then let them dry overnight before adding more to them until you have a single layer at least 2 inches thick across the entire surface. You can also use stakes if building with just dirt; as long as they aren’t too close together or too far apart (say 4 inches apart), they should work fine
If using wood stakes: Drill holes into each end of each stake so that you can hammer through them when placing them into position—this will help prevent splitting which could cause problems later on down the line! Once inserted into ground securely enough so there’s no chance falling over during construction process (or at all) fill hole back up using sandpaper/metal file/etc., then move onto next step…
Ninth Step: Begin Building Your Cinder Block Retaining Wall
- Make sure to use a level when building your retaining wall.
- Use a spirit level to make sure the wall is level, straight and square.
- Use a tape measure to ensure the width and length of your cinder block retaining wall are even on both sides of the slope you are building.
Retaining walls can be used to protect the soil from erosion and water damage, but they are also often used as just a beautiful addition to the garden.
A retaining wall is a structure that helps hold the soil in place. Retaining walls can be used to protect the soil from erosion and water damage, but they are also often used as just a beautiful addition to the garden.
What You’ll Need:
- Concrete blocks (or cinder blocks)
- A leveler or plumb bob
- A screwdriver or drill with concrete bit, depending on how you want to secure your wall against your support structure (we’ll get into this later)
Conclusion
There are different types of retaining walls that can be built in your garden, but the key to any successful project is proper planning and preparation. This means choosing where your wall will go before you start digging into the ground or buying materials at a store. In this article, we’ll cover some basic steps for getting started on your next project
