Standard Retaining Wall Base Stone is a dry-cast wall stone. It’s made of natural stone, with a high compressive strength and a monolithic design, which are ideal for building the walls of large water retaining structures.
A retaining wall base provides a solid foundation for a brick or stone retaining wall, preventing eroding soil and slippage. Our retaining wall base stones are sourced from all around the United States and hand-sorted to ensure quality.
This is the strongest and most economical wall base stone available. It is made from a crushed rough stone that has been graded and shaped to meet exact specifications for use as a retaining wall base. The Base Stone grindings have high inert material content and are chosen to meet all grading requirements for both dry-laid and mortared rock walls.
The perfect base for your retaining wall, this stone will last you years after you install it. The material is thicker than most others in its class and provides stability while retaining an authentic appearance.
A retaining wall base is an essential part of any retaining wall project. The base of your retaining wall will help to keep the walls stable and prevent them from leaning, sagging, or falling over. The type of material used as a base will depend on the location where you are installing your wall and the type of soil that exists there. There are many different types of bases available, including gravel, sand, and stone pavers among others. You can also make your own concrete base using concrete blocks or cinderblocks
What is a retaining wall base?
A retaining wall base is the layer of material that supports the retaining wall. It should be at least as deep as the height of your retaining wall, so if you’re building a 6-foot tall stone or concrete wall, then you’ll want your base to stick out at least 6 feet into the ground.
The depth and composition of your base will vary depending on what kind of material you’re using to build it (gravel, sand or stone), but for most applications a 5-10″ thick layer is sufficient.
Uses of Retaining Wall Base
Retaining walls are used to prevent soil erosion, keep the wall from sinking into the ground, and protect against water seeping through. The base stone is placed at the bottom of your retaining wall to provide support for its load-bearing capacity. The stones should be spaced far enough apart so that they aren’t able to move around when you’re constructing your retaining wall above them.
What gravel do you use as a base for the retaining wall?
There are a couple of options, but the most common is a mix of gravel and sand. The combination of these materials makes for an inexpensive, durable base that is still able to drain properly. While it may seem strange to combine two types of materials like this, it’s actually quite common and effective and can be used in many applications outside of just retaining walls.
How deep should a gravel base be for a retaining wall?
The depth of the gravel base depends on a number of factors, including:
- The type of retaining wall you have. A stone-faced retaining wall should be built with larger stones and mortar joints to withstand pressure from any weight placed on the wall. A wood-framed or block-built retaining wall will need less depth than a stone-faced one.
- The height of your wall. As you build up higher and higher above grade, it becomes more difficult for water to drain away from your foundation before it gets deep enough to cause problems in your home’s exterior structure or basement walls.
- How much weight will be put on top of the gravel base? If you’re building an ornamental feature with minimal weight but lots of rain exposure, such as a stairway into your backyard garden area or some decorative stonework around the edge of your decking then there is less need for thicknesses under those areas because they won’t take much foot traffic nor experience high levels of rainfall (if any). If however, you are building an elevated walkway over grassy lawns where kids play soccer after school each day well then there’ll likely be regular foot traffic across its surface.
How thick should a paver base be for a retaining wall?
The thickness of your paver base will depend on the type and size of stone you use. If you use large stones, you will need a thicker paver base than if you use smaller ones. Check with your supplier for their recommendations on what size stone is appropriate for your project.
Is sand a good base for a retaining wall?
Sand is not a good base for a retaining wall. While it’s very cheap and easy to work with, and can’t provide the stability needed to support a retaining wall. If you want to build a sandbag wall, however, then the sand will work in your favor because it will help keep your bags together and prevent them from falling apart when they’re exposed to water.
How much paver base do I need for a retaining wall?
Retaining walls are designed to hold back soil from sloping land. The base of the wall can be made from concrete, stone, or earth. Paver base stone is used for most modern retaining walls.
How much paver base do I need?
Retaining bases should be at least 3 times the width of your blocks and about 18 inches deep. So if you have a 2-foot wide block, then your base should be 3 x 2 = 6 feet wide and 18 inches deep (3 x 6 = 18). For example, a 4 ft x 8 ft 8-inch block will require a minimum 9-foot wide by 24-inch thick bedding layer.
Uses of Retaining Wall Base Stone
The uses of retaining wall base stone are many. It is used to support the wall, prevent water from seeping into the soil, and help to prevent erosion. Retaining walls can be used for a variety of reasons including landscaping and garden design. Retaining wall bases helps to prevent soil from slipping when you build them; this is particularly important for vegetable gardens where crops might be grown using raised beds that need support from layers of rock or sand.
Steps involved in building Retaining Wall Base Stone
The first step is to prepare the site. This involves leveling and compressing the soil beneath and around the wall, ensuring there are no large roots or rocks interfering with your base layer of stone. Then you can set up supports for your retaining wall. You need to set up at least one support post per 2 feet of length, or every 10 feet if you have nothing but soil behind your wall. The next step is building your retaining wall we recommend using interlocking stones that fit together like puzzle pieces for an easy installation process. When building a base layer for a retaining wall, it’s important not to use thin stone slabs as these might crack under pressure from heavy soil or water accumulation over time (and who wants cracked walls?). Instead, we recommend using thick bedrock blocks as they are sturdy enough to withstand heavy loads but still light enough for easy transportation by hand truck if necessary.
Finally comes the finishing touches: adding mortar between each interlocking block so that they stay firmly connected together.
Why Is Base Required?
A base is required for a retaining wall to provide a level surface for the wall to sit on and prevent erosion, sinking, or tipping of the wall. A buried stone base also prevents weeds from growing up through the wall, which can weaken it over time. The most important reason for installing a base is that it makes the retaining wall more stable. Without a proper stone base, you may have problems with settling in areas where water collects, causing your project to fail prematurely due to unstable soil conditions.
How to Install Your Retaining Wall Base.
A. Start with a level surface. If you don’t start with a level surface, you won’t end up with a level wall. This is important.
B. Make sure your base is deep enough to support the retaining wall system you have chosen to install. The local code may require that an engineer or building inspector approve your plans before construction begins; it’s always best to check first rather than risk being told by someone who might not understand why what you’re doing is wrong and could even cause potential damage to property or injury if not corrected before proceeding any further with the construction of the wall itself (e.g., using soil as fill material instead of compacted gravel).
C. Use a tamping tool to compact the gravel into place within each layer until no voids exist between stones at any point along its length; this will ensure proper drainage so water does not pool behind retaining walls over time
Materials needed for Retaining Wall Base Stone
When building a retaining wall, you will need to purchase the following materials:
- Gravel
- Sand
- Stone (various sizes)
- Cement
- Water
- Cement sand (8 parts cement to 1 part sand)
Tools needed for Retaining Wall Base Stone
- Hammer
- Trowel
- Shovel
- Wheelbarrow
- Stake (or something to mark the height of your wall)
- Level
Cost of Retaining Wall Base Stone
The cost of retaining wall base stone depends on the size of your wall, the type of stone used, and how you install it. The largest factor in determining what you’ll pay for your new retaining wall is whether or not it needs to be reinforced with rebar.
If your retaining wall will be made of concrete blocks or bricks laid mortar-free (that is, without grout), then you won’t need any reinforcement because these materials are sturdy enough by themselves. If, however, your project involves regular concrete blocks or poured concrete—which are more prone to cracking over time—you’ll need to reinforce them with steel rods called rebar.
If you’re planning on doing this yourself (a good choice if you’re a DIYer), then expect to shell out around $200 per 100 feet (or $5 per foot) worth of rebar needed for the project. Keep in mind that this isn’t just the price tag on one piece but rather an estimate based on how many pieces you might need based on factors like how steeply sloped away from vertical each section needs protecting against collapse due erosion pressure exerted onto it due weighty material piled atop during construction process etcetera…
Labor cost of Retaining Wall Base Stone
Labor cost is a big consideration when designing your retaining wall, as it can make up a significant portion of the total cost. For example, labor costs could amount to $14/square foot for an 8-inch thick bedded stone wall and $11/square foot for a 6-inch thick bedded stone wall. This is usually higher than that of concrete walls; however, we have found that using smaller stones or precast walls reduces labor costs significantly.
Material cost of Retaining Wall Base Stone
A cubic yard of base stone is the most common material used to build a retaining wall. This can be purchased in bulk or pre-bagged for easier transport and installation. If you’re doing it yourself, we recommend buying a cubic yard of loose material and letting your local supplier mix it for you onsite using their machinery.
For example, if you want to build a 6-foot tall cement wall with an average thickness of 12 inches, then your total volume would be 2 feet * 6 foot * 12 inch = 144 cubic feet (CF). Since this is in CF instead of m3 (which is more commonly used), multiply your result by 0.132769: that’s how much it would cost per square foot.
Maintenance tips for Retaining Wall Base Stone
- Keep the area around your wall clear of debris and vegetation.
- Keep the area around your wall free of water: check for leaks in pipes, faucets, and sprinkler systems, as well as drainage problems caused by poor grading or erosion.
- Avoid using plants that are known to be damaging to retaining walls if possible. Examples include ivy, Virginia creeper vines, and dogwoods (which spread roots into cracks in the stone).
- Keep animals away from walls by keeping fallen tree limbs picked up off the ground otherwise, they may chew on exposed stones as a snack.
A retaining wall base is important to the overall stability of your wall.
A retaining wall base is important to the overall stability of your wall.
The base is made up of stones that are laid on the ground in front of the wall, which also serves to protect it from erosion by water and wind. The stones are held in place by a layer of gravel or other granular material like sand or crushed rock.
In Conclusion
The base of your retaining wall is one of the most important parts. If you want to build a sturdy and durable wall that will last for years to come, then it’s essential that you get this part right. The good news is that there are plenty of options when it comes to choosing the right base material for your project.
