Building A Rock Retaining Wall At Home

The wide base needs to go back into the slope at least half as wide as the wall is tall.

Building a rock retaining wall at home.

The easiest way to build a stone retaining wall is to use the dry stack method that requires no mortar between stones and does not need a concrete footing like mortared walls do. In other words for a four foot wall two feet wide. Building a retaining wall is suitable for diyers as long as the wall is a maximum of 3 feet tall in most areas. Prepare the footing photo by russell kaye.

This makes your rock wall into a 50 year wall. How to build a short retaining wall this 2 retaining wall is a great architectural element that also serves a purpose to keep dirt from a sloping yard from going into the driveway. A wall that leans into the soil it retains is less likely to be pushed outward by soil pressure than a plain old vertical wall. The interlocking retaining wall block can be used to build walls up to 24 to 36 inches high depending on the size of the block.

This ditch will act as the wall s footing and prevent the rocks from sliding forward due to pressure from the earth behind. Without this simple footing the rocks have a tendency to move. Dig a trench that s below the frost line and 2 feet wider than. Once built you ll have a rock solid retaining wall without all the heavy mortar lines.

Lay high quality stones and use a geotextile backing to ensure the wall lasts a long time. Try to cut the ditch into native soil rather than loose added soil as the former provides a more stable foundation for the wall. Using a tape measure decide the length and the width of your retaining wall then mark off the area with the garden stakes and string. To create a solid foundation dig a trench for the first course of your interlocking retaining wall blocks to sit in and make sure the ground remains even throughout.

The success of your retaining wall depends on a level base. Avoid having downspouts pointed at the retaining wall and if it s against the house keep soil and mulch well below the siding. Dig a ditch the length of the wall that is about a foot wide and 8 to 12 inches 20 5 cm 30 5 cm below the ground level. Plan for good drainage proper width height ratio and distance between tiers.

This footing is similar to a concrete retaining wall just not as engineered. Anything taller should be handled by professionals. Ask a stone yard to help determine how much material you ll need and have it delivered as close to the site as possible. Self stacking concrete blocks make building a sturdy retaining wall a much simpler diy project.

Design and build your retaining wall to slope at a minimum rate of.