When it comes to landscaping, sometimes you’ll have areas that are prone to erosion or simply won’t be able to support the plants and other objects you want to put there. Making retaining walls is a great way to solve this problem and give your landscaping a finished look. With retaining walls, you can have beautiful ponds, streams, or other landscapes right in your yard without worrying about natural forces taking over. These types of walls are also an excellent choice if you have a hillside or another incline that provides a challenge when it comes to building gardens or planting trees. If you need help figuring out what kind of retaining wall you need, keep reading for all the information you need.
What is a Retaining Wall?
A lot of people aren’t sure what a retaining wall is. The best way to describe it is that it’s an outside wall that is built to hold back the soil. If a slope is too steep to plant on and you don’t want to landscape it, a retaining wall is an excellent and common solution. When homeowners are considering adding a retaining wall, they want to ask themselves a few questions: What are the slopes in my yard like? Will they hold the plants and produce what I want to grow? Do I need to add a retaining wall to hold the soil in place?
Types of Retaining Walls
There are four main types of retaining walls, and you’ll want to know about them all when you’re considering what you need for your yard. Here’s a rundown of the most common types: – Dry-stack wall: You can construct this type of retaining wall out of old bricks or stone, and it’s an excellent choice if you’re looking to save money on your landscaping project. Dry-stack walls are easy to build, but they aren’t very effective at stopping erosion. – Stonewall: This is another natural choice that works well in almost any landscape. However, it’s important to remember that building a stone wall will require some serious labor because you’ll have to carry the stones to the site. Poured wall: A poured retaining wall is made out of concrete and will be incredibly sturdy, but it’s also going to be the most expensive option on this list. – Wood wall: If you have the right type of trees on your property, you can build a wood retaining wall. This type of wall is best for flat areas and doesn’t have a very high capacity to hold back the soil.
When to use a Retaining Wall
Before you get started on any landscaping project, you need to make sure that you have all the facts about what you’re doing. For instance, you’ll want to make sure that you know the slope of your yard and what it can support. If you’re not sure, a retaining wall could be a great option. Retaining walls are often built to create a flat area in hilly areas or if you simply want to create a level surface in your yard, that’s tough to build because of the terrain. This can be helpful for gardens and growing produce, but it’s also a great way to provide a stable surface for plants and flowers.
How to Choose a Retaining Wall
When you’re picking out your retaining wall, there are a few things you’ll want to consider. First, you’ll want to make sure that it matches the style of your house. A brick wall is perfect for a more traditional home, while a natural stone wall will fit in with almost anything. You’ll also want to consider the material of your retaining wall. For example, a brick wall is more expensive than a stone wall, but it may last longer since it won’t break up as quickly. A poured wall will last the longest, but it’s also the most expensive type of wall. Finally, you’ll want to think about how the wall will be used. For example, if you’re building a wall around a pond, you’ll want to make sure it’s thick enough to withstand the pressure of the water and provide a sturdy barrier.
Pros and Cons of Retaining Walls
There are a lot of benefits to retaining walls. They’re a great way to protect the soil in your yard, keep water from flooding your property, and keep vegetation from growing too close to your house. They’re also a great way to provide a stable surface for gardening and growing produce. One of the only cons to a retaining wall is that you’ll have to maintain it. You’ll need to do regular inspections of the wall and make any repairs as needed. The other potential downside is that they’ll cut off the view of your neighbors.
Conclusion
Retaining walls are a great way to protect the soil in your yard and keep water from flooding your property. They’re also a great way to provide a stable surface for gardening and growing produce. Retaining walls are a great investment, especially if you live near a hillside or a steep incline.
