How To Build A Retaining Wall

Many people nowadays are adding retaining walls to their properties. Retaining walls are a useful and attractive addition to your property since they add additional space for landscaping, a place to install a new deck area or patio, and most importantly it stops the erosion of your valuable land.

Most homeowners in Nanaimo face rugged and rocky terrain which leads to a low house value. This can be easily solved by building a retaining wall on their property.

If the retaining wall is installed properly it will add an attractive element to the property and will also protect your property for a long period of time from erosion. Building a retaining wall is a tough job hence you should hire a professional retaining wall contractor for the job.

But if you want to build a retaining wall yourself you will need to follow a certain set of steps in order to install it properly. In this blog post, we will talk about how you can build a retaining wall.

Why Should You Hire A Professional?

Installing a retaining wall is not an easy job; it requires a lot of strength and precision to install it properly. You will have to make sure that you are installing it properly.

Building a retaining wall is a full-fledged landscaping project therefore you must understand the basic steps involved before starting the project.

In areas where there can be erosion from water and waves or where the slope between the two pieces of land is particularly rocky, sandy, or steep, installing a retaining wall becomes more difficult.

If your property is in such an area you should take the services of professional retaining wall contractor to make sure that the job is done properly.

Building It Yourself

If you still think you can build a retaining wall on your property yourself, then there are some steps that you must follow.

You will have to choose the material that you will need in order to build a retaining wall, but there are many materials used for construction and some are more durable than others so you will have to choose the right materials that will last longer.

Apart from choosing the material, you will have to decide whether you are building a retaining wall to solve an erosion problem or to increase your home’s value. Because you will have to choose the material in accordance with the type of retaining wall you are installing.

No matter what material you choose to build the retaining wall the most important part of the project is the excavation and site prep.

So, the bigger your project is, the more excavation will need to be done, and since rocky grounds are common in areas of Nanaimo as well as other local communities the project will become more difficult.

Hence if you are planning to install a fair-sized retaining wall then it makes sense to hire a professional and experienced company that has the proper excavation equipment and can remove the excavated material.

Steps To Build A Retaining Wall

• The first step is to take exact measurements and mark the ground that needs to be excavated. This is an important step and you will have to do it carefully.
• Then you will have to excavate the soil to make a foundation for the wall. A pro tip is that the width of your trench should be double the front to back measurement of your blocks and the blocks should be placed partially below ground level.
• In order to make your blocks lay flat, you will have to prepare the trench by flattening the soil and smoothing the rough spots.
• If you are building a small retaining wall you will need to add weed cloth to the trench and line it with gravel.
• Now begin to place your wall bricks and blocks. Make sure that you use a level in order to make sure that your wall is flat and level.
• If your wall has more than one level then you will have to stagger the blocks so they don’t line up with each other. An easy way to do this is by cutting in half the first block of your second row and then laying them out.

These are the basic steps you should follow to install a small retaining wall on your property. But for bigger projects, you will need to hire a professional retaining wall contractor.

About Rough Rock Contracting

Rough Rock Contracting has been in the industry of excavation, site prep, and more for over 25 years. We are based in Nanoose Bay and are proud to serve our customers by helping them make their buildings better.

We offer services related to the septic field, large yard, foundation dig, rock breaking, site prep, excavation, and more. We handle all your excavation needs, rock breaking and septic field installations, foundation digs, site prep, and large yard-work projects. For more information contact us today.