Retaining walls

[Gizmo2]

Our experience (first time) building our retaining wall is with this type of block it is almost impossible to keep the thought process far enough ahead not to make mistakes. We had plenty.

 

[smfcpacfp]

This last summer:

I guess it is still there. I took this picture today after 190" of snow:

 

[Gizmo2]

Too cool!

 

[rox]

Nice job SMFCPACFP and also to Mrs. SMFCPACFP.
Gizmo2 you and your wife did a great job. It really enhances your home with the new deck and all. Just beautifle, both projects.

 

[PILOON]

Hope you have solid base and lots of drainage behind those walls.

Our city contracted a series of similar retaining walls some 10 years ago and nearly all now need to be redone as frost heaving is doing serious damage.
Mfg specs call for gravel base below frost line with serious drainage and geotextile plus gravel backfill.
Looks great however.

 

[smfcpacfp]

Hope you have solid base and lots of drainage behind those walls.

Our city contracted a series of similar retaining walls some 10 years ago and nearly all now need to be redone as frost heaving is doing serious damage.
Mfg specs call for gravel base below frost line with serious drainage and geotextile plus gravel backfill.
Looks great however.

I have 40 tons of gravel on the outside of the walls and my soil is pure beach sand beyond that, so heaving isn't an issue.

 

[Gizmo2]

I have 40 tons of gravel on the outside of the walls and my soil is pure beach sand beyond that, so heaving isn't an issue.

We did the same with the gravel. Back filled with gravel all the way to the bottom and back about 4 feet and added drain pipe. Only about a foot of dirt on the top of the gravel. Did ours in 2005.

 

[workinallthetime]

Beautiful work, I have done several myself and all the work you do before you lay a stone is well worth it. I have a neighbor whe has decided to tear down a 15 foot tie wall and go back with natural stone he is picking up from around the area. I tried to tell him about soil prep and footing but he will not listen. Its going to be sad to see his house slide off the hill in a couple years due to cutting corners, not doing is research, and the incredible instabilty of clay around here.

 

[5030tinkerer]

The work is amazing. The various block manufacturer reps around Iowa go out of their way to say that having a footing beneath the frost line is not necessary. This never made much sense to me, but certainly saves cash and labor up front. Is the consensus that digging down to under the frost line for a segmented retaining wall necessary?

 

[smfcpacfp]

I didn't dig below the frost line. I didn't even think about it. What do you mean by a "segmented" retaining wall?