Retaining wall and leveling project:

[Kodthree]

first - very nice location!
second - what do you have available in your area? what can you move it with? timeline? 1 month? 3 years?
third- do you want to incorporate a walk out dock into your plans?

If it was my place therre- I'd source out a large amount of large boulders on my land or rocks from local stone quarry. If the stones were about half size of a car or larger, I'd hire out a excavator to place the rocks for you. Normally I would do it myself, but its right next to the water and if anything happens, its not on me if it tips into the water. I'd start placing rocks/stones right in the water edge and dry stack them up till its at your desired height. This would maximize your space. In my opinion using the largest stones/rocks you can get will allow you to just place it where you want it without much prep and it won't move since its so heavy. After the wall is done, I'd would take my time to bring in dirt/clay what have you locally cheap and start filling in after putting fabric inside the walls to stop dirt from leeching out.

If you insist on doing all the work yourself, then use smaller rocks a tractor can move and get a good base at least a couple foot down at the water edge , not in water.

We have a quarry just 4 miles away, and can probably order anything. Transport will be via rented dump trailer, and placement would be with either neighbors excavator, or rent one (what size would I need)? Would I need to dig a shelf or flat area to stand the stones on before placing them? Great suggestion on the fabric, too. I get it.

 

[Kodthree]

Rocks may settle some due to their weight. To avoid that put down small gravel and "bed" the bolders in it to get more contact between bolder and soil (small gravel fills the "interstices."

Pat

Roger, wilco! Thanks.

 

[Kodthree]

I have built some retaining walls and second the warning to get first course level. More is needed than just level though. You need to dig out more than you think necessary and put in gravel, tamping/compacting in lifts to not exceed 3-4 inches. Level this and lay your first course so half a block is below original grade (dirt height, not grass. This is more expense and work but... it will greatly reduce the odds of differential settling over time which will make the job look much worse than "rustic."

I also have cast concrete with rebar retaining walls that are 12 inches thick and have perforated drain lines at the mid level and bottoms to alleviate hydrostatic pressure problems. The drains run downhill and drain to daylight just above a backyard pond. These retaining walls have developed cracks but the cracks are cosmetic and not spreading due to considerable rebar. Wall height is over 12 ft and slopes to about 6 ft.

One way to get a better look is to line the forms with rock (I favor a little glue to hold the rocks to the forms (just a tiny dot of glue) and then when you pour the wall and remove the forms it looks like you have a natural rock wall.


Pat

Frosty, adult beverages and all the fishing you can handle are on me. When can you start Sir?

 

[Kodthree]

Here's another picture to keep you all interested: This is the view from the front of the lodge out across our lake. That's me in the kayak. Wife took the picture from the project area, near the edge.

 

[patrick_g]

I built a wall that was about 100' long and up to 4' high above grade. I ended up burying the first course under ground. Like said here, you want to dig down enough to have a base of 57 rocks (rock put under concrete). I then put some crush and run/tamped and level. Then set first course. I put perforated pipe behind the wall and back filled with a few feet of 57 stones to help drain to the pipe. The pipe was sloped all the way out to the woods. We got a lot of rain run off from the neighbors house so I wanted to be sure the wall held. I never had an issue with it while I lived there. I can try to find some pics of the progress. I did use the blocks that stack on top of each other and step back an inch or so each course. Each block weighed about 80lbs a piece. I was a bit sore after that project.

Amen brother... I used a trailer load of that kind of block (4 tons or so.) Mine weighed 84 pounds each except for the top course with no through holes and were heavier. These had the cleat in back so each course went uphill by a cleat width (inch?) Luckily I could get up close with the tractor/FEL. Go to trailer, load bucket, go to wall, and place the dozen or so blocks and then repeat. Now a few years later (older) the last retaining wall I built was made of the blocks typically sold at home and garden stores. Cleats in back but miniatures of the BIG ones. These weigh about 20 lbs or so and are still work to use. I do wish there were holes cast in the block so you could pin them and not rely only on the cleat. I'd like to be able to pin each layer to the one under it using say #2 or #3 rebar.

We don't get moose looking in the windows but raccoons do, frequently. I guess they are curious creatures. We do see deer, turkey, etc. and a few months back a tagged nanny goat came up on the back porch and looked in at us.

Pat

 

[patrick_g]

Frosty, adult beverages and all the fishing you can handle are on me. When can you start Sir?

Thanks for the offer but... We have 12 ponds on our 160 acres and don't fish as much as our friends. I might have time to consult and or advise.

Oh, regarding the rocks in the form... Your choice but what I helped with was fist size and larger mostly with smaller stuff to fill larger gaps so as to not expose large expanse of bare crete.

Pat

 

[radioman]

We have a quarry just 4 miles away, and can probably order anything. Transport will be via rented dump trailer, and placement would be with either neighbors excavator, or rent one (what size would I need)? Would I need to dig a shelf or flat area to stand the stones on before placing them? Great suggestion on the fabric, too. I get it.

I'd am all for using a rented trailer - but I wonder if it would be cheaper to hire out the rock delivery? the cost of truck breaking down is not worth it compared to paying someone to truck it in for you. As for your neighbors excavator-- I'd start having a conversations on his opinions as for what size you need. You definitely will want to dig out a shelf if your bank really steps off into the water. It all depends on your banks shape where you want the stones to be placed. If it alot of digging to create a flat spot- you might want to rethink your plan and just place rocks above the water line at edge. But IMHO- it just kills the look of having a waterfront rock wall and increases the maintenance of clearing debris at the edge. IMHO- the further the rocks are into the water - with a smooth placement just eliminates the chances for debris to pile up and work into the cracks and have algae grow.

 

[vanb]

One other important thing is the right fabric behind the boulder wall, so the dirt doesn't washout behind them. I had to rebuild some walls that we had done when we built our house because the wrong fabric was used. I've also built quite a bit of walls.