retaining wall

[Gittyup]

Still under construction. But, getting close. It's 28' across and 4.5' high. Used about 20 ton of stone between foundation and backfill.

Tractor has been indespensible. Couldn't have even attempted to do this job without it. My back is aching though. Wish I could have found a way to use the tractor to place all those blocks

 

[Yankee]

Nice clean work. Having put in smaller walls, I can appreciate the effort yours took.

One thing I don't understand is the missing step. It looks dangerous.

Also, what technique did you use to level your footing fill? It looks flawless.

 

[emmy71]

Looks like the missing step is an optical illusion. The last picture shows how the steps are laid out. Nice work.

Terry

 

[coreshot]

Very nice work. I hear on the ol' back though, I've been building one that is 90 feet long by 5 foot high. I pace myself to only buy a pallet or two of block a few months apart so I don't have to throw it all at once.:thumbsup:

 

[ditzel]

Nice job. Thats a lot of back, sweat and money in that there wall. I'm going to be doing one myself here in a few weeks. I too would like to know your method for getting such a level base.

 

[Gittyup]

Thanks for the compliments, everyone.

My method for a level base isn't very scientific. I leveled it pretty good when I dug out the trench, not miticulously, but "about level". Then I put 8" of crusher run in the trench, tamped it real good, and leveled that with a long 2x4 and a 4' level, and tamped again. I used a short 2x4 and a torpedo level to level it front to back. Then I miticulously leveled each stone as it was placed, both to earth level and to each other. I used the bullet level for each stone and the 4' level to keep stones level to each other. The 4' level would cover every group of three. A big rubber mallet (I think this is the key thing) came in real handy for beating them down when just a little high (I wore out my cheap chinese mallet and had to buy a new one today). Needless to say, I still lifted and placed each stone probably on average somewhere around 2.5 times each for that first course as I would set them, find them too high or low, take them up and add or remove cnr, and tamp again.

What you see in the photos took me 2 long (12+ hour days to do), not including the digging, trenching, and cnr leveling. That took another 8 hours or so. I worked on it today for another 8' or so, but at a much slower pace because I'm worn out. Now cutting through the fence and continuing the steps on up the hill.

Getting that first course level is the most important thing. Then the rest is just mindless, back-breaking, stacking. And it's like the "Prince and the Pea" for subsequent rows. The smallest gravel under a stone will cause it not to sit flat. So, do a good job sweeping when you fill. The rubber mallet helped here sometimes too.

The photo angle of the steps makes it look like there is a step missing, and actually the top step tread is missing, as are all the caps on the right side (I've decided to leave the rest of the caps until last). That top step, when installed will actually be part of a 6'x6' landing where I will be putting a gate through the fence before going up a few more steps.

Hand railing is next. Not sure what I'm going to do there. Probably just use iron piped planted in concrete, with welded pipe rails.

 

[scoutcub]

Gittyup -

Very nice work! I just bought a house with a 50 or 60' retaining wall behind it. I'm going to add a garage so will be extending the wall a bit. Not looking forward to that part of it.....

Question;
I looked closely at the pics, but can't tell if the wall is vertical or stepped back?
When we were househunting, we looked at a house that had a small vertical retaining wall that was failing....although it was holding back a HUGE bank, probably 50 feet high.
Just curious?

 

[Gittyup]

Gittyup -

Very nice work! I just bought a house with a 50 or 60' retaining wall behind it. I'm going to add a garage so will be extending the wall a bit. Not looking forward to that part of it.....

Question;
I looked closely at the pics, but can't tell if the wall is vertical or stepped back?
When we were househunting, we looked at a house that had a small vertical retaining wall that was failing....although it was holding back a HUGE bank, probably 50 feet high.
Just curious?

The blocks I used have tabs on the bottom that lock into the row below. The tabs locations force the wall to angle back 5/8" per row. So, yes it angles back, except around the steps, where I deliberately made it more vertical by knocking the tabs off on some rows. This project has been way more work than I thought. So, be prepared for it.

Watch out and plan for your septic (or is it a well cap) I see in your photo.

 

[scoutcub]

The blocks I used have tabs on the bottom that lock into the row below. The tabs locations force the wall to angle back 5/8" per row. So, yes it angles back, except around the steps, where I deliberately made it more vertical by knocking the tabs off on some rows. This project has been way more work than I thought. So, be prepared for it.

Watch out and plan for your septic (or is it a well cap) I see in your photo.

OK, got it. looks like that wall will last 4ever!
And yes, that is my well cap that I will work around, thanks!

 

[crashz]

Nice work Gittyup!

 

[TommyJD790]

That is some fine craftsmanship Gittyup.

I'm in the beginning stages of my retaining wall project. I've done the fun part, digging out the embankment with the tractor, now for the back breaking part this weekend.

I had pallets of blocks delivered today, and just looking at them makes me think it's already time for a beverage.

TommyJD790

 

[Gittyup]

Thanks. I'm pretty happy with it. Laid the last heavy blocks today. Ended up added 4 more steps and 2 landings as I went through the fence up the hill into the yard. Now I'm way short on caps. Will have to order 44 more to finish it. But, I'm glad the heavy lifting is over.

Now it's just the caps and about 84 sq. feet of pavers to lay... Then hand railing.....Then a new gate in the fence.....Then a concrete pad at the bottom of the steps at the barn basement door....Then a new door on the barn......then gravelling and finishing 300 feet of driveway. Jeesch! Good thing I said "just" Obviously there is a lot left to do.

Get that first course level and yours will turn out just as good, if not better.

 

[TommyJD790]

Here it is Gittyup.

Just a straight wall, 32 feet long and 2 1/2 feet high.

You must be a workaholic, cuz there's no way I wanted to be lifting these blocks for 12 hours a day. I probably worked 7 1/2 hours on Saturday and 3 on Sunday before I got some seat time on the tractor and did the backfilling and grading. I cheated a little though. I had my neighbor come over with his brand new blue tractor to do the york raking.

TommyJD790

 

[Gittyup]

Very nice, Tommy! Looks great. Been looking for a good used york rake myself. But for this project, my box blade has worked very good.

 

[crbr]

When we were househunting, we looked at a house that had a small vertical retaining wall that was failing....although it was holding back a HUGE bank, probably 50 feet high.
Just curious?

Most likely the wall did not have any drainage system behind it. Water will push a wall just like a D8 Cat, just a little more chronic about the movement.

 

[Gittyup]

Finally finished the wall and steps. The plan for 6 steps turned into 11 steps, plus to landings. All I left to do (on this project anyway) is repair the fence and build the new gate, plus a little earth grooming on the sides.

 

[Gittyup]

Two more...