My first of many Retaining Walls to tame my slope - DIY

[dragoneggs]

Okay trying to tame my steep slope on 1.5 acres of incredible view property. Most of the slope is 20 to 25 degrees, some up to 35 degrees near house. Starting at the bottom. First wall will be 4 ft using Allan Blocks. These are 8 by 18 by 12 and weigh about 75lbs. Here are some initial pics...

First pic shows initial cut into hill


Had 10 yards of 3/4 crushed/clean delivered... oops! Misjudged the load and partially buried my Landpride Rake :shocked:


Cut trench, laid down perforated drainpipe, covered, leveled, and tamped gravel


First row down and filling with gravel and tamping (with beautiful wife that is carrying blocks with me!) :cloud9:

 

[stuckmotor]

Good start. I've got a killer slope myself and will be watching your progress for ideas.

 

[dragoneggs]

Good start. I've got a killer slope myself and will be watching your progress for ideas.

I should make a lot more progress during the weekend. Long days might allow me to get some work done after my paid job that is getting in the way! :laughing:
I plan to put a sheet of plywood behind the wall as I build it up to hold the gravel backfill next the wall and allow me to push fill behind it from the slope. Haven't seen that trick before but I figure I can fill in a course at a time and then pull out the plywood sheet and reposition. Comments?

 

[BeezFun]

I plan to put a sheet of plywood behind the wall as I build it up to hold the gravel backfill next to the wall and allow me to push fill behind it from the slope. Haven't seen that trick before but I figure I can fill in a course at a time and then pull out the plywood sheet and reposition. Comments?

We repaired bulging basement walls on a few homes when I worked concrete. We used a sheet of plywood when we backfilled to keep the stone against the new wall from mixing with the backfilled dirt. We put large C-clamps on the top edge of plywood and used tooth of tractor bucket to lift it up as we went. You won't be able to lift it by hand.

 

[EddieWalker]

Nice looking blocks.

How high up are you going to go with them?

Eddie

 

[MoKelly]

Very nice. Looks like you know what you are doing. Is the wall going to be straight up or do you slope slightly back towards the dirt/hill?

MoKelly

 

[Gary Fowler]

Those are nice looking blocks. I have never seen anything like that and they look expensive. I think I might have just went with a poured concrete wall setting on a big spread footer with a few drain pipes installed in it at the bottom.

 

[dragoneggs]

We repaired bulging basement walls on a few homes when I worked concrete. We used a sheet of plywood when we backfilled to keep the stone against the new wall from mixing with the backfilled dirt. We put large C-clamps on the top edge of plywood and used tooth of tractor bucket to lift it up as we went. You won't be able to lift it by hand.

Good idea. Just installed hooks on my bucket. Could be first use! I was figuring pulling the plywood up after filling about 1ft of gravel and fill on each side. How deep did you fill before pulling up plywood?

 

[dragoneggs]

Those are nice looking blocks. I have never seen anything like that and they look expensive. I think I might have just went with a poured concrete wall setting on a big spread footer with a few drain pipes installed in it at the bottom.

Thanks and yes expensive... Much more than I expected but they are very nice.

 

[dragoneggs]

Nice looking blocks.

How high up are you going to go with them?

Eddie

Trying to keep all walls at 4ft to avoid engineering, permits... But the two that will be near the top of slope next to house might be 6ft or so and I will need professional help then.