Retaining wall

[BX Tex]

Me and my BX24 spent last summer building retaining walls to step down a hillside allowing easier access down to the waterfront. We're about 95% complete though the linked video only shows it about 70%. The upper wall is approx 3.25' X 75' and the lower wall is approx 3.25' x 90'


YouTube - The Wall

 

[Iowachild]

Absolutely beautiful! Very nice work!

 

[Dmace]

Wow! That looks great, excellent job!

 

[EddieWalker]

Very nice!!! How many blocks did you end up using? Did you get a volume discount on them?

Eddie

 

[CurlyDave]

I second the question on how many blocks and how much were they?

I am thinking of a similar project.

 

[310-510]

Impressive! How long? how high? Details. We need details.

Wow!!

Carl

 

[Egon]

That was an ambitious project.

 

[Dmace]

Impressive! How long? how high? Details. We need details.

Read his post...

The upper wall is approx 3.25' X 75' and the lower wall is approx 3.25' x 90'

 

[310-510]

Read his post...

Yup, it was late and I wasn't paying attention again!

 

[BX Tex]

Very nice!!! How many blocks did you end up using? Did you get a volume discount on them?

Eddie

I used a little over 900 blocks @ $4.62 ea. and 200 caps @ $3.82 ea.

I can't say that I got any discount for volume but the price is about what I expected if not a bit less.

The blocks Anchor Brighton Stone came from Pavestone Company and I had my local lumberyard order them for me.

They weren't the block I really wanted to use, but they were more than a dollar cheaper.... plus my guy let me store them at his yard and would load me 2 pallets on my trailer every weekend (while I was at work). Beside the price difference, the blocks I first wanted covered less area, which meant more blocks, higher price.

I thinks these look just fine

 

[JeremyL]

I hope the trees survive the cutting of their roots. And if they do, I hope the wall survives the roots growing back. Good luck on both counts.

 

[Sackett2]

Wow! that is nice. great job, and much more level-square-true than I could do

 

[EddieWalker]

I used a little over 900 blocks ...

That's impressive. I've never done anything near the size of what you just accomplished. It will add value to your home and make your yard more user friendly. I wouldn't worry about the trees to much. If they die, just plant new ones in their place. Trees are cheap and easy.

Eddie

 

[BX Tex]

I hope the trees survive the cutting of their roots. And if they do, I hope the wall survives the roots growing back. Good luck on both counts.

I know you may find this hard to believe, but I only recall maybe one or two roots and they were small ones. I was surprised myself... I think maybe since the trees were on an incline that most of the root system was on their back side.

Only explanation I can think of.

 

[Marshal9]

That is a very impressive job. You sure did pick up quit a lot of user friendly space in the process.

 

[JonKioti]

Nice finished job, hopefully with the stone behind it will stay drained and help keep it level.

Starting to look like Disneyland it's so clean...watch it!

Cheers,

Jon

 

[AchingBack]

Great job. I've done some retaining walls, but never out of blocks. My greatest concern in construction of the wall is hydraulic pressure, and its ability to deconstruct the wall. That is accomplished with proper drainage lines for water diversion, and a deadman installed at the appropriate spacing. Your wall looks very solid.

My only concern is where it appears the soil has been built up above the original level around the base of the trees. If so, if it is much deeper than before, the trees will eventually start dying from the top down. A few inches may not hurt, but remember, the root systems of those trees extend quite a ways. The problem with building up the soil is suffocation.

 

[BX Tex]

The least impact to my trees was a big consideration in coming up with a plan for this project. All the trees in the lower tier actually have 4" to 8" less soil surrounding them than they did before. The grade of the upper tier is pretty much level with the original base of those trees.

For drainage, each wall has 3" perforated pipe at the base, covered with 24" of 1" rock which is surrounded with fabric to allow water to enter, but not soil.

 

[AchingBack]

That sounds excellent, BX Tex. I'm sure your wall will last forever, almost.

 

[Gizmo2]

Holy crap, makes ours look sick. Very nice!