Does Your Property Need a Retaining Wall?

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On June 17, 2015

If your property includes sloping land, you may be a prime candidate for slope failure. When an event occurs that removes vegetation from the hillside, such as fire, a flood or extreme rains, or even poor grading or landscaping choices, erosion begins to take place. That’s not good news for your property. This can cause serious mudslides to occur as the ground simply washes away down the slope or hill after the first rainy season following the loss of vegetation. Is your home vulnerable?

How does a retaining wall work?

A home positioned downhill from such an area could benefit from a sturdy retaining wall as a protective measure. A retaining wall is built specifically in accordance to the lay of the land. The most common walls are made from masonry and are placed at a right angle to the ground’s downward slope. The materials are positioned so that the natural hillside is held in place. Ordinarily, the wall is sloped backwards toward the hill it is intended to hold. The leaning of the wall is so slight that it is not necessarily visible to the eye of onlookers. An effective retaining wall keeps uphill dirt, debris and rocks from sliding downward.

Retaining wall materials

Depending on taste, a wall can be built with concrete, blocks, large rock, wooden posts or railroad ties. The density and design of the wall depends upon the severity of the slope’s angle and the level of damage that would occur if the hillside suddenly released.

Functional & attractive retaining walls

Not only functional, a retaining wall can also be a highly attractive aspect within your landscape design. Some choose to incorporate tiers for multi-level gardens. You could also opt to expand the usable area of a backyard or patio by incorporating the lower part of a slope and installing a wall to hold the remaining slope in place.

Proper Retaining Wall Construction

When you’re dealing with the level of property damage that can be caused by a landslide, it’s importance to contract a professional like Harpeth Valley Hardscapes. Adding or rebuilding a retaining wall should always be an experienced contractor. Harpeth Valley Hardscapes has the knowledge necessary to manage the technical aspects of retaining wall construction, especially when the retaining wall must hold up under the strain of tons of soil or water weight. Drainage will also be a consideration. A well engineered wall can last for decades, but one that has been shoddily constructed will begin to buckle and wear under the weight of the slope.

Have more questions about designing and building your retaining wall? Contact our helpful team at Harpeth Valley Hardscapes. With over twenty years of experience specializing in pool construction and the hardscape industry we are your Middle Tennessee inground pool installation experts. If you are considering installing an inground pool, or any other backyard improvements call Harpeth Valley Hardscapes today at (615) 236-8610. We look forward to hearing from you!

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