Should I try to fix it? remove stones, dig out a few inches and fill with pea gravel as I rebuild? or attempt some completely different style of retaining wall? my neighbor redid his yard last year so I'm sure that took at toll on top of improper install.
what would you do if you were me?
by s3binator
13 Comments
Those blocks are not really meant for a retaining wall, more so for a flower bed, IMHO. You need bigger blocks than can be filled with 3/4in gravel and interlock to each other, usually 70 to 90lbs blocks are what id recommend, along with a good foundation, drainage and geogrid fabric if you really want it to last
I would re do it. You need drainage too
I am astonished that this is still standing lol. Are they glued?
I still get pushback on leaners.
Are they really worth 2 points?
I bet that is fill behind and not a cut soil wall and so there is a lot of surcharge
You will need to put in some geotextile and anchor it appropriately if it is going to last
mira grid or a similar poly textile/mesh and it will need to be four feet back into the landscape
the manufacturers of blocks generally have good pictures of this method done properly so it is not the complex
just depends on your skill set – a few hours on a mix excavator will make the digging easy
unfortunately I see this junk work all around town good luck!
Personally. And I know it’s not the right way 100%….
I’d knock it over gently. Looks glued. I’d drill holes in the backside, construction adhesive in rebar legs in an L shape all over the backside into them, dig the wall back a bit. Stand it back up, and refill, tamping as I go.
It’s not really super structural or going to mess anything up if it fails. And I’d be out $50 and an afternoon and have a straight wall.
Have you considered just letting be a slope and use it as an opportunity for a garden bed with a large shrub or some flowers etc.
Looks like the wood one is doing fine, if just demo and continue that along
Start again next door digging out and put drain pipe keep dry to stop push to bricks fell.
That’s not retaining all block, that’s modular cap. You need to excavate the rear of this wall 4ft from wall face and remove block as you go. Dig down 12 inches compact #57 stone in 4 different lifts at 4” thick per compaction with non woven filter fabric. Install 4” crush proof drainage on 1st course and build up from there. If my thoughts are correct install bi axle fabric “geo grid” mid way up the wall (4ft in width). Fill wall as you go with #57 stone then finish off with 8” of loam approx one block in depth and cap the wall. Contractors as my self will charge approx 77.50 +/- per face ft installation and material so something to think about.
I’m not sure how long the wood one will hold up either frankly. Does the neighbor really need their dirt built up this high? I’d discuss a shared redo of this situation.
This is not a retaining wall, this is just a wall.
Does no one first find the angle of repose when doing retaining walls? Haven’t seen that mentioned once in all my lurking here.