replace retaining wall with grade?


  #1  
Old 04-13-08, 05:23 PM
C
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replace retaining wall with grade?

Last year I tore out a 3 foot tall rotten timber retaining wall from my backyard. Because I don't want to spend the time building another wall, I was thinking of merely creating a graded slope, then soding over it where the wall used to be (see picture).

Here's the catch:
My driveway comes around to the back of the house. Then, there is a strip of 5 feet of level yard between the former wall and driveway, then the yard slopes downhill from there roughly 15 degrees. With sloped earth replacing the retaining wall, I am afraid the ground will begin to shift downhill away from the driveway (the old wall ran the exact width of the driveway).

Are my concerns valid?

If I do have to rebuild the retaining wall does anybody have suggestions for a wall that would require the least work possible?

click on thumbnail for larger image



 
  #2  
Old 04-13-08, 05:55 PM
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As has been said on this forum many times, a wall is only as good as the drainage system behind it. For least labor involved in constructing a wall, there are dry stack systems available. But, you need to address drainage issues.
 
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Old 04-14-08, 01:17 PM
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I agree with Twelvepole, the drainage is important to address. You will need to build it with that in mind. Probably the easiest material for you to build with would be the segmental retaining wall products aka SWR. I did a google with the term:
segmental retaining wall
and clicked on 'Images'.
http://images.google.com/images?hl=e...-8&sa=N&tab=wi

There are many manufacturers. If you repeat the same search with 'Web' at google you'll easily find them. Here's a basic sketch of what you will need to do.
http://www.totalscapelandscaping.com...alls/walls.htm

You will need to also keep in mind how deep you will need to dig to be below the frostline so the wall won't heave.

Newt
 
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Old 04-15-08, 03:52 AM
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Considering the distance that you have from the old wall to your drive you will not have a problem, I have seen many county roads built closer to a grade than yours. In the worst case scenario, you will have to build a wall if ten years from now it begins to settle. the others were mentioning drainage of your wall, I have built many a drystack wall and have come to the conclusion that it is not necessary to tile behind drystack walls less than 3 ft.in height as the wall itself allows excess moisture to weep out providing you back fill with sand.
 
 

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