Dirt Makes a Difference When Building a Retaining Wall

Want to build a retaining wall that looks good and will last a lifetime?  

There are some simple things you can do when building your project that will ensure your wall stands tall and straight and beautiful for years to come.  One commonly overlooked factor is the soil you are building on and trying to retain.   So it’s all in the dirt…

Look around your neighborhood…you will probably notice some of the existing walls are bulging, cracking, leaning or are simply uneven.  This is because many of these walls aren’t built to handle the weight of the hillside they are supposed to be holding back.

Even a small retaining wall needs to contain heavy loads.  Remarkably, soil weighs a lot and the type of soil you have can really change the way your wall is built.  Soil types can range from clay to gravel to organic types.  First you need to figure out the type of soil you have. 

Check out the information on soil types that Allan Block has to see what type of soil you have.  And then get building on the right kind of soil, and your wall can be the one in the neighborhood that stands straight and tall…the envy of the neighborhood!