Stone retaining wall construction advices: Get the first course right. Use a torpedo level to level each block front to back and either a 4-foot or 6-foot level to keep each course level and even. Set the blocks with a heavy rubber or plastic mallet. Getting the first course flat and level is extremely important, so take your time. Try to lay the course as close to the center of the trench as possible. Even a small pebble on the surface of a block will throw the one above it out of alignment. And that crooked block will affect the one above it, and so on. That little stone could eventually create an unattractive hump in the top course.
If the block Retaining wall is more substantial as in a metre high or more then the fence would have to be behind the wall instead of through or on top. Most Segmental Retaining Wall blocks do not have a big enough cavity or void for the fence post to be directly concreted inside them and would lack the strength to hold the weight of a fence. Generally, most walls are built using an aggregate (Gravel) backfill or in some circumstances No Fines Concrete (NFC). Because of this, an allowance has to be made for the fence post at the early construction stage such as installing PVC Piping as a sleave for the fence post to fit into, this would require some forethought and good planning.
Colorado Retaining Wall specializes in the building and repair of retaining walls. Whether the wall is for a backyard or driveway of a residence or a commercial Shopping Center, we design and build large block walls for all Earth retention requirements. We have the ability to fortify the wall with shotcrete or soil nails which would include helical tie-backs or micropiles. Nearly every wall we build requires engineering and we have deep relationships with engineers that work hand-in-hand with our foremen regardless of the size of project. Please read our reviews and look and our photo gallery. Find more information at Colorado Retaining Wall Builder.
Spacers are set to maintain spacing and support the form prior to the pour. Wire ties snug the form and resist the pressure of the wet concrete. Wales align the form and brace the studs in forms more than 4 or 5 feet high. Two horizontal walls are sufficient for most forms, but they should not be spaced greater than 30 inches on center. For lower, lighter walls, it is possible to cast the wall at the same time you cast the footer. Larger walls always require separate pours for the footer and wall.
DON’T forget to allow for drainage. Groundwater is the natural enemy of retaining walls. When it saturates clay-type soils, they swell and put excessive pressure on the backside of the wall. To avoid failure, make drainage provisions at the same time as you go about building the retaining wall. Backfilling the space behind the blocks with crushed stone and then installing a flexible perforated drainpipe (available at The Home Depot), also called “drain tile,” at the base of the wall could create the necessary escape route for groundwater. The perforated pipe will carry groundwater to each end of the wall where it can drain harmlessly away. The ends of the drainpipe should then exit on each end of the wall, and you may cover them with crushed stone to camouflage their appearance.