What Are the Advantages of A Retaining Wall?

While retaining walls are usually built to give a homeowner more space, or to help retain soil, they also act as a beautiful focal point for a yard.

They can enhance the look of a property, and can raise a homeowners property value.  

If we haven’t met before allow us to introduce ourselves. We are Back 40 Landscaping and our expertise is in retaining walls and hardscaping. We also like to bring education to those looking for retaining wall solutions.

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What Are the Advantages of A Retaining Wall?

Retaining Walls Prevent Soil Erosion

If eroded soil is cluttering your property, a retaining wall can help. Retaining walls are usually found in areas where extra support is needed to prevent dirt from sliding downhill.

Extensive erosion can ruin your landscape, and can even threaten the foundation of your home. 

Retaining walls can reduce soil erosion by lowering the angle of a sloping hill, and keeping soil in its place.

Retaining Walls Create Useable Land

If you have a slope anywhere on your property, you have land that is unusable. Prices of properties are going up, so you want to make the most of the land you have.

If you have a backyard that has lots of hill or mounds, you are not making the most out of your backyard space.  Hills eat up precious space in a yard, and are difficult to landscape.

Retaining walls can help create a useable, level area, in your backyard. This allows your backyard to appear larger, and gives homeowners a place to put a garden, walkways, or anything else you can imagine.

Retaining Walls Enhance A Property’s Value

A retaining wall can act as a beautiful focal point to your outdoor living space, and can be customized to suit your property’s needs.

A well-built retaining wall can change a drab yard into an aesthetically pleasing one. Flower beds, lighting, and even seating can give your retaining wall a wow factor. 

Since Allan block bricks come in different styles, they will allow your wall to integrate naturally with the other features of your yard, creating a beautiful backdrop for your outdoor space.  

Allan Block Retaining Walls Are Environmentally Friendly

Allan block Retaining walls are environmentally friendly, because they are made out of sustainable materials that are long lasting.

Unlike treated wood retaining walls, Allan Block concrete retaining wall block has no toxic chemicals to harm the earth.

 Because Allan Block retaining walls last longer than wood retaining walls, there is less impact on the environment when building the wall, due to only having to use machines and materials once while building.

Allan Block Retaining Walls Are Low Maintenance

Retaining walls that are made with Allan blocks are made out of concrete and are extremely durable.

 Because of this durability, they can stand up to harsh weather (rain, snow) that the Fraser Valley can see.

When retaining walls are built properly, they do not need to be repaired, and very little maintenance needs to be done on them over the years.

If your retaining wall has landscaping around it, it will need to be maintained.

Vegetation, whether that’s grass, or plants is a great way to control erosion, direct water where you want it, and generally sturdy up the soil surrounding your wall.

Weeds or vegetation growing in your wall are possibilities, and if caught early are easy to pull before they establish. Otherwise spraying them with a roundup or selective herbicide just like your lawn will be effective if done annually.

Annual spring inspection of the wall and surrounding area should alert you to anything out of the ordinary.

This maintenance is small compared to having to redo a retaining wall that has failed.

Retaining Walls Provide A Solid Property Marker

Retaining walls can provide a clear boundary between your yard and your neighbour’s yard. They can encourage people from stepping onto your property, or encroaching onto your land, and can be put beside a driveway, or along your backyard.

While retaining walls do not come without their problems, the advantages of having a retaining wall installed on your property outweigh the negatives.