You may think that all retaining walls are pretty much built the same, and will last around the same amount of time, if the materials used to build the wall are similar. If you look around any neighbourhood, you will find some walls that are standing and look amazing, while other wall systems are failing and look less than desirable. Retaining walls can be made with the exact same material at the same time, and still not be built the same way. It is imperative to the longevity of your project to hire a contractor that knows the best practices for building a retaining wall, and will not cut corners on your project.
Being in the retaining wall industry for over eight years, with Allan Block training and certification, our goal is to educate homeowners on all things retaining walls and help them make a more informed decision with their project.
You wouldn’t go to a DR. that wasn’t qualified, so why hire a contractor that isn’t? You may say to yourself that having a wall built is less important than your health and well-being and rightfully so. However, when having a reinforced retaining wall built, there are many things that can go wrong. If your contractor does not know how to build a retaining wall properly, your wall system could fail, causing damage to not only the wall itself but your property, and home. What is even worse, if anyone is near the wall (think of the height of the wall) when it fails, they could get seriously injured. Walls that are built incorrectly will have gaps and holes in them, or look unsightly due to waves in the wall taking away from the aesthetics of your yard. Whether your wall is failing or looks bad, you will need to get it redone, adding more stress, time and money that could have been avoided by hiring a professional to build your wall system.
Unless you love the look of a wood retaining wall, there is really no reason why your contractor should be recommending that your wall be built with it. Allan Block concrete is a material that lasts a lifetime, whereas wood retaining walls last 10+ years. Because Allan Block is made specifically for retaining walls, the concrete wall will never rot or decompose. Another plus for using Allan Block retaining wall blocks is that it is safe for the environment.
One of the biggest parts of a retaining wall project is excavating the soil. Excavating the soil takes skill and time, and if you want it done right, proper machines. If your contractor does not have machines that can excavate and move soil from the back of your yard to the front to be hauled away, it can be time consuming and messy. The amount of soil that comes out of the ground grows by 1.3 times its size once excavated, and will need to be hauled off site with a dump truck or trailer. If these are not available to your contractor, the homeowner could be left with unwanted piles of dirt in your yard.
The reason you want to excavate a lot of soil is that you want to be able to replace that soil with gravel. If only a little bit of dirt gets excavated for your wall, the amount of gravel that gets put in its place is not going to cut it, and your wall will fail from lack of gravel being put in.
Having enough gravel for your retaining wall is imperative because gravel is essential to the base of the retaining wall, and is integral to the reinforced retaining wall. It provides a solid level of foundation to build on, as well as allows any water to drain through the gravel. Again, if your contractor does not have the right equipment, it will be difficult for them to bring in the proper amount of gravel for your wall, as it will need to be brought in by wheelbarrows.
The retaining wall blocks below are failing because there is no gravel behind the wall.
Burying the first row of retaining wall blocks aids to the strength of the retaining wall, and makes sure that the wall system does not slip out. This takes extra work, and can get skipped because the contractor does not have time to do this step. If this step is skipped, your wall could slip out, causing major damage to the concrete wall and surrounding outdoor space.
When filling the bricks with gravel, (which is reinforcing the retaining wall) it is not uncommon to see contractors core filling just the middle of the wall. The back of the concrete wall needs to have gravel. Allan Block requires a minimum of 16” of clear draining rock or 12” of no fines concrete directly behind the wall, and prefers the infill soil area to be a compact-able material such as ¾” minus or road-base. Most contractors do not abide by this, and if your concrete wall is not built using proper backfill material, you will have a problem with your retaining wall.
You want your retaining wall to not only last but look great, as it is surely a focal point to any backyard space. It is not easy to get a concrete wall to look completely straight, and takes time and skill to lay the bricks properly no matter what type of wall is being built. If the retaining wall blocks are placed quickly, this can cause your wall to look uneven and wavy. If even one single brick is out of alignment, the entire wall will be.
This can be avoided by string lining both the bricks and the caps, and being meticulous in laying them. By laying each retaining wall block one at a time, and making sure that the brick is level from side to side and front to back, your concrete wall will be straight, and wave free.
When having any project done at your place, be sure to do your research, and learn best practices ( read best practices for retaining walls) for the job you are wanting to have completed. By being educated, you can find a contractor that is a great fit for you and your family, and enjoy the beauty of your yard for years to come.
If you are ready to invest in a retaining wall that will last, contact us today!