A Retaining Wall Also Requires Routine Maintenance

A retaining wall is usually employed to keep back soil. It can either be used for a planting bed, to provide contour and definition or if your garden is on a slope or a hillside. In some instances retaining walls are employed purely to make a flat surface to plant on whilst other situations may call for a more permanent and sturdier structure. There are numerous different materials that you can use to construct such a wall, ranging from wood or stone to much more permanent structures including poured concrete.

In numerous situations it will be feasible to construct your own retaining wall. However, if you require a very sturdy and durable wall you'll want to get hold of a professional contractor to assist. The slope of the hill, the height of the wall needed and the soil that ought to be retained are only 2 factors that ought to be taken into consideration.

For a low wood retaining wall, you'd require the following material and tools: Gardening shovels and trowels, gravel, topsoil, carriage bolts, grub axes, circular saws, drills, screwdrivers and pressure treated lumber. Naturally the size and height of one's wall will determine the quantities required. Please note that if the aim of the retaining wall is to prevent your entire home from rolling down the hill this article is not meant for you - you will need expert assistance and fast

An improperly engineered retaining wall will fail Aspects including poor draining and design flaws can contribute to this and a fallen wall can pose a danger. For that reason it is important to make certain that your wall is sturdy and that everything from the foundation to the actualstructure is correctly secured. A limply retaining wall is just as ineffective as no wall at all

Once your retaining wall is in place it's also important to realize that the wall would require routine maintenance, just as any other building or structure would require Your very first step would to make sure that the wall is clean. Use a garden hose, scrubbing brush or even a power wash system to get rid of all the dirt and debris. Leave the wall to dry totally by leaving it for a day or two. As soon as the wall is dry you are able to add a waterproof primer to seal the wall again. Keep in mind that theretaining wall will be exposed to wind, water and sun and it is really critical that you seal the wall to extend the lifetime of the materials.

If you spot cracks and splits on the wall, make sure you fill it with liquid rubber. Small cracks and splits can very easily grow to be large cracks and splits if left unattended. Once all of the cracks are filled you can follow your waterproof primer with a waterproof sealer. For best results, apply more than 1 coat.

Building a retaining wall is not an overly challenging task and with a bit of routine maintenance your flowers, soil (and hopefully your house) won't come sliding down the slope