Types Of Retaining Walls

Different retaining wall building materials give different advantages and disadvantages. The longevity of different types of retaining walls, however, depend on the building material used, volume of soil held back, structural design, and drainage.

Here are the pros and cons of the common types of retaining walls.

Modular and cinder block retaining walls - these building blocks are relatively cheaper. Installing them is easier for smaller projects, too. They are the most flexible when it comes to design. But, they can't hold back larger volume of soil.

Poured concrete retaining wall - They can handle tremendous amount of soil volume. They can be used to hold back steeper slopes, and they can conform to the contour of the land perfectly. But, they utterly lack style and design needed for landscaping purposes, and they are relatively expensive to build.

Railroad retaining tie and wood plank or round timber - they are among the cheapest choice for retaining wall and are readily available. They also give a rustic appearance to your landscaping design. But, they are the most prone to rotting and structural failure. Improperly treated wood retaining walls are also prone to termite infestation that weakens the structure in a very short time.

Bricks - they are flexible when it comes to adding pattern and texture to your retaining wall. They are also among the cheapest building material for retaining walls. But, they are notorious for collapse and structural failure. They can't be used to hold back larger volume of soil compared to other molded or block building materials.

Depending on your project and the amount you are willing to pitch, there's a right retaining wall for you. Just know the pros and cons of the different types of retaining walls so that you can get the most value for your money in your retaining wall.

 

Retaining Wall News:

 

Western Morning News, The - Seaside village loses its main road to works
August 26, 2010 -- The main road through the popular seaside village of Boscastle will be shut for up to 20 weeks this winter for roadworks. The...


Ogden River restoration project making progress - Deseret News
OGDEN EUR” The first phase of the river restoration project along the Ogden River Parkway is more than half completed. Current renovations are most visible between Washington Boulevard and Lincoln Avenue. Crews ...


Contractor licensing can pay for itself - Times Union
In Albany County, a new local law protects you against consuming trans fats in a bakery cupcake. But if you're ripped off by a shady home improvement contractor, good luck. You're pretty much on your own. There are ...


Sparks police looking for man who robbed bicyclist at knifepoint
Sparks police are looking for a man who robbed a bicyclist at knifepoint early Sunday morning...


West Side story: A new park, with dynamic geometry and bold interactivity, creates an urban oasis . - Chicago Tribune (blog)
Remember how people flooded into Millennium Park and instantly made it their own when the park opened six years ago? Something like that is happening now, a short hike west of the Willis Tower. You wont see ...


Grandmother and grandson hurt after SUV plows into wall at Bishop Museum - Hawaii News Now

Grandmother and grandson hurt after SUV plows into wall at Bishop Museum
Hawaii News Now
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) EUR A grandmother and her grandson were critically injured Tuesday after an SUV went through a fence and plowed into a retaining wall .
Police and FireHonolulu Star-Advertiser

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Inexpensive Bricky EUR Wall Building Tool | Unbiased Product Reviews
I have just managed to build a small retaining wall in my garden from reclaimed bricks, and I am absolutley delighted with it. I don't think I could have done it without the use of the bricky and the DVD showing me how to do it, ...


Charleston Gazette, The - Feat of clay:
August 23, 2010 -- Westward-pointing arrows. A W and a V nestled together, crudely rendered but recognizable as the WVU Flying WV logo. Two elongated pooches,...


Levee project faces yet another hurdle
The Stillwater levee wall project hit yet another snag this week, after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers informed the city that there are some hazardous materials in the project area that will need to be cleaned up if and when a levee project is started...


The new retaining wall on Fassnight Creek « James Radke Photography
The new retaining wall on Fassnight Creek. The stem wall footing has been poured, they will install steel concrete walls in which the cement will be poured to build the retaining wall. Enjoy the roots of the tree and dream of a dip in ...


Sparks Police Looking For Robbery Suspect
Sparks Police are looking for a suspect who robbed someone early Sunday morning...


West Side story: A new park, with dynamic geometry and bold interactivity . - Chicago Tribune (blog)

West Side story: A new park, with dynamic geometry and bold interactivity .
Chicago Tribune (blog)
Rust-colored steel retaining walls hold some of the mounds in place. Wong and his colleagues on the job, Hana Ishikawa and Brad McCauley, deserve credit for .

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Becker County takes tough stand on lake retaining walls - Park Rapids Enterprise

Becker County takes tough stand on lake retaining walls
Park Rapids Enterprise
f there's one lesson that came out of the Becker County Planning Commission Tuesday, it's this: For God's sake, people, don't try to build a retaining wall .

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Sewer Overflow in Homewood - CBS42

Sewer Overflow in Homewood
CBS42
This overflow is due to damage to a sewer line by outside contractors working on an unauthorized retaining wall. Matt Alpaugh, Chief Engineer for the .

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Tribune - Review / Pittsburgh Tribune - Review - Motorcyclist killed in Sheraden crash
August 21, 2010 -- Belford Austin was a Marine veteran who loved repairing, building and riding motorcycles. The Sheraden man was killed and his...


It's money down the storm water drain - Deccan Herald

Deccan Herald

It's money down the storm water drain
Deccan Herald
The records says desilting, laying chain link fencing and construction of retaining wall of the drains have been completed in stretches where there is room .

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Sewer Overflow in Homewood
        A Jefferson County sewer line at Oxmoor Circle in Homewood has experienced an overflow. The Environmental Services Department of the Jefferson County Commission has issued an advisory stating that the creek that runs behinds Buffalo Rock and West Oxmoor Park has been affected. This overflow is due to damage to a sewer line by outside contractors working on an unauthorized retaining wall ...


Best Plants to Use on a Retaining Wall - Associated Content
Plants for a retaining wall can work to soften the hard lines of a wall, help hold the soil in place and add to the overall design and texture of your garden. Adding plants to your walls takes a lot knowledge ...


I-470 will reopen on Friday; it had been closed by pavement collapse - Kansas City Star

I-470 will reopen on Friday; it had been closed by pavement collapse
Kansas City Star
The July 17 pavement collapse, attributed to a groundwater buildup that caused the soil underneath a retaining wall to slide, left a 34-foot-wide gap in the .
I-470 Set To Open Friday, 43 Days After Collapsefox4kc.com

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Collapsing wall poses an imminent risk, city says - Herald News
Ruth Steger stood in her like-new condo kitchen of granite and hardwood counter tops and cabinets where half-ton cement blocks fell akimbo just beyond the patio door. That was four years ago. EURœOn Saturday, Oct. 26 ...


Times of India, The - In a dilapidated 'wada', Rajguru memorial work in a shambles [Pune]
August 27, 2010 -- PUNE: A proposed international airport, a residential school run by the Krishnamurti Foundation, an SEZ at Khed and acres of farmland are...


Local Airports Get Grants From FAA - msnbc.com
KSBW.com The Federal Aviation Administration has announced several grants that will be awarded to Central Coast airports. EURœA smooth transportation system is vital to our economic growth, and these grants improve and ...


Man who crashed into Hillsboro retaining wall and fled gets six .
Cody James Reid, 21, crashed his car into a small retaining wall in a Hillsboro neighborhood and ran from the scene...



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