Here, 40 creative retaining wall ideas that are a step above the rest. “Steep surfaces almost always have to have some sort of intervention in one way or another.” Retaining wall materials including concrete blocks, bricks, wall stones, railroad ties, or treated timbers-allowing for plenty of hardscaping options that suit your house. “Flatter and uniformed surfaces are more expensive than steep ones,” Lobeira says. What’s more, creating a retaining wall can boost the value of your house. “Many retaining walls end up as garden or terrace backdrops,” he adds. These builds can even double as seats or corral all your backyard greenery in a neat landscape.Īesthetically, a retaining wall can turn an unworkable incline on the land into usable, uniformed surfaces, notes Mauricio Lobeira, Monterrey, Mexico-based architect, interior designer and cofounder of Ten Plus Three. “They can also be used to create topographic interest or create smaller features, such as raised garden beds,” says Collin Koonce, director of landscape architecture and urban planning at BKV Group, a holistic architectural design firm, based in Washington, D.C. You might think that retaining wall ideas are all about function-after all, retaining walls prevent soil erosion and reduce the risk of flooding-but they are not all utility these structures can enhance an outdoor space by creating levels, evening out a hillside, and even using pavers to produce a pathway. “Though retaining walls are most commonly used to create a functional area out of a sloped terrain, they do serve other functions.” “At the basic level, a retaining wall is a structure that holds or retains soil behind it,” explains Joe Raboine, director of Belgard Residential Hardscapes, an outdoor hardscapes company. That is, if you’re talking about retaining wall ideas in your landscape design. ![]() Your point is well-taken about rebar keeping walls from tipping.Putting up walls can be a good thing. At the same time, my impression is one can realistically expect only 10-15 good years out of timber-constructed steps/walls, and maybe another 5-10 years with repairs or "tolerable" rot.Īt the moment I'm leaning towards timber steps and concrete walls, but sort of go back and forth. For a small yard in what will eventually become a rental property, it is difficult to justify and afford the cost. Pressure-treated landscape timbers are not good for your garden, since they’re in contact with the soil all the time. So choose pressure-treated landscape timbers carefully. If they’re not, you’ll risk compromising the integrity of the wood. We will probably be leaving the home in a year or two and at that point it will become a rental property, so there is obviously an attraction to "set it and forget it." At the same time, the cost (especially hiring out) of concrete or stone is astronomical, especially in this area. Pressure-treated landscape timbers are also likely to be cut to fit your project. ![]() We have retaining walls to do as well, which also factor into the wood vs concrete debate. My wife and I keep going back and forth about this for the backyard. Your point about organic vs mineral is well-taken. Larger diameter would require the sledge.boo. If one steps up to pipe instead of rebar, is an equivalent diameter of pipe stronger? What kind of pipe would be best for ACQ contact? One advantage of rebar is I could drive them pretty deep fairly easily with a SDS-max hammer and ground rod driver. I expect San Francisco is more forgiving than Seattle in regards to wood rot but Phoenix would probably be the type climate best suited for wood longevity. My suggestion is to consider constructing steps with flat rocks, pavers or other mineral material and not use organic material. It was still in the original installed position. One 15' timber was used as a wheel stop for cars turning around in the driveway. Pre-treated options help ensure the wood will last up to seven years without needing to be replaced. The portion of the rebar in the ground is in poor condition but definitely holding what is left of the timbers in place. There are three types of landscaping timbers you can purchase: Pre-treated natural wood. The timbers are all rotten and come apart in pieces. I have removed approximately 80 feet of the rotted timbers to make room for shed and patio. You can see the rebar spiked through the steps into the ground is holding them in place, even the rotten one although it may have contributed to the rot. Note that the second step in the picture is spongy and collapses when stepped on. ![]() I do not know how long any of them have been in the ground here in the Pacific Northwest but all the wood is in poor condition. Most are drilled and held in place with #4 rebar. The house I purchased 2 years ago was built in 1989 and has garden steps constructed of pressure treated timbers as well as shallow flower beds and other landscape features such as short terraces constructed with pressure treated timbers defining the perimeters.
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