The most important consideration in proper design and installation of retaining walls is that the retained material is attempting to move forward and downslope due to gravity. Today with such a wide range of attractive stone products to choose from, you're retaining walls can become a major feature of you're home, admired by neighbours and passersby. We employed the latest Uni-lock paving stones (in this case Brussell Block tumbled pavers).

Gravity walls depend on the weight of their mass (stone, concrete or other heavy material) to resist pressures from behind and will often have a slight 'batter' setback, to improve stability by leaning back into the retained soil. For short landscaping walls, they are often made from mortarless stone or segmental concrete units (masonry units). Dry-stacked gravity walls are somewhat flexible and do not require a rigid footing in frost areas.

We can design and build any style of retaining wall to meet you're needs and compliment your home. We provide a guarantee on labour and materials.

Sheet pile walls are usually used in soft soils and tight spaces which are walls made out of steel, vinyl or wood planks which are driven into the ground. For a quick estimate the material is usually driven 1/3 above ground, 2/3 below ground, but this may be altered depending on the environment. Taller sheet pile walls will need a tie-back anchor, or "dead-man" placed in the soil a distance behind the face of the wall, that is tied to the wall, usually by a cable or a rod. Anchors are placed behind the potential failure plane in the soil.

It is very important to have proper drainage behind the wall as it is critical to the performance of retaining walls. Drainage materials will reduce or eliminate the hydrostatic pressure and will therefore greatly improve the stability of the material behind the wall, assuming that this is not a retaining wall for water.

Prior to the introduction of modern reinforced-soil gravity walls, cantilevered walls were the most common type of taller retaining wall.

Cantilevered walls are made from a relatively thin stem of steel-reinforced, cast-in-place concrete or mortared masonry (often in the shape of an inverted T). These walls cantilever loads (like a beam) to a large, structural footing, converting horizontal pressures from behind the wall to vertical pressures on the ground below.

Sometimes cantilevered walls are butressed on the front, or include a counterfort on the back, to improve their stability against high loads. Buttresses are short wing walls at right angles to the main trend of the wall. These walls require rigid concrete footings below seasonal frost depth. This type of wall uses much less material than a traditional gravity wall.

On this particular project we installed a beautiful an interlocking block retaining wall, Interlocking retaining walls use a tongue and groove system to lock together. Interlocking retaining walls have several un-sealed connections that hook together.

Interlocking retaining walls can shift easier than other types of retaining walls and even though they do not appear damaged, they can still exhibit all of the signs of water seepage. Interlocking retaining wall design is prone to expansive and soft soils, which can cause cracks and shifts in the foundation.

Drainage to remove hydrostatic pressure and to release the built up water weight in soft soils against interlocking retaining walls is crucial. Superseal dimpled membrane with drain tiles are key for successful interlocking retaining walls. They allow the water to drain down to your drainage system and help remove the extra water weight from the wall.

 

Different types of retaining walls :