Cobblestone retaining wall building in Colorado: Retaining wall drainage is an incredibly important part of building a stone wall. Once a few rows have been stacked, backfill the wall with rock so it matches the grade height in front of the wall, and then lay down perforated drain tile on top of the rock. Install drain tee fittings and a drain grate every 25 feet to 50 feet, depending on how much rainwater is expected to run down to the wall. Cut one block down to accommodate the drain grate. Screw the drain tile parts together so they won’t come apart when they get covered with more rock. Also, drain the tile to daylight at the ends of the walls whenever possible.

If the block Retaining wall is more substantial as in a metre high or more then the fence would have to be behind the wall instead of through or on top. Most Segmental Retaining Wall blocks do not have a big enough cavity or void for the fence post to be directly concreted inside them and would lack the strength to hold the weight of a fence. Generally, most walls are built using an aggregate (Gravel) backfill or in some circumstances No Fines Concrete (NFC). Because of this, an allowance has to be made for the fence post at the early construction stage such as installing PVC Piping as a sleave for the fence post to fit into, this would require some forethought and good planning.

We also repair existing retaining walls. Many railroad tie walls or older concrete retaining walls which may or may not include rocks or boulders are beginning to show signs of failure. Often times a homeowner will build a DIY retaining wall that needs help after years of service. We serve all of Colorado out of our home office in Colorado Springs. Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions you may have. Estimates are always free and everything we touch comes with a warranty. Read extra details at Best Retaining Walls Colorado.

Perhaps not as builder-friendly for the first-time DIY’er, a concrete retaining wall can nevertheless provide maximum protection for any property against drainage and erosion problems. According to the experts at Quikrete, unlike brick and stone, walls built with concrete do not require additional reinforcement because the width of the base and the weight of the wall provide adequate structural support. The most important step in constructing a strong, attractive concrete wall is building a sturdy, accurate form. Wall forms must be strong enough to withstand the great pressure exerted by the wet concrete; any failure in the forms will be disastrous. A straight wall form is constructed of 1/2-inch, 5/8-inch or 3/4-inch exterior grade plywood sheathing, studs, spacers, ties and walls. Sheathing forms the mold, while studs back up and support the sheathing.

DON’T lay blocks on an unlevel surface. The first course (or row of blocks) sets the stage for the rest of the wall, so it’s vital that you make it perfectly level. If it isn’t, subsequent rows won’t be level either, resulting in a retaining wall that’s lopsided and unattractive. Use a four-foot carpenter’s level to ensure that the gravel layer below the first course of blocks is level before you start setting the blocks. Any discrepancies here will show up higher in the wall. DO stack blocks at a slight backward slope.