Stone retaining wall repair in Colorado
Ledgestone retaining wall repair tricks: Ensure you order everything you need at once and set aside an allowance for breakages and cutting. Contrary to popular belief, building a fence on top or behind a Block Retaining wall is rather easy. In some cases where only a small amount of retaining is required as in 200-400mm, the fence can be built directly on top of the wall with the fence posts passing through the walling blocks and concreted into the ground as normal. This method would be ok to use with all forms of fencing such as post and rail, colour bond post and rail, good neighbour fencing, tubular panel and even pool fencing.
Why you should backfill with stone? Versa-Lok recommends compacting the angular stone as you backfill, but check the installation instructions for the type of block you’re using. Backfill about 8 to 10 inches below the top of the capstones. This will allow enough room for the topsoil and turf. Secure the capstones with a specialty landscape block adhesive, which stays flexible over time. Make sure the blocks are dry before applying the adhesive. Overhang the capstones about 1 to 1-1/2 inch. Joe and Jake use a scrap 2×4 as a guide.
DO start with a good foundation. Your retaining wall will only be as strong its support system. For a stacked-block retaining wall that’s no higher than four feet, a trench filled with three inches of crushed rock will help keep the wall from shifting and settling. The exact depth of the trench depends on the proposed height of the wall, but follow this rule of thumb: Dig a trench to be an eighth of the wall plus three inches. For example, if you want the finished height of your retaining wall to be three feet (36 inches) tall, you’d need to dig the trench eight inches deep to accommodate three inches of crushed rock and about five inches (or an eighth of the visible retaining wall) to start the wall below grade.
Some of the simplest walls are “gravity” walls built of loose block. These walls depend on the mass and weight of the blocks to retain the earth. Landscape blocks are simply stacked one course on top of the other, with the joints staggered and each course slightly stepped back from the course beneath it. These small walls are used to retain small areas of earth, as seen with flower beds surrounding tree trunks. These simple designs usually work fine in a low-traffic area for a wall that doesn’t exceed about 2 feet high. Walls built with a combination of concrete block, mortar and rebar are also popular for small yard projects. The mortar and steel rods lock the blocks together for additional strength. Read additional information at Building and repair of retaining walls Colorado.
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.