In order to preserve the natural landscape and prevent the processes of deformation of the relief on the backyard territory, many owners suburban areas erect special structures that perform a protective function - retaining walls.
Features of retaining structures
What is a retaining wall for? Retaining walls erected in a summer cottage are structures that prevent soil from sliding and various collapses that occur on slopes, areas with elevation changes and uneven terrain.
By forming a retaining structure in an area with a slope, you will provide good protection site from unplanned changes in the relief and protect yourself, you will be able to preserve the existing landscape for many years.
Retaining walls in landscape design, Photo Due to specific design parameters and various ways finishing of retaining structures from them it is possible to make, in addition to protective structures, also decorative elements for the backyard territory. For this reason, in most cases, the installation process begins with the choice of appearance and general design features. This approach allows you to successfully fit the new building into the landscape decor and achieve similarities with the objects that already exist on the site.
Important! Retaining walls can also be used in the formation of terraced zones.
By correctly placing accents when using retaining walls, you will be able to achieve the correct zoning of the territory, favorably highlight decorative zones and emphasize the natural attractiveness of the landscape.
Main types
If you want to create retaining structures yourself, be sure to study their features and find out what types of such structures exist. For example, based on the installation method, two groups are distinguished:
- whole walls, which are monolithic structures that serve as supports, created at factories for the production of reinforced concrete products and cast into formwork to give the required dimensions;
- prefabricated structures that differ from monolithic ones in that they can be created both by casting concrete and based on other materials (stone, wood, brick).
Retaining structures vary in depth. Deep walls have a depth one and a half times the width of the structure. At shallow walls the depth of the retaining structures is less.
Supports with a height of less than a meter are classified as low, and more than two - high. Most often, walls of medium height are used to strengthen the relief in a summer cottage.
Important! high walls and mid-rise structures before installation must be designed using special techniques (for example, computer programs), since the standard settings are not suitable for every locality.
Such structures also differ in the method of ensuring stability:
- massive structures are walls, the stability and reliability of which is achieved due to the mass (made of brick or concrete). It takes to create them large quantity materials, forces and time. For the competent performance of such work, it is necessary to be guided by the developed technical and economic plan. As a rule, massive retaining structures have identical parameters;
- semi-massive. The stability of their design is ensured by the weight and soil on the foundation. They are designed from reinforced concrete slabs;
- walls made of thin elements - thin-walled- usually formed by joining reinforced concrete slabs, and the weight has small values;
- thin supports, more like a fence: their stability is achieved only through a foundation in the soil.
The design of retaining structures for a summer cottage should be chosen based on the specifics of the landscape. After studying the area, you can pick up suitable type retaining wall. Focusing on these points, you can mount a stable structure that does not have a foundation, or a wall with a solid foundation.
Supports can be placed separately or combined with flights of stairs, ramps, buildings and other components of the site.
Design features
The classical design of the retaining structure consists of three elements:
- underground part, which ensures the stability of the wall;
- the body of the wall - the part located above the surface of the earth;
- drainage and drainage systems that give strength to the object and increase its service life.
When deciding how to design a retaining wall, you need to take into account all the points that can affect its safety and stability. Based on these parameters, you need to choose the type of design, as well as the material for its manufacture.
The wall will be pressured by its own weight and additional parts attached to the structure. The backfill soil will load both the wall and the foundation. The force of friction with the ground will also have an impact, and in some cases the installation will be affected by wind, groundwater, seismic vibrations, swelling of the soil at low temperatures.
Reinforcement of the support and thoughtful lining of the structure will help to prevent the likely consequences of such impacts, we will deal with the last moment in more detail.
Popular materials for retaining walls
There are many materials that can be used to build fortifying structures. From what is it better to design and make a retaining wall in the country? Many people opt for wood. This material is quite durable and also has an aesthetic appearance: design features retaining structures make it possible to successfully fit them into the existing landscape.
When self-erecting supports wood logs or timber are used for piles. If the wall height less than a meter, the length should be at least one and a half meters, since the third part of the structure will be deepened into the soil.
Important! The part buried in the ground must be impregnated protective compounds that repel water and prevent wood decay. In order to protect wooden elements, they can be treated with red-hot bitumen or burned with fire.
To build a retaining structure made of wood, dig a trench. Its depth should be more than the length of the part buried in the ground, about 10 centimeters. As for the width of the ditch, it should be over size logs 20 centimeters.
Make a gravel pad at the bottom of the trench with a layer of 10 centimeters, compact it and set the logs vertically. For greater reliability, combine them with nails or wire rod. In the area where the logs come into contact with the soil, lay roofing felt or sheets of roofing material, and then fill the ditch with concrete.
If you are going to build a retaining structure made of wood small sizes, just pour pebbles into the trench (gravel or crushed stone of small fractions will do) and tamp them down.
Another variation is a retaining wall. concrete. These structures are different good parameters operation, but do not look too aesthetically pleasing compared to other types. If you choose this option, consider decorating a homemade prop. As in the previous case, first you need to dig a trench about 40 cm deep, if the height of the wall reaches a meter.
Make a formwork of durable boards, combined with each other. Create a gravel pad (you can use crushed stone) at the bottom, lay the rebar and fill with concrete mortar.
After five days, you can remove the formwork, and apply cement to eliminate irregularities. After the cement has dried, you can start decorating the structure. To create a retaining wall, you can also use ready-made decorative concrete blocks - they look more aesthetically pleasing.
It will be more difficult to build a retaining wall on your own stone. In most cases, for the design of retaining stone structures made of stone, they use the services of professionals. There are two methods for constructing a retaining wall from boulders:
- using dry masonry;
- in cement mortar.
For the construction of retaining structures, both natural and artificial types of stone are used:
- diabase;
- sandstone;
- granite;
- but, or rubble stone;
- basalt;
- flagstone.
The type of stone material determines the appearance of the wall.
The construction of stone supports necessarily involves the design of a concrete foundation. When building a low wall, the foundation can be replaced with large boulders and cobblestones. The width of the base should be approximately three times the width of the wall.
For the construction of stone supports, a trench should be made that exceeds the width of the base by about 10 centimeters.
In the lower part, a gravel-sand cushion is formed with a layer of 20-30 centimeters. After tamping, a concrete-based mixture is added (note that the height of the base should not reach the soil surface by 15 centimeters).
During the hardening of the foundation, you can lay out the stones, connecting them with cement mortar or grout and planting vegetation in separate seams, if the construction of the stone support is carried out in a dry way.
For those who periodically engage in construction, it will not be difficult to build brick or foam block a retaining structure, the device of which implies the presence of a foundation - just as for stone structures. When designing a retaining structure made of bricks, special attention should be paid to their thickness.
If the height of the wall is less than 60 centimeters, its thickness should be ½ brick. When building a meter-long structure, it is preferable to make a wall at least the thickness of a whole brick.
To construct a retaining structure made of bricks, it is necessary to prepare a solution for firmly fixing the parts. In the future, you can increase and increase the height if necessary.
Another common design option for strengthening the relief is a retaining wall. from gabions. To install such structures, metal mesh containers filled with stones are used. For the installation of a gabion wall, it is not necessary to design a base (a foundation is required only for structures whose height exceeds a meter).
Having prepared the base, place the gabions and connect them together with galvanized wire. After that, you can decorate the structure with beautiful pebbles, for example, decorate the outer side of the support with granite. Flagstone is also well suited for decoration. For filling, use pebbles or gravel.
A gabion wall will look more aesthetically pleasing if you use boulders of approximately the same size for filling. In this case, the color palette of the gabion structure will be harmonious.
If you look at photos of retaining walls in landscape design and the design of summer cottages, you can highlight other options for creating and cladding such structures. For the manufacture of a retaining structure, block material, metal parts, tires and a number of other durable products can be used.
Tiles, mosaics, climbing vegetation are well suited for decorating supports. Pick-up structures, overgrown with moss, also look very presentable.
Calculations during construction
Given the pressure of the soil on the structure of the supports, it is necessary to correctly design them before installation and ensure resistance to pressing forces. Otherwise, the probability of collapse of the wall and the soil on which it is located will increase.Typically, the height for retaining structures erected on their own is determined in the range from 0.3-1.5 meters. Calculations can be performed independently: for this, there are computer programs that make it possible to quickly calculate the parameters of such structures - this way you will save on the services of specialists. For example, you can choose the thickness of the support and other parameters in accordance with the diagram in the photo below:
If there are relief differences on the site, it is necessary to build a retaining structure with a height of at least 1.5 meters and carry out professional installation, after consulting with professionals.
Read about how you can make a wicker fence, like a decorative hedge, on the site.
You can see examples of fences for a front garden made of wood.
Ways to strengthen the supports
The retaining structure must be stable and have a long service life. Taking into account the variability of the relief, it is not always easy to fulfill this task at the design stage. It is recommended to provide reinforcement of the wall at the design stage, without postponing this work for later.
To do this, a number of activities should be carried out:
- the back side of the wall should be slightly tilted towards the backfill, thus reducing the soil pressure;
- Another way to reduce pressure is to increase the roughness by making irregularities on the surface. If you are designing a concrete or reinforced concrete retaining structure, move the horizontal wooden formwork elements that are nearby - bring them together by about 5-10 cm. Create small chips in the concrete. When installing stone or brick supports, make masonry with ledges;
- be sure to equip drainage system;
- on the outside, make a ledge in the form of a console to reduce the likelihood of the wall turning over;
- in the soil where the wall is placed, lay the hollow parts. Due to this, the mass for backfilling will decrease, due to this, the pressure on the structure will also decrease. To implement this task, expanded polystyrene granules with a size of 3-5 mm are used;
- no less popular is the method of using a platform for unloading a wall, which includes a lot of soil in the work and gives stability to the wall.
These techniques can be used to strengthen retaining walls of any kind. If we talk about the parameters of the wall profile and cross section, then you can choose them yourself, based on your own building skills.
If a retaining structure is being built for industrial use or for the purpose of application in the construction of civil facilities, it is advisable to carry out technical calculations with the help of specialists, contacting a specialized company.
The advice of professionals will not hurt if you are going to build a wall that is more than a meter high and want to place it in an area with weak or unstable soil (as an option - in an area with seismic activity).
Advice. When installing backwater on sandy or loamy soil, wet sandy loam, near groundwater (located 1-1.5 meters from the surface), the structure needs special reinforcement.
Structures with the design parameters described above are used both for soil support and as decorative elements. For example, in many cottages you can see fences made of stone supports and structures protecting the ground from other materials, borders decorated in accordance with the style of landscape decor. Practical and at the same time aesthetic structures will transform your backyard territory.
When designing a retaining wall, try to make it not only reliable, but also presentable so that it becomes one of the most interesting elements of landscape design in a garden or backyard.
When decorating retaining structures, remember that their decor should be in harmony with other elements of the landscape. Look at the photo of the supports in the summer cottages, get acquainted with the methods of their design - and you can easily supplement the necessary zones on the estate with useful and presentable structures that will last for a long time. When building and installing such structures on your site, be guided by the active instructions for their installation.
Video
Watch the video on how to build a retaining wall with your own hands in a territory with a complex landscape and non-standard terrain:
What to do if the site that you got does not have the most even terrain? First of all, don't give up. Modern methods creation of landscape design allow you to turn this shortcoming benefit from the use of retaining walls.
The use of retaining walls is justified in areas that are located on slopes. A similar technique for creating landscape design allows you to maximum benefit use every inch of land.
Thanks to your actions, the steep slope will soon turn into a zone of landscaped terraces, which will not only perform a purely aesthetic function, but will also allow you to set up your own vegetable garden or even a garden.
In appearance, the terraces resemble steps, each of which has a small garden. Retaining walls are responsible for supporting this structure. Their use allows you to create a favorable landscape for plants.
Attention ! The use of retaining walls when creating a landscape helps to avoid soil collapse.
What are retaining walls
Design
Before you create a terrace area, you need to figure out what retaining walls are in landscape design. First, let's look at the design. It consists of the following elements:
- The foundation is the most important part of the wall, on which the stability of the entire structure largely depends. It usually hides underground, so naked eye she cannot be seen. The task of the foundation is to take the entire load of the soil.
- Body or main body - masonry, logs or concrete structure. This is the visible part of the retaining wall.
- Drainage or drainage. This element allows you to protect the wall from the destructive effects of precipitation.
For greater strengthening of the structure, crushed stone is used. It allows you to securely fix the wall in the ground, providing it with a longer service life.
How to calculate the configuration of a retaining wall
Before the use of a retaining wall in the landscape of your site becomes possible, it is necessary to make a calculation taking into account the maximum number of influencing factors.
Attention ! The retaining wall is primarily affected by the force of soil pressure.
When designing and further using a retaining wall in the landscape of the site, you must consider how much resistance the structure must have in order to resist the action of the soil.
If the calculation is wrong, then the wall you have built will, at best, lean, and at worst, it will completely collapse. standard height buildings of this class ranges from 0.3 to one and a half meters.
Important ! When calculating, the material you use is of particular importance.
One important clarification needs to be made right away - independent calculation of retaining walls in the landscape is allowed only in cases where the height does not exceed one and a half meters. In all other cases, it will not be possible to do without the help of a qualified engineer.
The size of the sole is calculated with a factor of 0.6, which is multiplied by the height of the wall. To calculate the ratio of thickness and height, it is best to use the density of the soil:
- The soil has a high density - the ratio of thickness to height is 1:4. These types of soil include quartz, limestone and spar.
- Soil of medium density - a ratio of 1 to 3. Most often, these parameters are used when building a structure on shale or sandstone.
- Soft ground - thickness not less than 50 percent of the length. The fact is that sandy-clay soils have increased risk collapse. Therefore, to fix them in place, the use of retaining walls of considerable thickness is required. Otherwise, the structure will most likely collapse.
In the case when you have to use retaining walls in a landscape with problematic geodesy, it is better to contact a specialist. Only a qualified engineer will be able to make the necessary calculations, taking into account all variables.
Choosing a retaining wall design
Of course, the use of a retaining wall in the landscape allows you to make a problem area a great place for gardening or gardening. But of particular importance is aesthetic appearance designs.
Therefore, the first thing you should learn about the construction of a retaining wall in your country house is the features of its use in the landscape. After all, it can be both decorative and functional.
Attention ! Due to the unique decorative properties of retaining walls, they are often used in the landscape solely as decoration.
A decorative retaining wall differs from a capital one in the material and design used. For its construction, gabions, wooden posts or bricks are used. For a capital structure, concrete or stone structures with a high-quality drainage system are best suited.
To give retaining walls a truly decorative look, you can use several common methods. For example, to create a beautiful landscape, put climbing plants on the walls. Their use will give the structure a more natural look.
Retaining walls are great for use as flowerpot stands. You can also put a variety of decorative figures on them. This will greatly decorate the design of your country landscape.
What retaining walls can be used in the landscape of the site
from wood
To your country landscape looked really decorative, the use of wood is recommended. To build such a wall, you will need high-quality logs that have an even shape.
Attention ! Rotten or low-quality wood calls into question the reliability of the entire structure.
The easiest way to create this structure in the landscape is the use of vertically installed logs. At the same time, they need to be tightly driven to each other in order to ensure the solidity of the decorative wall.
You need to take trunks whose diameter lies in the range from 12 to 18 centimeters. Their use is justified by the norms in SNiPs. Then the logs need to be buried in the ground. You choose the height yourself. But it must be borne in mind that the immersion depth is about fifty centimeters.
Using quality logs will allow you to decorate the landscape of your site. But at the same time, you must bury them at least half a meter. Otherwise, in spring or autumn, the entire structure may collapse. Also, before immersion, it does not hurt to treat them with a special compound from rotting and termites.
Concrete
The use of such structures in the landscape is highly reliable and resistant to various natural phenomena. True, there is one caveat. In order for the structure to look presentable, it must at least be revetted.
To create this project to improve and moderate the landscape - dig a trench. It should exactly repeat the lines of the wall. Please note that the use of turns and bends is allowed.
The depth depends on the height of the wall. To build a structure a meter high, it is allowed to use a trench 40 centimeters deep. The base is made of rubble. To achieve greater strength, reinforcement is needed. It is fastened together with wire. Only after this is the formwork done.
Attention ! The finished frame is poured with concrete mortar.
In order for the structure to have high strength, it is necessary that the concrete evenly fill the previously created frame. Then the use of this wall in the landscape of your site will be as long as possible.
Of brick and stone
The use of brickwork allows you to create an excellent element of the landscape with decorative design. To build a structure up to a meter, a width of half a brick is enough, if higher, then one. At the end of the process, it is desirable to plaster the structure.
The width of the stone wall cannot be less than 30 centimeters. In order for the masonry to be reliable, it is allowed to use only high-quality mortar. First, a binding stone is placed, and the rest on the sides.
Attention ! Foundation for stone and brick wall created with a concrete pad.
Results
Retaining walls allow you to create a multi-tiered landscape that can turn even the most difficult mountain area into blooming garden. At the same time, these structures can be used as decorative elements.
It is very convenient to draw up the site when it is perfectly flat. But what to do when you have to deal with the slope and uneven terrain? Do not be upset, because this feature can be turned into a landmark by designing the vertical slope of the slope in an original way. suitable materials. The retaining wall will be the highlight of your garden. Here you will have many opportunities to use your imagination and create something beautiful. Such a wall is not only decorative. It also holds the ground, preventing it from collapsing. From this article you will learn how to make a retaining wall with your own hands.
The supporting wall in the country can be built from wood, concrete, stone, brick or blocks. The choice of materials for the construction of this structure depends on several factors:
- the style of your garden;
- relief of the site;
- the height of the future wall;
- the availability of improvised materials;
- your preferences and the cost of materials for the construction of the structure.
If your site has too large a height difference (more than 1.5 m), it is better to form several ledge steps on it. Then the retaining walls will not be too high, which will look much nicer, and the probability of soil collapse will be significantly lower. But if the retaining wall is planned to be higher than 1.5 m, a specialist should be invited. After all, it must be designed for heavy loads and withstand soil pressure.
Broken and rounded wall configurations can withstand more load than straight ones, but they will also take you longer to build.
Natural stone looks very aesthetically pleasing. The following types of stone are often used:
- basalt;
- granite;
- dolomite;
- sandstone;
- cobblestone;
- quartzite and others.
The retaining wall structure consists of foundation, vertical wall and drainage. The foundation should be 3 times wider than the wall, and its thickness should be one third of the height of the structure. First you need to dig a trench, adding another 20-30 cm to its depth for a gravel-sand cushion.
After you have compacted the gravel (or crushed stone) and sand, you can fill the trench with concrete. But at the same time, make sure that the height of the foundation is 10–15 cm below ground level.
At this stage, you need to take care of the drainage system. It is possible to install perforated drainage pipes at the base of the wall and lead them out through the wall. And you can simplify the task - in the process of laying, just leave a few small vertical slots between the stones, through which water will drain.
When the foundation has already hardened, you should start laying out the stones. To fasten them, we use cement mortar. The largest stones, of course, should be located at the base.
It is desirable that the wall has a slight slope of 5–10º, then it will be stronger. Also, when laying dry, it is important to deepen several stones with the long side into the ground. This will bind and strengthen the structure. Also make sure that there are no cross-shaped and long vertical slots, otherwise the structure will not be so strong.
Cracks can be filled with soil with seeds undemanding plants. If you want the wall to look like a century ago, you can cover it with kefir - then it will quickly overgrow with moss. The stone structure can also serve as a base for a bench.
First you need to calculate the dimensions of the future structure. Depending on the type of soil and the dimensions of the structure, the wall thickness should be approximately 25–50 cm. For 1/3 of its height, for reliable stability, the wall should be deepened into the ground. Therefore, a trench should be dug, the depth of which depends on the planned height of the wall. We fill the bottom with sand, then gravel or crushed stone and carefully tamp.
We erect the formwork and strengthen it with supports. It is desirable that the wall at the base be slightly wider than at the top. This will give her stability.
We adjust the boards tightly to each other and install the risers. If the wall is very high (more than 1 m), and the soil is too loose, reinforcement should be built into the structure, connected at the intersections with metal wire. Then we pour concrete into the formwork.
From the side of the slope, the structure should be waterproofed using rolled or coated waterproofing agents. Otherwise, moisture accumulating behind the wall can gradually destroy its base. Also, to solve this problem, drainage pipes are installed behind the wall. When the concrete structure has stood idle for several days and gained strength, we fill the space between the wall and the slope with crushed stone, gravel or pebbles, layer by layer of the rammer. Upper layer must be fertile soil.
The main disadvantage of a concrete wall is its appearance. She doesn't look very presentable. You can fix this with the help of facing materials. For this, natural or artificial stone is often used, as well as ceramic tiles designed for outdoor work.
The adhesive composition for fixing the cladding must be of high quality, namely moisture resistant and resistant to temperature extremes.
If for some reason you do not plan to use facing materials, then the requirements for the evenness of the concrete wall will increase. All filling flaws should be very carefully corrected using plaster mortar. To make the wall smooth, before pouring concrete to inside formwork can be attached roofing material or other similar material. After completion of all work, the concrete wall can be decorated with ampelous plants.
To facilitate the task, sometimes it is decided to replace a monolithic concrete wall with a concrete block structure.
For the construction of a brick retaining wall, solid, durable bricks are used. If the wall is higher than 0.25 m, laying the foundation is a mandatory task. Its parameters are calculated similarly to masonry. For a brick wall less than 0.6 m high (its thickness can be 12 cm, that is, half a brick), and for a 1 m high wall, the recommended thickness is 25 cm. High-quality cement mortar is used to fasten the brick.
As with all variants supporting walls, do not forget about the drainage system.
Gabions are containers made of galvanized metal mesh, which are filled with stones. They are used not only as a reinforcing structure. It also serves as a wonderful element of landscape design. The advantage of this type of retaining wall is that it is absolutely unnecessary to install a drainage system.
To build a wall of gabions, you will need:
- metal galvanized mesh;
- wire staples;
- metal spiral for connecting the walls;
- braces (wire cables);
- steel pins with pointed ends;
- filler (natural stone, coarse gravel or other materials);
- geofabric (optional).
Gabion panels are connected with a metal spiral or wire staples.
From the front side, gabions are filled with the most beautiful and largest stones. Inside they fall asleep with fine gravel, crushed stone or other cheap material. So that it does not fall into the gaps between large stones, you can lay a geotextile in the middle. When the gabion is already half full, so that it does not protrude, the walls should be fastened with braces every 4–5 cells of the metal mesh. Next, fill the gabions with stone to the top, close the lid and tighten with a spiral.
The containers are also connected to each other by wire, which must be galvanized and of high quality, otherwise the structure may collapse. Gabions are firmly attached to the ground with steel pins with sharp ends.
Wood is a material that is easy to process, but, as you know, short-lived. However, the supporting wall made of logs looks very attractive and gives a lot of opportunities to improvise when making it.
The first step is to dig a trench, the depth of which depends on the height of the wall. It is desirable that it be half the outer height of the supporting wall. At the bottom we fall asleep 10–15 cm of sand and the same layer of crushed stone or gravel.
Logs should be treated with coating waterproofing agents. The part that will be immersed in the ground can be covered with bitumen or burned. And the outer part needs to be impregnated with more expensive products that not only protect against moisture and fungi, but also give the tree a more attractive appearance.
Then we place the logs inside the trench and, for stability, sprinkle them with gravel, fasten them with nails or wire. After that, the trench can be poured with concrete 10 cm below ground level.
On the side of the slope, the wall must be additionally waterproofed with roofing material or thick film. Install drain pipes. And the space between the wall and the slope must be filled with rubble or other small stone for drainage. And remember that the tree most of all needs protection from moisture.
There are many variations of wooden support walls. Logs can be placed horizontally. It can also be made from beams.
If the soil is too loose, there are steep slopes on the site and there is a danger of soil collapse, this problem should not be ignored. It is necessary to strengthen the slope with plants with a powerful root system. So, you get live reinforcement. If the situation is more complicated, geosynthetics such as geogrid, geogrid, geotextile or biomat should be used. After the main work and fixing the reinforcing material on the slope, you need to fill it up from above fertile soil and plant suitable plants.
If you have already built a retaining wall on your landscape area then share personal experience in this matter, and especially what material you decide to choose. You can do this by leaving a comment at the end of this article.
Video
From these videos, you will learn the details of manufacturing a retaining wall:
Photo
In the photo, you can find a lot useful ideas for the manufacture of a retaining wall:
Scheme
Below are some diagrams of retaining walls:
This issue is especially relevant in hilly areas. In this case, special fortifications are used. Thanks to the retaining walls, you can protect yourself from slips and collapses of the soil on garden plot and in the yard. From this article you will learn how to make a retaining wall with your own hands. You will also learn about what materials and methods for erection should be used will be discussed in this article.
At the very beginning, it is worth noting that any piece of land has its own individual shapes, topography and size, which should be reckoned with. In addition, it is necessary to take into account personal preferences, the style of the house and other buildings. Even the types of garden paths can affect the choice of material and shape of the retaining wall. With a small garden area maximum height retaining wall should not exceed 60 cm.
Large walls will create a feeling of heaviness when examining the entire site. Experts recommend adding various architectural elements to those:
- niches;
- steps;
- benches;
- tables.
In addition, the selected material will also affect general form landscape design. When considering options, it is necessary to take into account all design ideas that will be implemented on the territory. So, for monumental supports, textured and embossed materials, overall stones are used. different forms or powerful logs. To create a sophisticated landscape design, plaster, small stones (gravel or chipped stones) are suitable.
A properly erected retaining wall will simultaneously perform several functions:
- site zoning;
- transformation of landscape design;
- strengthening;
- protection;
- solution to the problem of uneven terrain.
If your site is too pronounced, then you should consider options with a vertical layout. It lies in the fact that the entire site is divided into several sections, each of which has its own horizontal level and is fixed with a support.
Each retaining wall that will be built in landscape design should consist of four main parts:
- The foundation is located underground, which allows it to take on the entire load from soil pressure.
- The body is the vertical part of the structure located above the ground (the main part).
- Drainage is necessary to remove water, as excess moisture will destroy the backwater.
- Drainage - the remaining water will be absorbed into the layer and, during drought, give moisture to nourish the plants.
The wall can be made from almost any material that suits the local climate and rainfall. You can install it almost anywhere, but regardless of the planned height, it must consist of all 4 components.
By carefully considering each stage, you can end up with a durable retaining wall. To work, it is enough to use your strength and inexpensive materials.
With proper planning, the wall will be as stable as possible. It can withstand any load and pressure. If this is not foreseen, then the sliding of the soil will be guaranteed, and decorative wall destroyed. To avoid this, it is necessary to take into account many factors that will directly affect the strength of the entire structure. First of all, physical forces will act on the retaining wall:
- structure weight;
- soil pressure;
- friction force;
- adhesion to the soil;
- weight of decorative elements.
Other phenomena will also affect the retaining wall:
- swelling of the soil in winter;
- strong wind (for walls over 2 m high);
- vibration (in cases where there are railway tracks nearby);
- seismic phenomena (the peculiarities of the region are taken into account);
- ground water;
- rainwater flushing.
- To ensure maximum traction with the ground, the back wall should be rough.
- Also, the rear part should be sloping towards the retained soil.
- To reduce the pressure on the wall into the ground, it is necessary to lay hollow elements with low weight.
- To reduce the likelihood of tipping over from the front side, it is necessary to indent - the console.
In addition to the above factors, there is another one - the thickness of the retaining wall. To calculate it, it is necessary to take into account the type of soil and the height of the structure. For soft soil and high walls choose wide protective shields.
Before you make a wall, you need to choose the material. Among the most common are:
- brick;
- tree;
- a rock;
- concrete;
It is believed that the simplest and lightest material is wood. It will be much easier to build a wall from it than from stone or gabions. To create a wall, logs are selected, from 1 to 1.5 m high. At the same time, 50 cm should be in the ground, and 1 m will serve as a protective support.
The part of the logs that will sink into the ground requires special treatment in order to last longer. For this, special modern facilities or hot bitumen.
The dimensions of the trench should be 10-15 cm larger than the logs. The bottom is covered with a pillow of gravel and compacted. When installing lumber, you can use wire to increase the density of the wall. You can also use nails as fasteners. After installation, the trench is filled with concrete.
This material is the most durable and practical. Such walls can withstand even high ground pressure. With a little imagination, such a design can turn out to be very presentable. Also in the case of concrete, you can use finishing materials for decoration:
- a rock;
- tiles;
- brick.
It is necessary to start construction from the foundation, namely from the trench. The maximum depth is 50 cm. The whole technology is identical, as is the case with any building or fence. The formwork and the pillow and the waterproofing layer are being equipped. The strength of the structure is ensured by the reinforcing mesh.
For the construction of retaining walls of stone, dry masonry or cement mortar can be used. Huge range of natural and artificial stone allows you to pick up suitable option for arranging landscape design on a garden plot, made in any style. Most commonly used:
- granite;
- basalt;
- quartzite;
- diabase;
- shell rock.
The foundation for the stone retaining wall is made of concrete. The width should be 2 times the wall itself. If voids form during masonry, they are rubbed with a special mixture. When dry laying stones in the seams use garden soil, in which plants are then planted.
Quite often, after repair and construction work, bricks remain, both solid and chipped. You should not throw it away or sell it, as it can be used to build a beautiful, but strong enough retaining wall. Masonry differs little from the technology of building a house. The only difference is the thickness. For a wall with a height of 60 cm, laying in half a brick can be done, a width of one brick should be intended for support of 1 m or more.
V Lately gabion structures are often used to enclose a private area or to create architectural and decorative elements. The construction is based on wire blocks filled with stones. It is worth noting that in this case there is no need to equip the foundation, but for large structures it is necessary additional mount. All blocks are fastened together with galvanized wire. When laying stones, decorative and beautiful elements are laid on the front side. The rest of the volume can be filled with simpler stones:
- crushed stone;
- cobblestone;
- pebble.
The technology for constructing a retaining wall in a relief area will directly depend on the material from which it will be made. When forming a retaining wall, it is not necessary to use a flat, horizontal line. It can be a wave or arbitrary patterns.
When erecting a retaining wall, it is necessary to take care not only of strength and high quality, but also of the organization of drainage. It is necessary to protect the back side of the wall from excessive moisture. To organize such protection, high-quality drainage is required - a drainage system. To date, professional landscape designers offer 3 options for organizing water drainage:
- Underground drainage. The system is presented in the form of a special perforated drainage pipe, which is installed at the base of the wall. For reliability and protection, the pipe is wrapped in geotextiles. With its help, water will not accumulate, but will go along the route to the drain.
- Ground drainage. When building a wall, a layer of loose material (gravel or brick) is laid on the back side. It will not allow excess moisture to destroy the structure of the base of the retaining wall. Water will naturally go deep into the soil.
- Filter. Drainage can be equipped with special filtration holes. They are made in a wall of stone or concrete. To do this, when laying through a row, it is necessary to leave one vertical seam without mortar. Excess moisture will escape through these seams.
Each territory needs a high-quality drainage system, but special attention must be paid to regions with constant precipitation. A large number of ground water may adversely affect the structure.
In order for the retaining wall to not only perform protective functions, but also decorative, it is necessary to think over the finish. It is better to plan and design everything in advance. The wall should harmoniously fit into the landscape design on the site. The most common way decorative finishes today is planting. The best option would be to choose among ground cover species that will successfully emphasize any element of the landscape.
Among the common options, it is worth highlighting several design options. One of these is an artificial pond or fountain. Alpine slide will look no less attractive. Climbing plants will be braided throughout the retaining wall. Also interesting option becomes moss. To do this, the wall can be watered with kefir - this will accelerate the growth of plants, as well as age the structure.
prevent possible mistakes A competent combination of colors and materials used will help. For example, if the buildings on the territory are made of wood, then the wall should also be made of lumber.
A retaining wall can be both a great addition to a planned landscape project, and it can also serve as a protective feature. Since it is in the open air, it is constantly exposed to atmospheric influences. To protect inner part construction, it is necessary to carefully process the seams of the masonry. Use special sealants, they allow you to protect the support from destruction or deformation. Various experiments with decoration will allow you to get original and unusual results.
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Not always the site that we get to lay out the garden has a flat relief. Sometimes you have to deal with slope areas that are not very convenient for landscaping and use. In this case, steep slopes are replaced by a system of terraces - straight wide ledges-steps, the vertical slopes of which are fixed with retaining walls that prevent soil collapse. In our article we will tell you how to make a retaining wall with your own hands and what materials can be used for this.
What is a retaining wall made of?
Any retaining wall is following parts:
- The foundation is the part of the wall that is underground and takes on the main load from the ground pressure.
- The body is the vertical part of the structure (the wall itself).
- Drainage - a drainage system necessary to enhance the strength of the wall.
a - retaining wall; b - structure of the retaining wall: 1 - foundation of the wall, 2 - body, 3 - hole for water flow, 4 - drainage pipe, 5 - crushed stone.
Retaining wall calculation
A retaining wall is subjected to earth pressure, so it must be designed to resist this pressure. If you do not pay attention to the correct calculation, then there is a high probability of heeling and collapse of the soil along with the wall.
Most often, supporting walls with a height of 0.3 - 1.5 m are erected on the plots. Such structures can be calculated independently without resorting to the help of specialists. This is easy to do with the help of special programs that will automatically calculate the proportions of the wall. If the difference in soil on the terraces, and, accordingly, the height of the wall is more than 1.5 m, then one cannot do without engineering and geological surveys and the involvement of professionals. Below are approximate numerical values \u200b\u200bfor calculating a retaining wall made of concrete.
Retaining walls made of various materials
Concerning appearance retaining walls, they can be made of various materials e.g. wood, concrete, natural stone, bricks, gabions. The amount of work that needs to be done for the wall device will also depend on the choice of these materials.
The lightest in the device is a retaining wall made of wood. Logs are selected for it, the diameter and height of which are related to the ground difference on the terraces as follows: if the wall height does not exceed 1 m, then the length of the selected logs should not be less than 1.5 m (where 1 m will rise above the ground, and 0, 5 - to be in the ground). Wooden parts that will be immersed in the ground should be impregnated with special water-repellent compounds that will prevent them from rotting. You can also apply a coating of hot bitumen or burn the bottom of the log on a fire - this will also protect the wood. To install a wooden wall, dig a trench along the intended line. Its depth is calculated by 5-10 cm more than the length of the dug-in lower part of the log, and the width is 20 cm more than the log diameter.
A gravel cushion 5-10 cm thick is laid out at the bottom of the trench, which is carefully rammed. The logs are put on the gravel strictly vertically, tying them for density from above with wire or nailing them to each other. This ensures maximum stability of the wall, even taking into account possible ground movement. From the back of the logs, where they are in contact with the ground, a sheet of roofing material or roofing is laid. The trench is then filled with concrete. In the event that the retaining wall is very small and performs rather a decorative function, then you can simply fill the trench with stones and carefully compact them.
Retaining wall made of concrete
Concrete walls are very durable, strong and withstand high ground pressure. They do not look very presentable, but this disadvantage can be easily turned into dignity if the concrete is decorated with a successful cladding of brick, stone, tile or other materials.
The construction of a concrete retaining wall begins with digging a trench that repeats the trajectory of the future structure. The depth of the trench for a wall of no more than 1 m will be about 30-40 cm, if the height is greater, then, accordingly, the depth will be greater. Next, they put a formwork of dense, thick boards fastened together. A crushed stone or gravel pillow is laid out at the bottom of the pit, and a reinforcing mesh is placed on top. Now concrete is poured into the finished form.
After the concrete has set (about 5 days), the formwork can be removed and the defects on the wall surface leveled using cement mortar. After that, you can proceed to the decorative cladding of the resulting wall.
In the construction of stone walls, dry masonry or cement mortar masonry is used. Most often, chipped or sawn durable stone is used, for example, basalt, granite, quartzite, diabase and others. Stone retaining wall needs concrete foundation(if the wall is not high, then you can replace the foundation with a base of large stones), the width of which should be approximately 3 times the width of the wall.
Work on the construction of a retaining wall begins with digging a trench, the width of which is 5-10 cm larger than the width of the future foundation. A gravel-sand cushion 20-30 cm thick is poured onto the bottom of the resulting ditch, and it is carefully rammed. The trench is poured with concrete, making sure that the height finished foundation was 15 cm below ground level. After the foundation hardens, they begin to lay out the stones. In the event that cement mortar is used to fasten the stones, then the resulting voids are filled with grout, but if the masonry is done dry, then garden soil is placed in the seams and plants are planted there.
In order to lay out a brick retaining wall, a foundation is first erected, the parameters of which are calculated similarly to the foundation for masonry. Special attention must be given to the thickness of the brick wall. Half-brick masonry (thickness 120 mm) is used if the wall height does not exceed 60 cm or 8 rows of bricks. If the height of the retaining wall reaches 1 m, then it is better to use brickwork (thickness 250 mm). Large walls, more than 1 m high, withstanding high ground pressure, require laying one and a half bricks (370 mm thick).
Currently, retaining walls made of gabions - containers of their metal mesh filled with stone material. Installation of such a wall is very easy. If the wall is small, then the foundation for it is not needed, but if the height of the ground difference exceeds 1 m, then strip foundation, which is erected in the same way as with brick or masonry. After the base is ready, containers are installed on it, tied together with galvanized wire. After that, along the front side of the retaining wall, the most decorative stones(granite, flagstone), and the rest of the volume, which will not be visible, is covered with rubble, cobblestone, pebbles.
When creating a retaining wall on your site, you should remember that it will perform not only a practical, but also a decorative function, that is, it can become a real highlight of your site. There can be many options for decorating a retaining wall - from lining with interesting material to decorating with climbing plants or alpine flowers. If you want to give the wall an aged look, you can cover it with kefir, then it will quickly overgrow with moss and become like a hundred-year-old fence. Experiment! And we will help you with this by choosing some beautiful photos for inspiration.
Retaining walls: photo selection
