A well-designed retaining wall serves two purposes: practical and aesthetic. It keeps soil in place and prevents erosion, but if you are imaginative, you can enhance your garden, too. Various solutions are available to suit your aesthetic and budget, including sandstone blocks, concrete and treated pine sleepers, dry stack blocks, and corten steel.
Always ensure you have plenty of drainage in place to allow water to pass through the soil without taking it away, as this can result in collapse. You will need aggregate such as gravel, slotted pipe, and filter fabric to prevent your drains from getting blocked.
Sandstone blocks
An attractive and long-lasting material, sandstone is a popular choice for retaining walls. In most cases, you line the blocks up and place them on top of each other to your desired height and length. A solid foundation is the most crucial consideration, and this will depend on the composition of the ground you are placing them on. If your soil is clay or has much groundwater running from behind, you may need to stabilise the footing with compacted road base.
We sell sandstone blocks in two sizes. The 500mm x 500mm x 1m block is suitable for wall design. If you want to incorporate steps into your design, you may choose to use the 200mm x 200mm x 1m long step block.
Corten Steel
Straightcurve has designed and engineered a corten steel product (240mm, 400mm, and 560mm) that creates an attractive lower retaining wall system. These look striking when terraced and can double as a planter box. You can incorporate decorative elements, including lawn, fruit trees, vegetables, or creepers that spill down to the next level.
Dry stack blocks
A dry-stack retaining wall is a simple DIY project. No physical bonding is required, so there is no messy concreting. Simply buy the blocks and stack them. If you want to get creative, choose blocks designed to create curving walls. These include wedge-shaped blocks, link blocks, and keystone blocks.
Concrete sleepers
When constructing a wall out of concrete sleepers, you must install steel, concrete-supported posts to provide adequate support. This very robust material will stand the test of time and comes in various lengths and patterns, from rough to smooth.
Treated pine sleepers
Treated pine sleepers are sometimes the cheapest solution but are not as long-lasting as other materials. A good-quality pine sleeper can last 10 to 20 years in the ground, but soil drainage, exposure to sun, wind, rain, and soil ph can impact its lifespan.
Plateau Landscapes is your landscape and garden superstore. We have everything you need to build a retaining wall. Speak to one of our friendly staff about the right solution for you.
You may also need to speak to your local council or a structural engineer to make sure that your retaining wall construction complies with all relevant local authorities.