Building a retaining wall for a garden - does it need to be single or double skin

[platforminc]

I am thinking of building a retaining wall for a proposed patio. I was wondering if the retaining wall needs to be arranged as a double skin wall or if a single skin wall will suffice. Any other precautions that I need to take with the building of the wall. I intent to use the left over class 2 Engineering bricks. Its about 300mm deep, the wall will be about 500mm in height.

Thanks in advance.

 

[^woody^]

Single unless determined by any coping.

 

[Dereekoo]

But be aware that the force trying to push the wall over (the soil and ignoring any load on the patio) will be greater than the force holding the wall in place (weight of the wall) so it could be pushed over. The foregoing ignores any tensile forces developing in the mortar/brick beds so it may be OK but as the mortar may be subject to constant dampness it may not. I assume by single skin you mean 1/2 brick i.e. 102.5mm