Easiest way to create two small retaning walls in the garden

[grovepark]

Our back garden slopes up away from the house that garden is about 60foot long and slopes up about 5foot. Currently there is a patio area, step up to a sloping flower bed (trampled by the dogs), a sloping something resembling a lawn, then a rockery type thing (i think this was a step that has fallen over).

I am looking to change update this to give more usable space, thinking of enlarging the patio and lawn by removing the flower bed and having a larger (about 2-3 foot) step. Flattening the lawn and then forming a proper step (approx 2 foot) to raised flower bed thing at the back of the garden.

Looking to see if this seems a sensible plan and a low cost way of making the approx 2 foot retaining walls.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

if you are building them in to the slope you can cut in to that an use the bank as a foundation.
you will need your step size to be at least 300mm tread and 600mm wide.
The height will be determined by the brick/blocks you use, but normally a riser height of 100-150mm is ideal.
The treads should overhang the risers by about 25mm.
Know that it is now about planning it out.
If it is free-standing steps you want, you will need a sound foundation to build on to.
The easiest way of doing this is by cast a 100mm deep slab.
Again plan before you cast your slab, so you get the right size.
This link may help
http://www.pavingexpert.com/featur01.htm

 

[grovepark]

Ahh sorry I have just realised what I wrote isn't what I meant! Could someone change the title?

By steps I meant a small retaining wall (x2), to hold back about 2-2.5 foot of soil.

 

[RedHerring2]

IIRC, you can edit your own titles.

 

[grovepark]

IIRC, you can edit your own titles.

Ta, got someone to show me how to do it, not to great with IT stuff

 

[r896neo]

Sleepers are a popular and easy choice. Have a search for sleeper walls on this site using the search function which is just below the main advert.
Just click on search, enter 'sleeper wall' in the top box and then in 'forum section' select 'In the garden'

The basic idea is that you can either set them vertically in concrete or concrete in sleepers at intervals to act as large fence posts and then screw the horizontal sleepers to the face of these.

Check out the other posts and come back with any specific queries.

 

[JohnD]

hello, Grovepark, do you live in Wanstead?

 

[grovepark]

Im not in Wanstead, im in Kent.

I have thought about a railway sleeper wall, but I was thinking as the garden slopes up away from the house using a surface that could be rendered or painted to hopefully make the patio area a bit brighter as it is normally quite a dark area.

 

[r896neo]

In that case you really have to go with masonary, and that is certainly not an easy way.

Have a look at this as probably the easiest way to build a strong masonary retaining wall.

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1523872#1523872

 

[grovepark]

If it will be much more work and cost more I think I may go with sleepers. I have seen smaller diamerter wood poles used vertically before, are they any good.

 

[r896neo]

here is another good post about those!

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=875994#875994

Or have search on google for 'Uni-log'

As far as the sleeper wall goes, if you can not lay bricks/ blocks yourself it is the cheapest easiest way to create a retaining wall for small heights.

The sleepers work out a little bit expensive but the labour required to put them up is considerably less.