Fixing a retaining wall

[benjy_b]

Hi all,

I've got an issue with a retaining wall at the front of my house.

As you can see from the pictures, it's a single leaf, stone built retaining wall. Behind is what looks like tonnes of backfill and rubble.

I'm assuming the current retaining wall isn't really up to the task, hence why it started to bow, fall down in areas and crack.

What's the best course of action?

 

[Halitosis]

To do justice to the walls around it (yours and the neighbours) it looks like a job for a professional. If your going for it yourself then search youtube for guidance videos, and browse http://www.pavingexpert.com/featur03.htm. I'm just an amateur who built his own retaining walls, but the (tons of) research I did advised that most failures are due to water build up behind the wall. Put weep holes at the bottom allowing water through (perhaps 2" dia pipes every 6 feet) and then keep them clear of debris (put some garden mesh and pea-gravel behind). Then if you build the wall maintaining the same thickness your photos suggests it should be good - though be generous with your mortar at the back where it wont be seen. Pack behind it with rubble and free-draining gravel before back-filling your soil. Don't know how high the original wall was, but if you slope the soil down from where you've dug it out, the pressure on the wall will be vastly reduced. Good luck!

 

[benjy_b]

Hi Halitosis, thanks for the reply.

I should have mentioned that I wasn’t planning on tackling it all myself. I’m happy to do any easy manual graft, but I’ll be leaving the actual stonework to a professional.

I was more airing to find out the way in which it could be rectified, with an interest in doing as much as possible myself, to keep costs down.

 

[Halitosis]

Looks like you've already done the hardest bit by creating the space to work. Be sure to get a few quotes and learn what their work would entail (its amazing the different approaches/opinions tradesmen sometimes have!). Seeing that half of your wall is already standing it would be interesting to know if they'd build on what's there (likely I guess) or want to take that down and start again. I still think weep-holes would be a good idea, though no idea if the council would frown upon such - could create an ice-slide down the hill in winter

 

[benjy_b]

Drainage is definitely up high on the priority list, as I think it was water running down the slope that loosened some of the stone. That said, someone crashing into the wall didn’t help either

I’ll keep this thread updated with what people come back with. I’ve got someone coming to take a look on Saturday.