Repairing a Retaining Wall

[BlueFuzz]

Hi, first time poster here.

Not sure if my question should be in this section or the gardening one, as I'm asking about a retaining wall, but here goes...

We have a fairly extensive retaining wall that surrounds our drive, all of which is in single skin blockwork. In many areas this blockwork is cracking around the mortar (possibly due to roots, possibly due to moisture) and I'd like to know the best means of repairing these cracks with a view to rendering the whole wall once repaired.

My first thoughts were to refill the cracks with mortar, cover with a reinforcing steel mesh and then render. Can anyone tell me if this is a good idea or utter folly?

Cheers!

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

You need to find out what is causing the cracks and solve that before you can consider hiding the cracks.

Cracks appearing in a retaining wall is probably due to having been inadequately designed/built.

How high is the wall? Any photos?

 

[BlueFuzz]

The height ranges from 1m to about 2.5m, though all the cracks are at the lower heights.

There are drainage holes evenly spaced along the walls, so my guess is the cracks are caused by roots of trees/shrubs?

Assuming I can solve the cause, is my method of repair the correct one?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Single skin blockwork!!! Even at 215 wide its woefully underdesigned. You're lucky its even still standing let alone a bit of cracking. Get an SE to investigate.

 

[cotswoldbuilders]

Your wasting your time trying to repair the wall if its only single skin block, at that height.
Needs to be good foundations with starter bars, 225mm hollows, filled with concrete, faced up with finish wall tied in.

 

[Static]

At 2.5m high even hollow core filled would be struggling..

 

[Norcon]

Has the wall been heaved and leaning? Stick a plumb on it and see.
We would solve something like this by pouring a new skin of reinforced concrete down the face with a new foundation. Did one recently.
The risky part of course is digging the foundation.
Expensive but effective and a lot cheaper in the long run should it topple over and very cheap should it kill someone.
Like this....

There's no comebacks after were finished. Of course we would have shuttered the wall in the first place and you would not now be on here asking for advice on how to repair it.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I think we scared him off!