Terracing

[thamc05]

Hi, I'm helping someone terrace their garden which is sloping away from the house and are intending to build two 2ft high terraces which should level the back garden. We have had 3 houghts for materials o use for terracing and I wondered if others on the forum had any experience with them.
Softwood sleepers, I'm happy with what to do with these my only concern is how long would they last in a clay soil ?
Concrete: we are considering clearing the land where the terrace is o be built, using shuttering ply and constructing a 2 ft high, 6 inch (12.5cm) deep concrete wall, then backfilling the soil against the wall.
Breeze blocks: doing the same as above but using breeze blocks, neither of us are bricklayers and we figure bigger blocks will allow less margin for error. Cost is also an issue with his project
I realise the above the will no look as nice as wood but we are hoping masonory paint will improve it.
I'd really appreciate comments form anybody with any experience with the above or who can suggest other ideas. One last thing, these is no access for a mini digger, other than s spade is there any other way of doing the groundwork ? The soil is a fairly heavy clay.
Many thanks,
Andy.

 

[andyv8van]

Hi,

was looking at a walling solution on wickes web site but it is a 345 cost per 2.7 mtrs.think expensive

I have had to dig 3 ft deep post holes for concrete posts on the edge of my garden as it has a deep ditch , i used a trench spade, that really helped with getting the clay broken up to dig easier with a normal spade.

one option but not sure on the retaining strength is concrete posts and 12inch high gravel boards.

see if others think it is an option you could try?

regards

Andy

 

[r896neo]

Soft wood sleepers will have a useful life of 10 maybe 15 years max.

A proper wall will be around 30% more expensive and require more excavtion.

A decent halfway house is dry laid retaining walls such as 'tobermore secura lite'

Or Acheson Glover Marshalls and a few others make very similar things.

Very easy to construct and should last well they have a certain look to them though which many people don't like although many do.