A Brief Guide of Segmental Wall Retaining Blocks

The technology revolution has made everything possible. Now there are many types of building blocks that can be used to build retaining walls. We can only assess the differences between each wall by performing a descriptive analysis.

Flagstone Retaining walls

Flagstone has been used for all purposes since the beginning of time. Because they are flat and easy stackable, they were easily found in mountain areas and were therefore carried around all over the country. They can be easily stacked by homeowners to keep any garden from being populated with livestock.

The larger stones were discovered by mining operations and they soon became used in the construction of buildings and castles, particularly in Europe and Great Britain. They were made of sandstone (a sedimentary rock) and could be easily shaped to any shape. The structures that were made from larger stones and used as retaining walls could be very strong and almost indestructible.

Segmental Retaining Walls

These retaining walls are made from solid concrete blocks of high density. They can be used in a variety of ways, including interlocking pins or bars. This is what they were made to do.

Each manufacturer has gone through extensive testing to ensure that the systems they produce will work properly. When designing the most suitable application for each location, considerations such as soil density, wall height, and load types, backfill, drainage, and so on are all taken into account. This is the only case of engineering that relates to residential-retaining walls.

Concrete Block Retaining Walls

Since their inception, concrete blocks have been used to construct retaining walls by housing contractors and wall retainers in Cairns. To build the retaining wall, it was simple to use the same subcontractor that they had hired for the walls of the house. Contractors go one step further by pouring concrete into the block cavities. This makes the wall stronger, especially if they also put rebar in the block. It is rare to do more than just build the wall and push dirt in between.

These walls are beautiful and can be bricked, stuccoed, or painted to match the house. The finished product usually has no drainage or packed back-fill. Most of them fail within five years, while many others fall apart after only five years.

Field Stone Retaining Walls

For the same reasons as any other stone, field stones were used first for retaining walls. Because they were abundant and readily available, they were also free. They were easy to find and move. These walls are used to keep the livestock in Ireland for hundreds of miles. To create openings, they simply remove and re-stack sections.

Fieldstone has been used extensively in America, even though it creates a natural structure. However, its structural integrity can’t be measured. Installers have never been provided with any kind of construction guidelines or testing.

Railroad Tie Retaining Walls

They are easy to install because of their simple shape, low cost, and accessibility. They are often called the “poor man’s retaining wall”. This material has been used by the Cairns wall retainers to build some very impressive walls, and even commercially for support buildings.

It rots as with any wood that comes in contact with the ground. You won’t see any evidence of rot until the timbers fall. Because the treatment is not well absorbed, the problem is also in the middle of large timbers.

Railroad ties are a perfect example of availability dictating their use. Railroad ties were only available because they were used and then removed when worn or damaged. They were cheap and easy to find a use for. It was an easy fit to use for wall preservation. The EPA has only recently deemed creosote treatments to be dangerous for the environment.

Landscape Timber Retaining walls

These timbers are round-edged and sold by large hardware and landscape companies for homeowner landscaping. These timbers are treated at a level that is below the minimum required for ground contact. They are inexpensive and homeowners tend to be more concerned with cost than other factors.

Landscape timbers make beautiful walls and are easy to assemble. They can last up to five years, if not subject to any pressure such as the earth moving behind them. You should ensure that you have adequate drainage.

Consider carefully the various options when considering a retaining wall. Take into account durability, dependability, effectiveness, and overall efficiency. Many improvements have been made in the past few years to make the old-style look more modern. You may be surprised by what you discover.