Read This Before You Buy Retaining Wall Blocks Near Me
A steeply sloping yard can reduce the enjoyment of your home. It can be difficult to mow and walk on. Plus, you have to worry about water runoff and soil erosion. Usually, many homeowners will install a retaining wall to terrace and level a steeply graded yard. Yet, before you start searching for prices for retaining wall blocks near me, let’s review some information.
Benefits Of A Retaining Wall
Challenging grades make your yard less functional and unattractive. However, adding retaining walls can offer several distinct advantages:
1. Create Attractive Spaces
Hardscapes, like retaining walls, add an attractive element to your landscape. The texture and color of your wall can create beauty and drama. Moreover, a retaining wall can carve out functional spaces from unusable slopes.
2. Avoid Dangers Of Mowing Slopes
Mowing a sloped yard can be very difficult. Often, using a lawn mower on uneven terrain can even be dangerous. With more than 75,000 lawn mowing accidents per year, you may want to consider a retaining wall.
3. Divert Rain Water
Occasionally, the Piedmont area will experience torrential rain. A poorly sloped yard can cause the pooling of water resulting in dead patches of grass. Building a retaining wall can divert water to properly manage it.
4. Eliminate Erosion
Slopes allow water to flow downhill taking dirt with it. Typically, the faster the water flows, the greater the destruction. However, a retaining wall can prevent erosion by diverting and slowing the flow of water.
5. Reduce Potential Property Damage
Even if your yard has only a slight slope towards your home, water can still compromise your foundation. Concrete, the most popular foundation material, is porous. This allows water to seep inside. Constant water flowing towards your house will destroy your foundation, sometimes in a matter of months.
5. Increase Your Property Value
Generally, an investment in a high-quality landscaping project increases your curb appeal and home’s value. Similar to other hardscape elements, a retaining wall adds function and beauty.
Building A Retaining Wall
Ultimately, the longevity and durability of your wall depend on understanding some design and construction principles:
- Leveling and compacting the base
- Counteracting gravity and pressure
- Controlling water
Similar to other types of hardscape elements, the success of your project begins with a good base. Your structure must sit in a level compacted foundation that can support the weight of the wall. Crushed stone is a good choice because it’s strong and provides drainage.
Moreover, you must incorporate certain engineering principles to counteract gravity and the pressure of the dirt behind it. Using a “step-back” construction allows your wall to push against the dirt it’s holding back.
Finally, you must provide proper drainage. Too much water can wash out your base material or build up behind your wall. Water-saturated soil will apply incredible pressure to your wall that even the best constructed structure can’t withstand.
Unfortunately, making a mistake in part of your construction can cause your wall to lean or even topple.
Best Material
Often, you’ll see retaining walls built of timber, stone, or brick. However, for strength, durability, and low maintenance, you can’t beat concrete.
Most homeowners are familiar with concrete pavers. These versatile concrete blocks are available in a wide range of colors, styles, and sizes. Pavers work best as an accent or garden wall. Generally, you have a maximum height restriction with concrete pavers depending on the type of block.
For taller retaining walls, you’ll need to use full-sized concrete blocks. Although hollow, these blocks are very heavy and usually require special equipment to install. Full-sized concrete blocks are also available in many colors and textures.
Retaining Wall Blocks Near Me – FAQs
Before you start shopping for retaining wall blocks near me to build your structure, browse our FAQs section. Like many homeowners, you may decide a professional can build it better, faster, and safer.
How Thick Should I Make My Retaining Wall?
Often, it’s not so simple for a landscaper to give a one-size-fits-all answer. A well-designed and built hardscape requires knowledge of types of soils and groundwater levels. The landscaper must also consider the grading of the land and the height of the wall. Only after surveying your property and discussing your needs can the landscaper answer this question.
What Happens If I Don’t Like My New Wall?
Many landscaping companies show projects to their clients using flat 2D drawings. Yet, many homeowners have trouble imagining their finished project from a piece of paper. Sometimes, misunderstandings arise leaving the customer unhappy.
However, at Landscape Solutions, we want you to love your remodeled yard. Thus, we use realistic 3D software showing multiple angles and times of the day. With our software, you’ll see a detailed picture with color and texture.
Is it Worth It To Hire A Professional?
Definitely! Many times, after spending tons of money and time on your project, it’s a pale comparison to your vision. Perhaps, your material choice doesn’t integrate with the rest of your yard. Or, you now have water running and pooling elsewhere on your property.
However, hiring a professional will ensure you choose the right material and location for your structure. Plus, a landscaper can assess your soil to create the proper foundation.
Rather than shopping for retaining wall blocks near me, call Landscape Solutions & Design Inc. We’re a full-service landscaping company with over 45 years of combined experience. Plus, we give free no obligation estimates for all our projects. Call us today at 336-442-0160 to set up your appointment.