{"id":4151,"date":"2018-09-06T06:00:42","date_gmt":"2018-09-06T10:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/innovativepixel.com\/IGIN\/?post_type=features&p=4151"},"modified":"2021-12-27T22:20:41","modified_gmt":"2021-12-28T03:20:41","slug":"retaining-walls-safety-can-be-beautiful","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/innovativepixel.com\/IGIN\/features\/retaining-walls-safety-can-be-beautiful\/","title":{"rendered":"Retaining walls: Safety can be beautiful"},"content":{"rendered":"

As any parent of a teenager knows, one of the hazards of the job is repetitive stress disorder in one\u2019s index finger. It comes from wagging it so much, reminding them to \u201cbe practical\u201d about whatever it is they\u2019re choosing, from a new coat to a college major. How something looks, or its \u201ccoolness factor\u201d among his peers is often more important than whether it keeps him warm or results in a job after graduation. It takes life experience to choose practicality over appearances. Occasionally though, both desires can be served by the same object.<\/p>\n

This is true of a retaining wall. Although it\u2019s the very epitome of practicality as a hardscape element, its function made clear by its very name, a retaining wall needn\u2019t be boring or humdrum. It can be both beautiful and practical all at the same time and even enhance a landscape design.<\/p>\n

But first, safety<\/h2>\n

The purpose of a retaining wall is to hold soil back (in the case of a hillside, a massive amount of soil) so it doesn\u2019t bury someone\u2019s business or home under tons of mud. That sounds simple, yet it\u2019s complicated. A retaining wall that does not keep an area safe from the soil it\u2019s supposed to be holding back is useless and even dangerous. Hence, the multiple codes and restrictions that states and municipalities have created regarding the installation of retaining walls. In Massachusetts, for instance, any retaining wall over 4 feet tall must be designed by an engineer.<\/p>\n

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Decorative as well as functional, retaining walls are incorporated into many outdoor living areas, and can even become the focal point of a landscape.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And people want safety, or at least, the feeling of it. Aaron Wiltshire, owner of Oklahoma Landscape in Tulsa, estimates that he and his team put up 50 retaining walls every year. \u201cPeople are very cognizant of safety factors when it comes to retaining walls,\u201d he says. \u201cThat\u2019s why people want lighting installed and railings put on top as well as wanting to adhere to codes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Drainage is one safety factor that most people who aren\u2019t involved in construction work don\u2019t know about but is crucial when it comes to building retaining walls. When a retaining wall fails, it\u2019s almost always because of water. Hydrostatic pressure \u2014 a fancy way of saying \u201ca buildup of water\u201d \u2014 behind a retaining wall will eventually knock it down. That\u2019s why proper drainage is essential.<\/p>\n

Installing retaining walls is a complex task. For one thing, no two job sites are exactly the same. A number of factors need to be considered, including \u201crise over run\u201d (a mathematical formula for determining the steepness ratio of a slope), the pitch and the grade.<\/p>\n

Many, many materials<\/h2>\n

A well-engineered, well-built retaining wall can be costly to install, and it\u2019s important to explain that to the customer. A retaining wall is not something one should cut corners (or costs) on.<\/p>\n

Retaining walls can be built out of many different natural and manufactured materials. There\u2019s segmented concrete block, split-faced block, wood, boulders, natural stone, gabions, brick, even a type of engineered foam.<\/p>\n

While natural boulder and natural rock walls tend to cost more and can be more challenging to work with, some customers are willing to pay the extra price. If the aesthetics of the home or business are conducive to natural rock, it\u2019s a viable option. Another way to go is build a wall out of another, less costly material, such as concrete block, and face it with stone veneer.<\/p>\n

\u201cNatural stone is sometimes requested by those clients who want a specific look or those who think it blends well with their house,\u201d says Robert Welch, a manager and foreman at Mt. Baker Landscaping, a family-owned business that operates primarily in the Bellingham, Washington, area. Building retaining walls is one of its specialties. \u201cThey\u2019re willing to spend extra money to get that kind of retaining wall.\u201d<\/p>\n

The large number of materials that can be used for a retaining wall is a boon to those who need or want one and makes for a wide spectrum of price points. This allows just about every customer to find something that fits into his or her budget, and those materials at the higher end of the cost spectrum aren\u2019t necessarily any more durable than those at the lower end.<\/p>\n

Back in the 1970s and \u201980s, many retaining walls were built out of discarded railroad ties. As the century came to a close and we moved into the 2000s, interest in railroad ties as a material for retaining walls had passed; part of the reason for that is the toxic chemicals they contain. \u201cThe railroad ties were rotting, and people wanted something that doesn\u2019t have to be replaced,\u201d says Wiltshire. \u201cIf built right, a retaining wall shouldn\u2019t ever have to be replaced.\u201d<\/p>\n

Minnesota-based Genadek Landscaping and Excavating Inc., specializes in building large structural retaining walls. The owner, Stan Genadek, who also trains contractors through his Dirt Monkey University, says big concrete blocks with the appearance of natural stone are gaining popularity for residential properties, not necessarily due to their appearance but more because homeowners have seen them holding up on larger-scale projects. And by big, he\u2019s talking massive. One product has a face dimension of 16 inches by 48 inches and weighs between 1,400 and 4,100 pounds.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey became popular because of big, state-run projects,\u201d he says. \u201cResidents see them and think if they\u2019re great for those massive jobs, then they must be strong enough to keep my home safe, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Material preference is often influenced by location. Wiltshire says natural boulders are popular in Tulsa, and Welch says Allan Block, another segmental retaining wall product, is big in the Pacific Northwest.<\/p>\n

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What walls are made of<\/h3>\n