How To Build A Short Concrete Retaining Wall
No mortar is needed.
How to build a short concrete retaining wall. If the wall exceeds four feet in height footings should be poured separately. Avoid having downspouts pointed at the retaining wall and if it s against the house keep soil and mulch well below the siding. Refer to the plan or schematic for the retaining wall. Continue laying your first course of blocks making sure to check that every block is level.
Dig a trench about 12 deep to create a level surface before laying any stone. Install the first course of blocks using a taut string line to establish a straight row. Measure and mark footing locations. Position your first block and use a standard level to make sure it s even.
After you finish the first course fill the space between your retaining wall and. How to build a short retaining wall dig a trench. The cheapest and easiest material to use is 2 in 4 in 5 1 cm 10 2 cm boards cut from a softwood like pine. These wood barriers hold the concrete in place as it dries so you will need to create 2 of them.
Allow concrete to cure. Finish with crushed stone. Build and prep footing. Install a layer of large stones for good stability at the base.
Keep the boards less than 8 ft 2 4 m long so they aren t too difficult to handle. If needed reposition it using additional. Then use a shovel to mark the outline. How to pour a concrete retaining wall.
Scrape off excess mortar. Lay out the wall and excavate the slope and the footing trench. To mark a free form layout use a rope or hose to outline the shape. Level to level blocks lengthwise and a torpedo level to level the front to back.
Create contraction joints every 4 6 feet. This is often the method used where the slope is quite steep. To create a flat area in front of the wall the process involves cutting back or notching into the slope then building a retaining wall to hold back the remaining hillside behind the wall. Stack wood planks to create a frame for the wall.
Then use the marking paint and measuring tape to lay. Once the first row is installed pack native soil to grade level on both sides of this course to anchor the wall in place. Finish the surface of the wall as desired. Build the footing and insert rebar into the wet concrete.
Alternately you can build the retaining wall then fill in the space behind it.