Everything you need to know about finding a retaining wall supplier

Retaining Wall Suppliers

When building or renovating, often the available land is not level and will require unique construction on a sloping site. Even when you are able to get the required area level it is done by cutting and filling somewhere else. This often results in leaving unsupported walls of sand. Retaining walls offer a fantastic solution to this, as they allow for building on severe slopes and supporting large cut out areas.

Benefits of Retaining Walls

In a perfect world, all gravel would be evenly distributed to create a level building area, but this is not always possible. In fact, it often requires earth moving. Retaining walls offer a viable alternative with the following benefits. Retaining walls are:

• Structurally very stable
  
  
• Protect against any soil erosion
  
  
• Durable, even against the harshest exposed environment

Usually, retaining walls are built from concrete, which does not rot and is free of termites. Timber options are also available and can be stained to suit your decor. The timber is pre-treated and a wood finish applied for durability and strength. Timber retaining walls can either be purchased readymade or custom made and put together with stainless steel fasteners. They are also extremely simple to install as a DIY project.

Considerations

Before undertaking any project that may require retaining walls, check with the local authority whether any plan approval is required. Local authorities usually look at the drainage and height of the retaining wall to ascertain whether approval is needed. If approval is required, the local council will need drawings and a site plan. All of which must show that is it clearly done by someone with the correct certification. Retaining wall specialists usually administer and obtain council approval on behalf of clients as part of their service.

Retaining walls do not always require council approval if wall heights are less than 60 centimetres. Although retaining walls are built to handle immense pressure, any pressure caused by water should be alleviated with the use of proper drainage.

The major influencing factors contributing to the design of retaining walls include the slope of the land above or below the retaining wall. Other factors include the soil consistency and soil type, as well as the wall height that is required.

Types of Retaining Walls

There are three distinct retaining wall types. These include:

• Gravity retaining walls: These work by using the weight of the wall as well as the weight of the soil fill to counter the lateral pressure.
  
  
• Pile retaining walls: Posts embedded deep into the soil resist the soil’s lateral pressure because of the strength of the anchored post.
  
  
• Cantilever retaining walls: This is basically an L-shape (if imaging a cross section) retaining wall. The bottom of the wall is a horizontal solid concrete slab, with a vertical wall retaining the soil. The weight of the soil on the concrete slab stops lateral pressure pushing the vertical wall over.

Supply and Installation

Often, regulation in your area will dictate the use of a professional to install the retaining wall. This is because certified plans and drawings must be submitted. Even for smaller jobs, using a professional can make the installation of retaining walls easy and pain free.

Your supplier can advise on the best retaining wall solution for the required job. If the installer does not supply relating materials, they are sure to have great recommendations on who to use. For DIY projects your supplier can also provide installation instructions.

Find Retaining Wall Suppliers the Easy Way