Tips for Building a Retaining Wall in Michigan

Tips for Building a Retaining Wall in Michigan

Retaining wall systems can make a landscape look amazing. Just like shrubs and trees a retaining wall can add lots of depth. In many cases the retaining wall also serves a purpose as well. If you’re considering building a retaining wall in Michigan there are some tips that you’ll want to consider. In this article I’ll share with you some tips for building a retaining wall in Michigan that will save you time and money and make sure you build a wall that safe. 

Tips for Building a Retaining Wall in Michigan

Building a retaining wall in Michigan can be a huge undertaking. There are many things that you’ll want to consider when you’re building a retaining wall. The following tips will help you build a better and safer retaining wall that you can be proud of.

Don’t Think of the Retaining Wall as Utility

Many people think of a retaining wall as just a wall that holds back soil. But, a retaining wall can add lots to your home’s landscape in terms of aesthetics. Having properly placed walls can make your landscape look amazing and adds lots of character to your yard.

Make Sure You Build on a Strong Base

The base that the wall will be placed on is important. Make sure the base is solid and compacted properly. Using a base that will shift or wash away like sand is not a good idea. You may need to add sand-clay or some other material to strengthen the base of the wall. You may also want to add concrete if the wall will be under lots of pressure. Not having a good solid base likely means your wall will crack and possibly fail.

Consider Water Run Off

One problem that lots of retaining wall systems in Michigan have is problems with water run off. They may be okay during a light rain and can handle that okay. But what happens when there is a huge downpour. The rushing water can wash soil away from the retaining wall and even cause problems with it structurally if the water is washing away the base of the wall. Make sure you add proper drainage and allow run off areas that won’t affect the wall during heavy downpours. Consider the snow that falls each year in Michigan as well because it will eventually melt.

Use a Proper Step Back on Your Retaining Wall

Your retaining wall needs to be safe. When a retaining wall fails it can be a disaster if someone is around it and it’s very dangerous. Having a proper step back on your retaining wall is a must if you want a safer wall. Stepping back the stones that are used to build the retaining wall leans the wall inward towards the soil it’s trying to hold back. So in the event that it does fail you’ll be able to see the stones being pushed beforehand and give you a better chance to repair them. To step back the stones on your retaining wall simply put each stone farther than the last. A few inches is usually a good starting point but it will ultimately be determined by how tall the retaining wall is.

Use Anchors and Deadmen on Your Wall

Stone walls are more common for aesthetics but many people are still building timber walls. If you’re planning on building a retaining wall from timbers then it’s important to anchor the wall using deadmen. A deadman is a piece of timber buried in the ground and anchored to the retaining wall. The more pressure that is placed on the wall means the more pressure that is placed on the deadmen and anchoring system.

Plan Your Retaining Wall Before You Build It

Building a safe, functional, and aesthetically pleasing retaining wall in Michigan is not something that just happens. Before you build a retaining wall it’s important to understand how they work and more importantly why they fail. Plan all the details of building your wall including materials and what sort of drainage will be in place for the wall. The more details you can work out beforehand the more smoother the wall construction will be and it will be much easier as well.