Construction of a Retaining Wall has its Niceties
Construction of a retaining wall from natural stones is preferable to construction such a wall from other materials, as natural stones merge perfectly with the environment. Enthusiasts, who plan to construct such a wall, would want it to be attractive and sustainable. For this purpose, in addition to the selection of natural stones, in accordance with your plans and with the decision of the surrounding landscape, you need to be aware of some further details.Those are associated with the use of the terrain and the correct placement of the stones to achieve maximum sustainability of the wall.
How to Choose the Right Place for the Retaining Wall
Before you start building the wall, it is essential you assess better the terrain. Sometimes the place you want to strengthen is not the only place for the construction of the wall. For example, if you want to strengthen a certain stretch of some river bank, you can construct the wall at a certain distance from the shore. In that way, in many cases you can build a shorter wall, which will save you both labor and materials.
The Foundation Must be Solid
When you start building the wall, please remember that the ground on which you will build will most likely absorb part of the weight of the wall, which will lead to some displacement. To avoid this, it is better to spend enough time and effort constructing a solid foundation of natural large-sized stones.
The Roots of the Trees can lead to Displacement of the Stones of the Wall over Time
Please, be especially careful not to build a wall near trees. Over time, the roots of the trees may cause displacement of the soil layer and affect the wall in a negative way by reducing its resistance.
You Need to Create Good Drainage Channels to Avoid the Strong Pressure of Wet Stones on the Terrain.
You need to provide various possibilities for draining of the water that collects behind the wall. The wet stones will exert more pressure on the ground, and this will make the retaining wall more unstable. For this purpose, you will need to build the wall on a sloping terrain, so that the water can be easily drained. In addition, the construction of a natural dry-stones wall without the use of mortar will result in the creation of good drainage channels in the crevices that form between the rocks.
If you Plan on Constructing a Retaining Wall on Several Levels
If you are planning on building a retaining wall on several levels, please, plan the construction in a way that the natural stones on upper levels do not exercise additional pressure on the stones, placed on lower levels.
In addition to the landscape, the wall should be easy to maintain
Of course, because the retaining wall will be part of the landscape around the home, it must be complementary to the other elements in the most pleasant way and in accordance you’re your preferences. It is important that you plan and build the wall in a way that it is easy to maintain.
When selecting suitable stones, please, keep in mind that tests done on gneiss from Ivaylovgrad show that this material has the best indicators for construction purposes.