Limestone retaining wall building in Colorado: If the wall runs up a hill, continue each base course into the hill until the top of the second course is level with the grade, and then start your second base course at that point. If you have the option, it can be easier to excavate and lay the lowest course before excavating the trench for the next step, especially if you have to step up several times. Save yourself some money and install the cheapest style/color that matches the wall style (usually the gray ones) on the bottom course since it won’t be seen.
First of all, what is No Fines Concrete (NFC)? Basically it is just what the name suggests, concrete without any fine aggregates or sand. It consists of generally an aggregate (gravel), cement and water. The aggregate is coated with the cement slurry binding it together, it dries with the strength of concrete but with voids or air pockets. This makes the NFC light weight and allows water to pass through its honeycomb texture.
We also repair existing retaining walls. Many railroad tie walls or older concrete retaining walls which may or may not include rocks or boulders are beginning to show signs of failure. Often times a homeowner will build a DIY retaining wall that needs help after years of service. We serve all of Colorado out of our home office in Colorado Springs. Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions you may have. Estimates are always free and everything we touch comes with a warranty. Find more info at Building and repair of retaining walls Colorado.
Yards are like people, they come in all shapes and sizes. Some folks are fit, others are flabby. Some yards are flat, others are hilly or sloped. And, like people, some yards could use a little work. When necessary to create a level surface on a slope, building a retaining wall has been the answer for thousands of years. These walls literally retain the earth to create flat, appealing lawns and stepped areas of land. Depending on the weight the wall must support, a wide variety of materials can be used to construct a wall, from brick and mortar to landscape timbers. In the South, many yards even feature garden-style retaining walls built from discarded railroad ties for a rustic, country appearance.
DON’T forget to allow for drainage. Groundwater is the natural enemy of retaining walls. When it saturates clay-type soils, they swell and put excessive pressure on the backside of the wall. To avoid failure, make drainage provisions at the same time as you go about building the retaining wall. Backfilling the space behind the blocks with crushed stone and then installing a flexible perforated drainpipe (available at The Home Depot), also called “drain tile,” at the base of the wall could create the necessary escape route for groundwater. The perforated pipe will carry groundwater to each end of the wall where it can drain harmlessly away. The ends of the drainpipe should then exit on each end of the wall, and you may cover them with crushed stone to camouflage their appearance.