Retaining Walls
To a casual observer, retaining walls may simply look like a striking part of a beautiful landscape design. Certainly, professionally installed retaining walls can add to the appearance of a property. Yet, property owners generally have these walls installed to serve as a type of protective structure. Either way, functional and attractive retaining walls will help improve a property’s value because they can serve multiple purposes. Find out more about how you can benefit by having a professional add retaining walls to your property.
Benefits of Retaining Walls
Even though retaining walls often add to the appearance of a landscape, they’re primarily used functionally. For instance, they can keep the soil on a slope in place. They may also help prevent excess rainwater from running into a garden or home. Because they stop erosion or land movement, people mainly use retaining walls to prevent damage to the land and buildings on their property. Sometimes, landscapers will also include them to achieve a particular look. For instance, the property owner may want a raised area over naturally sloping ground.
Some property owners may also decide to rely upon the wall for multiple purposes. For instance, they could design them as backdrops for their patios or pool areas. In that way, people may want to use them as a source of shade, a wind block, or even a place to put planters or install lights. If you’re going to invest in a retaining wall to protect your property, you should also consider other potential benefits to make your home more comfortable and attractive.
Retaining Wall Materials
People may choose from many kinds of materials to build retaining walls. Some of these include natural stone, treated wood, cast iron, or bricks. These days, many people select concrete blocks or poured concrete because these materials are affordable, durable, and relatively versatile. They can be textured and combined with other materials to produce a variety of different looks too. For instance, it’s possible to create concrete walls that look like they’re made from bricks or stone.
The best retaining wall materials will depend upon the situation and preferences for aesthetics. For instance, even treated wood generally has a relatively shorter lifespan than modern cement materials. Also, the choice of materials might depend upon the weight that the wall must support. Your contractor may suggest different materials to sculpt a simple garden than to bear the weight of a heavier structure or swimming pool on higher ground.
Your retaining wall design and wall type selection is driven by several factors that include
- Cost
- Required wall height
- Ease and speed of construction
- Ground water conditions and soil characteristics.
Other factors might be material availability, building codes, site accessibility, aesthetics, local building practice, etc. The fact is that all retaining walls serve to hold back a vertical or near vertical face of soil that would, without adequate retention, cave, slump or slide to a more natural slope.
As experienced designers and builders, All American follow procedures and methods for soil preparation and backfill compaction methods dictated by the local building codes.
We offer a variety of products to fit residential and commercial needs as well as a custom design and engineering.
Brick Walls and Walkways.
Your walkways and entryways are often the first impression of your house and your outdoor space. Keeping them safe and easy to maintain is key but you also want beauty. Customized brickwork in walls and walkways is an excellent solution.
We can customize walls, walkways, even surrounding interior floors to make your space the warmest place to relax, inside or out! You can use brick or concrete to build a walkway, or a façade around a fireplace.
Why Have a Retaining Wall Professionally Installed?
By now, you understand that the right retaining wall can offer you many benefits. Besides protecting property, the wall can add to the landscaping aesthetics, block wind or rain, and even hold such objects as lighting or planters. An experienced professional will examine your property, listen to your concerns, and suggest the right materials and installation to help you make the most of your investment.