Kingstone retaining wall construction in Colorado: Why you should split blocks for a rough finish. If the end of a block will be visible, and you’d like it to match the other rough surfaces, use a block splitter. You can probably rent a splitter like this for less than $100 per day. Use a gas-powered cutoff saw like this one for a smooth cut. This saw can cut with or without water. Water eliminates the dust but creates a messy slurry that can permanently stain surfaces like driveways and sidewalks. You can rent a saw like this for about $80 per day. If you don’t use water, make sure the dust doesn’t blow into the house or on a neighbor’s house.
Ensure you order everything you need at once and set aside an allowance for breakages and cutting. Contrary to popular belief, building a fence on top or behind a Block Retaining wall is rather easy. In some cases where only a small amount of retaining is required as in 200-400mm, the fence can be built directly on top of the wall with the fence posts passing through the walling blocks and concreted into the ground as normal. This method would be ok to use with all forms of fencing such as post and rail, colour bond post and rail, good neighbour fencing, tubular panel and even pool fencing.
Colorado Retaining Wall specializes in the building and repair of retaining walls. Whether the wall is for a backyard or driveway of a residence or a commercial Shopping Center, we design and build large block walls for all Earth retention requirements. We have the ability to fortify the wall with shotcrete or soil nails which would include helical tie-backs or micropiles. Nearly every wall we build requires engineering and we have deep relationships with engineers that work hand-in-hand with our foremen regardless of the size of project. Please read our reviews and look and our photo gallery. Discover more information at https://retainingwallscolorado.com/.
After mixing your concrete, pour the wall in horizontal layers of not more than 20 inches, beginning at the ends and moving toward the center. Use a ramp to wheel the concrete into position and a splashboard to direct the pour and control spillage. Remove the spacers as you go, and work the concrete against the sides of the form and around the reinforcement as each layer is poured. Pour layers as soon after the previous one as possible to avoid cold (non-bonded) joints, which cause leaks. Strike off the concrete flush with the top of the form, and then trowel it to the desired finish. Insert anchor bolts for mud sills and wooden caps once the concrete has set sufficiently to hold them. Because of the pressure created by the slope of the lawn, cure the concrete for at least seven days before removing the forms.
A wall that leans into the soil it retains is less likely to be pushed outward by soil pressure than a plain-old vertical wall. Design and build your retaining wall to slope at a minimum rate of one inch for every one-foot of rise (height). Fortunately, working with retaining wall blocks makes it incredibly easy to achieve this “step-back” construction! The locking flange on the bottom edge of every block guides it to click into position slightly behind the lower block, preventing the top blocks from being pushed outward.
