Many people do not know enough about retaining walls despite having them in their houses. They are a notable landscaping feature, particularly for structures built on uneven or sloped land. Some people have retaining walls to support their structures, while some have them entirely for aesthetic purposes. Retaining walls require expert restoration contractors and can’t be DIYed. Read on to learn more about retaining walls.
What is a Retaining Wall?
The purpose of a retaining wall is to hold back ground/earth on one side and retain the soil behind it. Retaining walls are used for many purposes all over the world. They are built along roadways that are paved on hilly terrains. Retaining walls are also used for agriculture, such as rice terraces. The retaining walls built across coastlines are called seawalls.
People also use them in their yards to reshape slopped land. Another reason to use retaining walls is to control erosion and drainage. Structures built on sloppy lands might experience soil erosions when rainwater washes away the surface oil. Retaining walls are meant to control the flow of draining water which can wash away the soil.
Types of different retaining walls
Retaining walls are divided into two different categories based on the materials used to build them and the method of their construction.
Gravity Retaining Wall
In terms of methods, there are multiple ways to build them. A gravity wall is the most basic type, which is used to simply hold back the soil. Gravity walls are a little bit shorter because they do not have any additional support and completely rely on their weight.
Sheet Piling Retaining Wall
These walls are built if there is limited space or soft soil. They are made up of a thin piece of material, usually wood or steel, which is driven into the soil. Sometimes these walls might need extra support from a vertical corrugated structure.
Cantilever Retaining Wall
These kinds of retaining walls are one of the strongest due to their foundational support. These are L-shaped walls; their main part is built above the soil to hold it in place. The shorter part is in the form of a slab placed beneath the bed. The weight of the soil on the slab prevents it from falling forward.
Anchored Retaining Walls
Anchored walls are another common type of retaining wall. These walls have many long anchors that extend through them and are driven into the ground for support. These walls can support any of the above-mentioned walls and can be built to hold a higher load.
AMN Masonry is a professional retaining wall restoration contractor in Boston providing high-quality restoration services to customers. Call our professional commercial restoration contractors and tell them about the kind of restoration wall you need. We are here to help you with your landscape restoration.