Building a cement block retaining wall...

[vmacekesq]

Hope someone can tell me if I'm on the right track (or what to do to be so)-

I want to level some ground on the far end of my driveway to use as extra parking - it would involve adding fill to level a space about 12 x 16 feet. The most fill would be two feet worth at the far end along the property line chain-link fence. I figure on building a retaining wall along the fence line from standard concrete blocks, the base of which would step down in one-course increments as the slope drops.

I was advised on a way to build the wall that involves dry-stacking the blocks, driving rebar down into the grade thru the block cavities, then filling the cavities with cement, which I would also use to cap off the wall. I'm thinking of using gravel for footings, mostly so I could drive the rebar through it. I reckon on sloping the grade down past the end of the level area if I need to wheel anything down to the backyard.

So does this seem like a sound way to do it? I'm figuring on using cement block rubble and dirt for the fill - that I'm getting from pulling out a low retaining wall further up the driveway as old as the house (55 years) and falling apart at its mortar joins (I'm cutting out a sloped bank where the wall was). Hopefully the new wall will hold out better than the old one.

VMacek

[calhoun]

If the ground freezes in your area you will need to get below the frost line with a footing. If not the constant movement will break up your block concrete system. A better and easier way is to just use the interlocking landscaping retaining wall blocks. They look nicer (stone looking face), no mortar/concrete (interlock as they stack), no footing (they will move with the ground).

[hallerb]

All walls eventually fail! It is much better to slope ground to the angle of natural repose. That means it will naturally not fall over or move.

Your wall building idea sounds fine BUT one day you or someone else will have to rebuild it.

just as you are removing that old wall thats falling down.

just something to think about.

After rebuilding some walls repeatedly I have removed 60 feet or so of them and have never regretted it. Have plans to remove another 40 feet or so the next time it begins to fail.

I will have to retain about 10 feet of wall, thats about 10 feet tall. Since 1972 its been rebuilt 3 times:( last rebuilt made it 2 heights that helped a lot.

install gravel and perforated drain pipe behind wall, freeze thaw of water causes much wall moving.

incidently dry stacked solid concrete wall stones are easier to rebuild than ones concreted in.

sadly all walls fail sooner or later

I have lived in my home since 1972.

[vmacekesq]

I appreciate the prompt response I've gotten so far - I'll add that I'm in the Atlanta, GA area, where freezing/thawing is thankfully not much of an issue. There is a good amount of rainwater coming off the driveway there though.

I did build a dry-stacked fieldstone wall against a ground cut some 13 years ago and it's doing fine - I backed it with gravel and a drain pipe which I'm sure helped...I'll keep that in mind. I'm not too worried about appearance as it is up against a chain-link fence (hence unable to slope it that way) - if anything it'll improve the area. Good thing my neighbor is okay with these things too.

VMacek

[vmacekesq]

Updating my own thread here - I'm still demolishing the old retaining wall, and while it's been easy going prying apart the mortared blocks, one section just refused to budge and I finally had to break it apart with a sledgehammer...and what do you know, that section had cement poured through the block cavities just like I am planning with my new wall. It looks like what I build should hold up nicely.(I really wanted to find a way to use the cement blocks I'm pulling from the old wall - I am cheap)

There is the possibility I would have to replace it in a few decades, but I'm 50 now. If I'm replacing it then, I will be very pleased with myself!

VMacek