Here's a picture of some ground contact pt 6x6's used as a retaining wall. It was 18 years old. I had to replace about half of it. The rest was in "ok" condition. A lot of the rot started where it had to be cut because the wall curved. The fresh cuts were done to make it easier to dispose of.
I knew the cuts contributed but I thought use as a retaining wall was ground contact, not burial? Guess I though 40 year would get me more than 18.
alf of it. =EF=BF=BDThe
you were lucky to get 18.
have friends with walls literally shells after 6 years.
two basic wall building rules.
first dont build a wall unless there is no other choice. better to leave the slope at the angle of natural repose.
if you insist on building as wall make it out of concrete with a proper foundation below the local frost line.
and dont complain when it moves, retaining walls are temporary at best
If you have receipts and properly used the cut end treatment, you may be able to collect on the warrantee.
What density was it treated to. That is what makes the difference
This is about 18 years old The salt water treated (2.65) still has a sharp edge, the .40 (sold as ground contact) is pretty much gone
How about rule 3, build the wall out of rock. Took me 2 years to build a rock wall 120' long and from 2.5' to 4' tall with two sets of steps.
This doesn't include any recent pics with roses in front of the wall and other landscaping to the left and around the steps, also a little goldfish pond at the far left. Before the wall, the lawn in front of the porch was almost at 45 degree slope. Not easy to walk on especially when wet. Rocks were all collected on my property, most of the big ones started out barely poking out of the ground but I just kept digging. All rocks dug by hand by myself. Thing that looks like a yardstick, is a yardstick. Bottom first row dug in by hand. Under porch was dug out
2 feet down using a rototiller on one little tractor and the other one (rustbucket) plowed some loose dirt but most of it was shoveled into a cart and dumped where it was needed to fill in behind the wall. It started off straight, but when it got crooked, I liked that look better and went with it.On Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:25:29 -0500, Tony wrote Re Re: Pressure Treated Wood Rotting:
Nice job. I notice that you didn't need much of a footing for the wall. Are you in a relatively southern locality?
Yes, Eastern Tennessee. If I had thought of it at the time I may have dug it down a little more to be sure. I haven't seen any movement and I suppose it can move a bit without damage since the only place I used mortar was in the steps.
I can't argue that rock would not need replacing. But while I'd like to see the pt lumber hold up better my wall is only about 25 ft long and at it's highest point only 4 boards tall. It took a day to tear it down, weed out the unsalvageable boards and rebuild it.
I have no choice about having a wall. It is along one side of the driveway and there are trees in the ground that would have to be removed to get an acceptable natural slope instead of a wall.
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plant dense ground cover over slope and tree roots.
ivy isnt pretty but it does the job.............
but hey its your back and your money so it really doesnt matter
Looks like that "Top Choice" crap that Lowes sells. Their treatment penetrates maybe half way into the wood, leaving the centers to rot outward. I had some of their 4x4's rot out in 5 years. Lowes won't back the warranty. They say you have to deal with the lumber company. KC
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I've got trees and bushes in a natural area that is about 2 ft higher than the drive at the highest point. Some of the trees and bushes are less than 2 feet from the edge. I would have a slope greater that
45deg. I like ivy and other ground cover and I have used it in a number of places but it has to establish. Structures are established when you finish building them.HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.