Just finished my first big board-formed retaining wall — a few observations

I went trough the same struggle last summer on a 4-foot terrace wall. I stuck with 2x10 lumber for that board-formed look because I wanted the texture to match the patio. Like you, I was terrified of a blowout and ended up using Gates Cam-Lock ties instead of just wedge ties. Those cam-locks really saved me some headache when the pumper truck showed up and started pouring a bit faster than I expected.

The overboard bracing is acutally a blessing in disguise. I tried to skimp on the double 2x4 walers on my first small footer and watched the forms bow out nearly an inch. It doesn't seem like much until you're trying to set a capstone on top and nothing sits flush. Hauling those threaded rods around is a pain, but it beats having to take a jackhammer to a finished wall because it's four inches out of plumb.

One thing that helped me was using a Simpson Strong-Tie drill bit for the anchors in the footing. It made the vertical alignment way easier than trying to wet-set everythign perfectly. Your catwalk idea is smart; I spent half my pour day tripping over stakes and 2x4 kickers, wich is a recipe for a mess when you're holding a vibrator and trying to watch the levels.

I went the complete opposite direction on my last 5-foot garden wall and rented a set of Symons steel-ply forms. I know the rental cost can be a sting, but after spending three days hand-stacking 2x12s on a previous project, I decided my time was more valuable. The 2x8 panels are heavy as lead, but the wedge bolts and ties are so predictable that I didn't feel the need for all those extra threaded rods and strong backs. I acutally found that the real stress isn't just the height of the wet concrete, but how you handle the consolidation. I used a 1-inch pencil vibrator to make sure I didn't get honeycombing behind the rebar, and that’s where you realy see if your ties hold up. If you're hitting it hard with the vibe, those 12-inch centers on the wedge ties are exactly where you want to be. I learned the hard way on a smaller curb pour that skimping on the bottom row leads to a bulging mess that no amount of grinding can fix. Instead of building a catwalk, I ended up grading a flat path for a rolling baker scaffold. It made reaching the top of the forms way easier on the knees, though it only works if you have enough clearance on the low side of the slope.

I learned the hard way to use chamfer strips on all my corners. I just nailed some 3/4-inch triangular molding to the inside of the boards before I closed them up. Without them, I always ended up with jagged, sharp edges that whould flake off the second I hit them with a lawnmower or a shovel. It makes the transition look like a pro did it even if the boards aren't perfectly square. Also, I started spraying my forms with a cheap pump sprayer filled with reactive form release right before the truck arrived. It made stripping the boards the next day way easier on my shoulders than trying to pry off dry lumber stuck to the cream.

While your bracing strategy certainly accounts for the lateral pressure, I woud be curious to know if you applied a chemically reactive form release agent to those boards, as standard petroleum-based sprays can leave unsightly staining that ruins the aesthetic appeal of a board-formed finish once oxidation begins. I’ve found that if you didn't pre-soak the lumber to account for the hygroscopic expansion that occurs when the wood absorbs moisture from the wet mix, you might find your joints are tighter than expected, wich can lead to minor "crushing" at the board edges during the exothermic curing phase.