Retaining walls in Richmond Va
Richmond Concrete Pros - The best concrete contractor in the Richmond area. No job too big or too small. Our Richmond Virginia based operation covers all facets of concrete work from foundations to patios and driveways. We also do stamping, resurfacing, retaining walls, outdoor kitchens and fireplaces, and repair work. Call us at 804-552-0590 for a free quote.
Additionally, we understand the importance of good communication, which sadly is lacking in the contractor industry. We will return your calls promptly, carefully coordinate scheduling, and follow up. We are confident you will be very satisfied with our service.
Additionally, we understand the importance of good communication, which sadly is lacking in the contractor industry. We will return your calls promptly, carefully coordinate scheduling, and follow up. We are confident you will be very satisfied with our service.
The best retaining walls in Richmond Va |
Retaining Walls
Typically found on hillier terrain, retaining walls are both beautiful and practical additions to your yard. They can counteract erosion and turn steep slopes into terraced backdrops, creating flat usable surfaces and beautiful focal points. While they may appear to be simple structures, there is a lot of planning and design that must go on in order to insure the integrity of the wall and to keep its shape. Soil pressing up against the back of the wall creates a tremendous amount of pressure, particularly when it is wet. The wall must be designed and constructed with this in mind. For example a basic 4 foot high retaining wall that is 15 feet long can have potentially 20 tons of pressure on it, and every foot of length or height adds greatly to this. For this reason, unless you are very well versed in this type of construction, hiring a professional can save you a lot of headaches down the road.
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trench with a few inches of gravel to something resembling a house foundation with 6 or more inches of concrete on which the wall sits. There are formulas that are used to calculate the proper foundation thickness and strength.
The foundation and the first row of material are crucial to the stability and utility of the wall. It is important that this row be as level as possible. If this is not level, subsequent rows will start looking more and more skewed, resulting in a wall that is unattractive and lopsided.
As the blocks are stacked, they must be offset from one another moving back toward the soil. This changes the center of gravity and helps prevent the wall from being pushed out. Frequently these blocks are cut to have a locking flange on the bottom to guide it into position behind the blocks below it. This is a great design idea that adds strength to the wall.
The foundation and the first row of material are crucial to the stability and utility of the wall. It is important that this row be as level as possible. If this is not level, subsequent rows will start looking more and more skewed, resulting in a wall that is unattractive and lopsided.
As the blocks are stacked, they must be offset from one another moving back toward the soil. This changes the center of gravity and helps prevent the wall from being pushed out. Frequently these blocks are cut to have a locking flange on the bottom to guide it into position behind the blocks below it. This is a great design idea that adds strength to the wall.
The next component to be concerned with is proper drainage. Of course this is crucial to the stability of the wall. Water carries a lot of weight and tends to act as a destabilizer when it sits in soil, so getting the water out from behind the wall as quickly and efficiently as possible. The type of soil behind the wall will influence the type of drainage system that should be installed.
Thicker heavier soils like clay tend to shrink and swell when they are wet, causing excessive pressure on the back of the wall. If your wall is up against this type of soil, it will have issues. The way to prevent this is to back-fill the space behind the wall with crushed stone and install a drainage pipe at the bottom to quickly and safely channel the water from behind the wall. The flexible drain pipe will run the whole length of the wall and exit at both ends. There are a number of creative ways to hide the ends of the pipe.
To back-fill behind a wall, pea gravel or sand is typically used. There is an art to installing this as well. You must pack the filler nice and tight using a tamper to keep it pressing hard up against the wall in front of it to add stability to the wall.
If you have a steep slope that might require a taller retaining wall, another popular option is to install multiple small walls. This tiered approach adds a nice aesthetic look while providing more usable flat space for walkways, plants, or gardens while allowing for shorter and more stable walls. When we do this, we typically place the rear wall at least twice the distance back as the height of the front wall. This creates both an attractive visual texture as well as keeps the rear wall from putting pressure on the front wall.
To back-fill behind a wall, pea gravel or sand is typically used. There is an art to installing this as well. You must pack the filler nice and tight using a tamper to keep it pressing hard up against the wall in front of it to add stability to the wall.
If you have a steep slope that might require a taller retaining wall, another popular option is to install multiple small walls. This tiered approach adds a nice aesthetic look while providing more usable flat space for walkways, plants, or gardens while allowing for shorter and more stable walls. When we do this, we typically place the rear wall at least twice the distance back as the height of the front wall. This creates both an attractive visual texture as well as keeps the rear wall from putting pressure on the front wall.
These are just a few ideas regarding walls. Richmond Concrete Pros has decades of experience designing and installing retaining walls. We would be happy to send one of our trained staff to look at your property and provide the best solutions we can come up with to accomplish what you are looking to do.
We have built functional and attractive walls everywhere from the Church Hill and Fan areas with smaller gently sloping lots to huge plantation sized lots in Goochland, Chesterfield, Oilville, Ashland, and all over greater Richmond. We are experienced with the different soils in the area and can help you hone in on the best and most durable solution within your budget.
Our staff is well trained on the complexities of retaining wall building and can provide you with professional advice on all your options.
If you are building anything beyond a very small wall no more than a foot tall, you should strongly consider engaging with a professional who can go a long way to insuring the wall will serve you for decades without need of repair or replacement. Proper proportioning of the wall allows for the correct concrete placement as well as structural reinforcement. Walls may look simple but there is a lot of thought and technique behind building them correctly.
Often, cracks and defects are allowed to get worse and worse, eventually becoming very unsightly or even allowing the wall to become structurally unstable, often requiring a professional to get things repaired.
We would be honored if you would allow us to give you some ideas and a quote. We will discuss in detail the points made above and how they relate to your yard and specific needs. We are confident you will be impressed with the professionalism and courtesy of our staff.
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We have built functional and attractive walls everywhere from the Church Hill and Fan areas with smaller gently sloping lots to huge plantation sized lots in Goochland, Chesterfield, Oilville, Ashland, and all over greater Richmond. We are experienced with the different soils in the area and can help you hone in on the best and most durable solution within your budget.
Our staff is well trained on the complexities of retaining wall building and can provide you with professional advice on all your options.
If you are building anything beyond a very small wall no more than a foot tall, you should strongly consider engaging with a professional who can go a long way to insuring the wall will serve you for decades without need of repair or replacement. Proper proportioning of the wall allows for the correct concrete placement as well as structural reinforcement. Walls may look simple but there is a lot of thought and technique behind building them correctly.
Often, cracks and defects are allowed to get worse and worse, eventually becoming very unsightly or even allowing the wall to become structurally unstable, often requiring a professional to get things repaired.
We would be honored if you would allow us to give you some ideas and a quote. We will discuss in detail the points made above and how they relate to your yard and specific needs. We are confident you will be impressed with the professionalism and courtesy of our staff.
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