13
votes
Accepted
What Kind of Wooden Beam is this
"Landscape Timber" or, sometimes, "used railroad tie" - but "landscape timber" is what you'll find at most typical lumber suppliers.
They will typically last several years - if well pressure-treated,...
- 201k
6
votes
Setting fence post in gravel/backfill?
I watched my fence installers and there where some areas that had a lot of stone. They would take a pointed metal rod and jam it into the hole to loosen up the rock and then use the post hole digger ...
- 4,135
6
votes
Setting fence post in gravel/backfill?
First and foremost, will setting two posts in concrete behind this wall create any structural risk to the wall?
You will not be adding any loads to the retaining wall that are of much concern. The ...
- 5,709
6
votes
Accepted
Should drainage pipe behind a retaining wall only have holes on the top?
Counterintuitively, you usually want the holes in drainage pipe to point down, not up. This way, water from below can get forced up into the pipe from underneath, which then has a low-resistance path ...
- 982
5
votes
Setting fence post in gravel/backfill?
Once it's in place most gravel is not all that mobile, but it's also not hard to dig.
I would not bother with a power auger, a clamshell posthole digger should get it done easily. I've just revisited ...
- 201k
5
votes
How can I restore a CBU retaining wall with a vertical crack at the corner?
Not age so much as settling in the footing. You'd see the same thing in a new wall in similar circumstances.
You have two options:
Replace the entire wall section, say 15 feet out from the corner ...
- 129k
5
votes
Accepted
Are my hardwood sleepers shrinking?
What you are showing is bare wood apparently without any treatment or coating. In that case the wood will shrink and swell due to humidity and, since this appears to be outside, rain, snow, etc.
Wood ...
- 23.1k
5
votes
Accepted
Can a small wood retaining wall be replaced by trees?
If your desire is to replace a retaining wall with a natural grade and trees, the best approach would be to remove the wall, level out the grade the way you want, and plant whatever you want on your ...
- 34.3k
5
votes
Accepted
Compacting gravel on wet ground
The rain helped compact the soil for you. In the current state your ground is good to go for gravel and compaction.
- 24.9k
4
votes
What Kind of Wooden Beam is this
The answer is RAILROAD TIES.
The timbers in your photo are Railroad Ties. The railroad will change the ties on a regular basis. They are impregnated with creosote and as a result they are very heavy. ...
- 13.5k
4
votes
How do I build a fence with zero experience?
Does the fence need to be solid for privacy? If not, consider a chain-link fence. You set the poles, unroll the fencing along and attach it to the poles with wire clips, then if you want to avoid ...
- 14.8k
4
votes
Concrete retaining wall with lean and crack, looking for input
This site prefers not to provide 'call a professional' answers and I might receive some less positive reception for this answer, but this is a case where I think that it is appropriate.
My suggestion ...
- 5,709
4
votes
Accepted
What material to tie two cinder block walls together?
The normal way would be reinforcing bar around insides of the blocks, then add concrete. This is called a "bond beam". Blocks with open ends are used. If you use enough reinforcing it can ...
- 19k
4
votes
How to prevent rebar from rusting in the ground?
Bore a 4" hole and pour it full of concrete, so the rebar has 2" concrete cover.
- 201k
4
votes
Accepted
How do a fix this solid, leaning, solid concrete retaining wall
In my experience it's nearly impossible to push such a concrete wall back to its original position.
The best approach is to break it up and remove it and then if you want a wall there, replace it with ...
- 23.1k
3
votes
Accepted
Building a free-standing wall on top of a retaining wall
I do not think you could rest a second unsupported wall on top of a retaining wall without long reinforcement members penetrating both the retaining wall and the wall on top. Otherwise the upper wall ...
- 20.8k
3
votes
Accepted
Maximum retaining wall height
This is about load bearing and claims. The pressure associated with 2 ft of dirt is probably well within the load bearing specification of the blocks in question. 3 feet may not cause any issue, but ...
- 6,212
3
votes
How best to repair a cavity in the base of a retaining wall
Wow...there’s a lot of issues: 1) height, 2) non-reinforced wall, 3) load bearing, 4) moisture
1) This is a tall wall at 10’ or so. That means if it is a true retaining wall, it has a lot of stress ...
- 23.1k
3
votes
Accepted
Composite Shims on Short Retaining Wall
These blocks are designed to be installed loose, and that tree's roots are going to win any disagreement they have with them. trying to make a permanent structure from these semi-permanent ...
- 19k
3
votes
Accepted
How can I raise grade near my fence without making soil contact?
Anything directly against the fence will allow moisture to accumulate and hasten decay. If you want a fast, simple solution, lay any rigid board against the fence to the new grade level with spacer ...
- 129k
3
votes
How do I fix a wooden retaining wall?
Although it looks to be functional at this point eventually the bottom tier will rot away causing the retaining wall to fail. You have a legitimate concern. There is no simple answer to this because ...
- 8,752
3
votes
Dealing with incline from back door to fence
I assume this is going to be a slab on grade house.
I assume the plan is for rain drains which feed into a perimeter drain which goes out to the city storm drain.
A 1m tall retaining wall is nothing. ...
- 13.4k
3
votes
Accepted
Should the high side of a concrete block retaining wall be sealed?
I think both the issues of (1) water penetrating the wall and causing problems from behind for your stucco and (2) hydrostatic pressure behind the wall physically damaging it perhaps to the point of ...
- 4,356
3
votes
Accepted
Temporary brace for a wooden retaining wall
No need to purchase special braces, just use some common lumber.
When i set fence posts I use a 2"x 4" and wood stake.
Lay your 2x4 on your wall at angle, the farther the end that will be at ...
- 13.5k
3
votes
Accepted
Can I have 100% flat space behind Retaining wall?
Drainage slope is needed.
If there's only 15 inches behind the wall, that's quite a bit more than the minimum.
If there's 15 feet, it's just about the minimum.
- 201k
3
votes
How should I attach sacrificial anodes to steel columns in concrete?
Concrete itself protects steel from corrosion, which is why there are specifications of 2-3" concrete cover for steel reinforcing, depending on environmental exposure (3" for coastal.) See ...
- 201k
3
votes
How can I build a retaining wall and secure these fence posts while conserving space?
Your proposed retaining wall will not just "enclose the exposed rocks and soil". It has to support the lateral loads from the soil behind it, and also from vehicles on the neighbor's ...
- 3,684
3
votes
Accepted
Number of posts needed?
Instead of a giant earthworks project, consider making raised beds instead. Raised bed gardening becomes more and more attractive with the passing years because there's less bending and stooping ...
- 10.9k
2
votes
Possible to repair this retaining wall?
You will need to either replace the wall or build another new wall behind the original, thus rendering the old wall obsolete. Also there is a lot more to it than that, but this is the simplest way to ...
- 34.2k
2
votes
Accepted
What's the best way to get grade below foundation wall?
The best way is, indeed, a shovel!
Is the property line the edge of your neighbors sidewalk? If so, I'd do what was recommended. You won't harm your neighbor's foundation removing 18" of soil that ...
- 24.2k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible