May is one of the nicest months of the year and the perfect time to get started on a summer yard project. If your yard could use a makeover, consider a retaining wall. These structures are versatile and will add not only beauty but also increase the functionality of your backyard.
What Is A Retaining Wall
If you’re not familiar with the term, a retaining wall is meant to create a level space by holding back the earth, kind of like a dam for your yard. It’s used to define the landscaping and is especially helpful for yards with slopes. It can create terraces, patios, or stairs, but the basic feature is a wall that holds back the earth. They come in different styles, as we’ll discuss later, and they can help you make the most of your space. The wall has several key components.
Firstly, there’s the outer stone, brick, timber, or concrete that you see. Behind his are drainage stones. They keep water from collecting behind the outer wall. It’s the same reason you might put pebbles at the bottom of a flower planter. At the very bottom, there’s a drainage system to carry moisture away from the walls.
Retaining Wall Materials
When it comes to the material you’d like for your retaining wall, there are dozens of options: timber, stone, brick, poured concrete, concrete blocks, interlocking blocks, fencing, carousel stones, and more! Concrete and masonry will last longer than wood, but there’s no reason you can’t get a solid 40+ years out of your wooden retaining wall! There’s also no right or wrong shape. You could have a wavy wall that curves or a squared-off wall with crisp corners. The possibilities truly are endless. At 2 Yard Pros, we offer customized retaining walls to fit whichever style suits you and gives you the yard of your dreams!
Retaining Wall Ideas
As we’ve discussed, retaining walls can be used in a variety of situations.
Create A Patio
Suppose you’ve always wanted a patio, but your yard has a slope. By cutting into the slope and installing a retaining wall, you can carve out a space that wasn’t flat enough before!
Define The Landscape
You might have stepped inside a split-level home before. This architectural concept was popular in the 1970s and gave an open concept a bit of definition. For example, a kitchen and living room might not have a wall between them but having the living room slightly lower than the kitchen visually sets that room apart. Similarly, a retaining wall can add definition to a yard without losing the sense of openness. You could put a retaining wall around your outdoor dining area to separate it from the rest of the yard where your children play. Your yard won’t look walled off, but it does give it a more refined look.
Terraced Flower Beds
A popular option with retaining walls is to utilize them as raised flower or garden beds. You could add fencing to part of the wall so your climbing vegetables, like beans, have room to grow upwards and look nice at the same time.
Create A Path Or Driveway
Having a property with a slope is nice. You might not have to worry about flooding since you’re on higher ground. However, this can make parking the car or walking up and down a challenge, especially if it’s icy or rainy. A retaining wall lets you put in stairs so you can move about your yard with ease. If you’re installing a new driveway, you can hold back the earth and make a flat space to park your car. No more using the emergency brake!
Retaining Wall DIY
If you’re really keen on a challenging DIY project, you could absolutely DIY a retaining wall. However, it’s really better to let the professionals at a landscaping service handle it. We’ve already talked about the importance of keeping moisture away way, but there are other important things to keep in mind as well. The wall needs to have a “batter,” meaning it must be sloped backward, towards the earth it’s holding back, at a precise angle. Otherwise, your wall might crack, leak, or bulge from the weight of the earth. And then, of course, there’s the hauling and installing of materials. Even with the help of a pickup truck, hauling bricks or stone is never easy. The professionals at 2 Yard Pros have over 40 years of experience in construction. We’re happy to do the hard work for you so you can sit back and enjoy the final results!
Hire A Professional Landscaping Company Near Louisville
If you’re looking for a retaining wall installation or other hardscaping project, the experts at 2 Yard Pros can help! We’ve got decades of experience building everything from patios to pavers. We also offer professional lawn care services to southern Indiana and Louisville area customers, so you can have gorgeous grass to go with your new dream backyard! To learn more or schedule a consultation, give us a call at (502) 298-7828 or leave us a message online.
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