Retaining Walls Atlantic Beach FL

This type of retaining wall utilizes natural-looking, concrete blocks that have a lip on their backside.

By definition, a retaining wall is any structure that holds back soil or rock from a building, structure, or area. They have applications in the commercial, industrial, and residential arenas. You might find a retaining wall keeping soil back from sidewalks or roads, along riverbanks, or, more commonly, in your neighbor's garden or landscape. They can be constructed of wood and any number of masonry units, including stone , brick, concrete, and cement-filled cinder blocks.

Functions

Most often retaining walls are used to provide a level surface for gardening or landscaping where the land is naturally sloped. In a more utilitarian sense, they are also used to protect homes from the flow of water, usually when the home site is cut into a hill or mountainside. In a more aesthetic sense, retaining walls provide elevation and accent for landscape design. They can create beautiful stone pathways, support water features, or attractively direct water away from patios or play areas.

Types

Aside from the different types of materials that can be used to build one, there are also four basic types of retaining walls. The difference lies not just in material but in how they are built.

• Gravity walls use their own weight to hold back the soil. Because of that, this type of wall is usually shorter (about three feet tall on average) in order not to overdo things. If...

Read the full article in the CalFinder Remodeling and Home Solar Power Magazine