West Phoenix Retaining Wall Pros

Improved Appearance 

A more level appearance for your property in West Phoenix, AZ can be achieved with retaining walls, which can significantly increase the curb appeal of your home. Retaining walls can help you achieve your goals of improving the aesthetics of your landscaping or simply adding interest. The landscaping of uneven ground can be difficult, but by using retaining walls, you can add some character to a space that would otherwise be lifeless.

• Multiple levels for added interest
• Aesthetically pleasing wall materials, like stone, wood, and even tiling
• Landscaping that makes the most of the levels, like cascading plants
• For even more spectacular results, retaining walls and water features can be combined.

In an ideal world, retaining walls would be useful and beautiful. Making small, private spaces within a bigger space using the walls is one approach to achieve this. An attractive backdrop and sound barrier during outdoor parties, for instance, could be created by having a retaining wall that is expertly planted curve around a patio.

Drainage Control

You can also utilize retaining walls in West Phoenix, AZ to manage the drainage on your property. Retaining walls can aid in preventing flooding and water damage by channeling water away from foundations and other sensitive places. Unfortunately, steep or uneven landscapes frequently have poor drainage, which frequently leaves an excessive amount of standing water that can cause:

• Dead or dormant grass
• Structural damage
• Increased numbers of mosquitoes
• Excess weed growth
• Flooding of yards or basements

To prevent damage to your home and yard, retaining walls can assist delay the flow of rainwater or direct it to a more suitable spot. Remember that retaining walls themselves need drainage; otherwise, water that collects behind them won't have anywhere to go, eventually leading to the wall cracking. If you're going to build the wall yourself, bear that in mind. Retaining walls are probably something you've run across while looking for methods to improve your yard, especially if it has any slopes or high areas. Although leveling the sloped terrain is an option, experts advise choosing a retaining wall instead. A retaining wall has several advantages, both aesthetic and practical, whereas leveling your yard can be time-consuming and expensive.

Improved Outdoor Living Area

If your property slopes, building a retaining wall can level out the slope and add more level space for outdoor living. A patio, deck, or even a garden could look excellent here. Although hills and mounds can be attractive in their own right, they also tend to eat up valuable landscaping space since they are challenging to get around. Phoenix Retaing Wall Professionals can assist you in creating a retaining wall that maximizes your available space. Consider the following ideas:

• Your yard can be greatly expanded by building terraces out of a series of retaining walls, giving you a much easier landscape design palette. Additionally, terracing gives your yard a stunning and appealing façade and enables you to highlight particular features like patios and gardens more clearly.
• Setting up a modest retaining wall to create a flower bed in front of your house. You can add more flower-friendly soil to a raised bed.
• Depending on the size of your property, you may need one or more retaining walls to divide up your yard into distinct visual zones, especially in expansive areas.

Soil Erosion Prevention

Soil erosion prevention is one of the main purposes of retaining walls. Retaining walls can aid in preventing erosion damage to your property in West Phoenix, AZ by holding back dirt and water. Rainfall is a major cause of land erosion because it washes dirt downward and results in:

• Poor drainage and flooding
• Exposed vegetation roots
• Bald areas due to lack of topsoil
• Structural damage to the home

Erosion will worsen if you put off taking care of it, which could need expensive repairs to your home and garden. One of the simplest and most direct ways to stop erosion from becoming an issue is to build retaining walls.

Improper Drainage

Poor drainage, which results in soggy soil, is the main issue with retaining walls. If the wall is not planned appropriately, wet soil can add additional weight and strain. In addition, if the earth freezes and then thaws, it may create more pressure. Therefore, it's crucial to include enough drainage so that the water can escape the building. Adding more weep holes and using materials like crushed gravel and pea gravel can improve drainage. Weep holes, which allow water to drain through, should be drilled horizontally along your wall at regular intervals. They may also need to be positioned vertically for taller walls. Remember that some retaining wall designs, such gabion forms, are inherently better at facilitating drainage. A perforated drainage pipe that slopes to an outlet position can also be installed behind the whole length of your retaining wall.

Weak Foundation

It's essential to make sure you're putting them on a solid foundation, regardless of whether you choose to create stone, lumber, or concrete rubble retaining wall. Like any other construction, the wall's foundation is crucial to keeping it standing. The foundation must be deep enough to support any big weight in order for it to be solid. It should also, as a general rule, be twice as wide as the wall you are erecting, with the wall positioned in the middle. Crushed rock or even a substantial layer of compacted gravel should be used as footings behind a concrete wall to prevent cracks. This is particularly crucial when the soil is dry. A coating of concrete is another option.

Building Too High Without Additional Support

When constructing a retaining wall, it's important to ensure that the height is appropriate for the soil type and isn't too high. Construction caution is even more crucial if you want to create a retaining wall higher than four feet since instability is more likely to happen when a wall is built to an excessive height and is not properly supported. This is crucial because taller timber retaining walls need to be constructed with much greater strength. To prevent the wall from eventually tilting out owing to subsurface pressure, deadman timbers and anchors must be added. The footing may also need to be extended. And as a side note, it's usually a good idea to verify whether you need a construction permit in your area for smaller walls as well. In many states, you will also require the services of an engineer for walls this high or higher. Both the front and backyard garden walls fall under this description.

Picking The Wrong Plants

Inappropriate plants are one of the other issues. We've emphasized how crucial drainage is while constructing retaining walls. You must choose appropriate plants as a result. Fortunately, there are many low-maintenance drought-tolerant plants available that provide textural interest, vibrant color, and low water requirements. Consider your plants' roots as well. Avoid planting large trees or bushes with roots that spread quickly since they can eventually weaken the structure of your wall. Additionally, keep in mind that utilizing concrete or limestone gravel when building your wall can cause the soil to become more alkaline. Avoid acid-loving plants like hydrangeas, azaleas, and rhododendrons because of this. Otherwise, maintaining a pH level that will allow them to flourish will be a daily struggle for you.