On a site that has a slope and a rather intricate relief, a retaining wall is often made with your own hands, which allows you to create special terraces for growing various plants. Such structures on a flat territory make it possible to designate the elevated part of the garden, visually breaking it into separate functional zones. Thus, it is possible to create excellent conditions for shrubs and trees in places with a close occurrence of groundwater. When a wall is made with one's own hands, in any case, an original relief is obtained with an extensive garden. It is quite possible to combine such a structure with the base of the house, achieving a magnificent aesthetic effect.
Most often, a retaining wall is made with one's own hands, having a height of no more than one and a half meters. It belongs to the category of lightweight constructions, therefore it is incredibly popular with beginner gardeners. The construction does not require enormous financial costs - unlike the situation with capital terracing. Such structures can be made from almost any material at hand. However, lightweight structures are characterized by low bearing capacity, associated primarily with the lack of a quality foundation.
The simplest
retaining wall, built with your own hands, can be completed quite quickly, especially when it comes to a wooden structure. This option involves the use of smooth logs with a diameter of up to 200 mm. The lower part is treated with special antiseptic agents to protect the structure from decay. Logs are driven into the ground next to each other. The minimum depth should be at least forty centimeters, which, in turn, will allow the structure to carry loads.
A retaining wall made of stone is much less commonly arranged, because it requires considerable labor and financial expenses. In this case, a quality foundation is needed that can withstand the weight of the material and the onslaught of the soil. First you have to prepare a trench that repeats the contour of the structure. Then
concrete is poured, and after it hardens, stones are laid out. A very important role is played by the masonry method, which has a direct effect on the strength of the entire structure. Experts recommend abandoning the option with the formation of cruciform seams. It is best to apply the classical method, when the joints overlap the central part of the stone of a certain row.
It is also quite rare that a retaining wall is made of concrete from one's own hands, which represents one face or a multifaceted structure. This option assumes a reliable foundation in the form of a strip foundation. The structure can be integral or consist of separate elements, which makes it possible to organize interesting architectural delights. Concrete walls do not always have a reinforcing frame, in connection with this, it is recommended to strengthen the seams with a metal wire to improve the strength characteristics.