Comments on: How to Build a Retaining Wall http://www.lumbertalk.com/2007/12/19/how-to-build-a-retaining-wall/ Professional-Level Information for Designers and Users of Wood Projects Fri, 05 Sep 2008 19:38:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: LumberTalk.com: Professional-Level information and how-to articles for designers and users of wood products. Wood Bulkhead Materials » Lumber Talk http://www.lumbertalk.com/2007/12/19/how-to-build-a-retaining-wall/#comment-52 LumberTalk.com: Professional-Level information and how-to articles for designers and users of wood products. Wood Bulkhead Materials » Lumber Talk Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:01:04 +0000 http://www.lumbertalk.com/2007/12/19/how-to-build-a-retaining-wall/#comment-52 [...] made a sketchcast about how to build a wood bulkhead and I wrote about how to build a wood retaining wall but I might have assumed too much about how much you know about the bulkhead materials I [...] […] made a sketchcast about how to build a wood bulkhead and I wrote about how to build a wood retaining wall but I might have assumed too much about how much you know about the bulkhead materials I […]

]]> By: Casey http://www.lumbertalk.com/2007/12/19/how-to-build-a-retaining-wall/#comment-72 Casey Thu, 03 Apr 2008 02:49:38 +0000 http://www.lumbertalk.com/2007/12/19/how-to-build-a-retaining-wall/#comment-72 Thank you for the great information! I'm a camp director for a summer camp and I am very interested in either the wood retaining wall with vertical boards, or the timber wall and I have two questions- We are trying to build an outdoor, amphitheater style chapel for our camp. This chapel will be constructed on a lakeside, and will consist of 3- 15foot X 16foot sections that will contain the seats or benches (2X10X16's), which will be built on top of 6X6 landscape timbered boxes or terraces. Because our lakeside slope is too steep for walking up and down the aisles, we have determined that we will need a roughly 60 foot long retaining wall that will have to be 6 1/2 feet tall (and this wall will not come in contact with our lake). In your timber examples, what size timbers are common- 6X6's? Or, when you describe timbers, are you referring to larger railroad ties? One other question please- with one of these wooden walls, will the filter cloth be adequate for drainage? No need to intall some type of drains underneath the backfill. I hope not- if only the filter cloth is needed, then this would be fantastic news and not so complicated. Thank you very much for your help Casey Thank you for the great information! I’m a camp director for a summer camp and I am very interested in either the wood retaining wall with vertical boards, or the timber wall and I have two questions- We are trying to build an outdoor, amphitheater style chapel for our camp. This chapel will be constructed on a lakeside, and will consist of 3- 15foot X 16foot sections that will contain the seats or benches (2X10X16’s), which will be built on top of 6X6 landscape timbered boxes or terraces. Because our lakeside slope is too steep for walking up and down the aisles, we have determined that we will need a roughly 60 foot long retaining wall that will have to be 6 1/2 feet tall (and this wall will not come in contact with our lake). In your timber examples, what size timbers are common- 6X6’s? Or, when you describe timbers, are you referring to larger railroad ties?

One other question please- with one of these wooden walls, will the filter cloth be adequate for drainage? No need to intall some type of drains underneath the backfill. I hope not- if only the filter cloth is needed, then this would be fantastic news and not so complicated.

Thank you very much for your help
Casey

]]> By: Chris http://www.lumbertalk.com/2007/12/19/how-to-build-a-retaining-wall/#comment-83 Chris Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:54:39 +0000 http://www.lumbertalk.com/2007/12/19/how-to-build-a-retaining-wall/#comment-83 Casey, I am glad Lumber Talk has helped you. Q&A1. 6x6 timbers are probably ok for your wall IF you use a great tie-back system. The timbers are strong so I would not worry about them breaking (or "blowing out") but a wall built with any size timbers might fall over. Tie back with tie rods or timbers turned into the earth (like in the side view drawing above). Q&A2. It depends upon the type of soil behind your retaining wall. If the soil is very heavy with clay, which does not drain well, then you should give it every possible opportunity to drain, including using drains. If the soil is very granular, such as sand or gravel, then filter cloth alone is probably fine. As always, please consult an engineer or builder who is familiar with the area. Thank you for your questions. Chris Casey,

I am glad Lumber Talk has helped you.

Q&A1. 6×6 timbers are probably ok for your wall IF you use a great tie-back system. The timbers are strong so I would not worry about them breaking (or “blowing out”) but a wall built with any size timbers might fall over. Tie back with tie rods or timbers turned into the earth (like in the side view drawing above).

Q&A2. It depends upon the type of soil behind your retaining wall. If the soil is very heavy with clay, which does not drain well, then you should give it every possible opportunity to drain, including using drains. If the soil is very granular, such as sand or gravel, then filter cloth alone is probably fine.

As always, please consult an engineer or builder who is familiar with the area.

Thank you for your questions.

Chris

]]> By: Dave Sperry http://www.lumbertalk.com/2007/12/19/how-to-build-a-retaining-wall/#comment-87 Dave Sperry Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:43:50 +0000 http://www.lumbertalk.com/2007/12/19/how-to-build-a-retaining-wall/#comment-87 Regarding the timber retaining wall and the tie-back timbers. In the front view picture the tie-back appears to extend out and flush, with the main timbers butting up to it on either side. In the top view picture the tie-back appears to butt up against the back of the horizontally running main timbers, which would seem right to me. Which is correct and is the tie-back secured to the main timber with spikes or rebar? I'm ready to go to work once I get cleared up on this. Thanks so much for the instructions. Dave Regarding the timber retaining wall and the tie-back timbers. In the front view picture the tie-back appears to extend out and flush, with the main timbers butting up to it on either side. In the top view picture the tie-back appears to butt up against the back of the horizontally running main timbers, which would seem right to me. Which is correct and is the tie-back secured to the main timber with spikes or rebar? I’m ready to go to work once I get cleared up on this.

Thanks so much for the instructions.

Dave

]]> By: Chris http://www.lumbertalk.com/2007/12/19/how-to-build-a-retaining-wall/#comment-88 Chris Fri, 11 Apr 2008 02:16:39 +0000 http://www.lumbertalk.com/2007/12/19/how-to-build-a-retaining-wall/#comment-88 Hi Dave, The tie-back timber should extend between the ends of the timbers in the wall and be flush with the front of the wall. This allows you to fully connect the tie-back timber (top, bottom, and sides) to the other timbers with spikes and re-bar if you are using re-bar, too. Good luck on your project. Enjoy! Chris Hi Dave,

The tie-back timber should extend between the ends of the timbers in the wall and be flush with the front of the wall. This allows you to fully connect the tie-back timber (top, bottom, and sides) to the other timbers with spikes and re-bar if you are using re-bar, too.

Good luck on your project. Enjoy!

Chris

]]> By: John http://www.lumbertalk.com/2007/12/19/how-to-build-a-retaining-wall/#comment-89 John Fri, 11 Apr 2008 04:39:07 +0000 http://www.lumbertalk.com/2007/12/19/how-to-build-a-retaining-wall/#comment-89 I was wondering if I used galvanized poles and set them in concrete, drill holes in the timbers and then anchor them together using 8" long screws, would I still have to worry about blow out or tipping? Has anyone seen this type of retaining wall built? I was wondering if I used galvanized poles and set them in concrete, drill holes in the timbers and then anchor them together using 8″ long screws, would I still have to worry about blow out or tipping? Has anyone seen this type of retaining wall built?

]]> By: Chris http://www.lumbertalk.com/2007/12/19/how-to-build-a-retaining-wall/#comment-92 Chris Fri, 11 Apr 2008 18:03:29 +0000 http://www.lumbertalk.com/2007/12/19/how-to-build-a-retaining-wall/#comment-92 John, Overall, there is not information there to answer your questions. Please be more descriptive. What KIND of wall are you building? How deep are you setting your poles? How big are they? What are you supporting? I would basically always suggest using a tie-back system. Chris John,

Overall, there is not information there to answer your questions. Please be more descriptive. What KIND of wall are you building? How deep are you setting your poles? How big are they? What are you supporting?

I would basically always suggest using a tie-back system.

Chris

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