Retaining Walls...

Danger and Injury Will Follow Without Proper Construction and Anchoring of a Wall

Landscaping can refer to something as simple as planting 2 or 3 shrubs or may incorporate a deck, water feature, and require tons of dirt to be moved in order to install a retaining wall. Clearly almost every home owner is able to dig a few holes and install flowering shrubs however; the latter tasks are much more involved.

Any structural landscaping such as a retaining wall can be a simple or highly complex piece of engineering. While a retaining wall under 2 feet or so will not usually require extensive extra supports, any structure extending beyond 2 feet in height should be planned out and installed by a professional landscaping company experienced in retaining wall construction.

The primary reason for having an experienced landscaper perform the installation is due to safety. Ensuring proper support for a structure which will be required to withstand several hundred or thousands of pounds per square inch should not be left for the average layperson or home owner. Without sufficient reinforcement tragedy will likely result in the future.

The whole purpose of a retaining wall is to hold back an area of land. The fill dirt being held back can be exceptionally unstable. The pressures of the fill material can increase exponentially at the base as the height of the wall increases. There are several different construction techniques which can be utilized for a retaining wall. Which method will work best will largely depend upon several factors: the quantity of dirt or back fill material, the type of material with which the wall will be constructed, the type of fill material, the height of the wall and the available drainage.

Gravity walls rely on their inherent weight and mass to hold back the earth. For this reason it is a common technique to angle the wall towards the material it is holding back. A gravity wall such as this may be referred to by some as a battered wall. Examples of these types of walls are frequently seen as natural stone walls commonly used during the colonial time period or revolutionary and civil war eras throughout New England and down into the southern Atlantic states.

Cantilevered and pile retaining walls extend underground either horizontally or vertically at the base of the wall respectively. Both of these walls may need additional reinforcement on the fill side in the form of buttresses or tie-back anchors as the height of the wall and amount of fill increases. Calculating the precise type of reinforcement is best left to a landscaper well versed in retaining wall construction.

There are additional methods for anchoring a wall which are more complex, but are not needed unless high loads will be present or the wall itself will be to thin to normally hold back the necessary amount of earth. Regardless of the type of wall necessary, without proper drainage installed at the base of the wall, the pressures that water will bring to bear will quickly erode the stability of any retaining wall and will guarantee failure at some point in the future.

For additional information on the topic of landscaping specific from retaining walls to sprinkler systems visit Environmental Design Landscape. Article independently authored by Daniel P. Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Environmental Design Landscape. Click for search engine optimization and search engine marketing or visit WebDrafter.com's Blog.

Landscaping - Problems Many Home Owners Overlook When Hiring a Landscape Design Contractor

When many people think of landscaping, most assume that it is referring to adding a few trees, bushes or a flower bed. While landscaping is about that, the range of materials and designs that are available is only limited by the budgetary constraints. Landscaping is a broad term that can include design elements as basic as a small rock garden to grading an entire property to include a vast stone stairways melting into a stepped retaining wall.

A number of elements are included in the realm of landscaping. Quite often there is some overlap into other areas such as lawn irrigation, lighting and even home additions. Again, the home owner is only limited by the purse strings. If it can be imagined it can be created. It is important to set the stage for success and not failure or huge overwhelming debt.

One of the first topics any home owner needs to address with any landscaper chosen for a design project is cash flow. The reason is not so the landscaping company can max out the home owner's budget, but to provide an informed decision with regards to what design elements and landscape features may be possible within the monetary budget. During this fact finding consultation, other topics need to be communicated to the landscape designer.

The consultation should go over additional items such as desired colors, overall feel of the design and the function of the outdoor living area. Should the home owner not enjoy gardening themselves, the desire for a low maintenance landscape should be specifically brought to the attention of the landscaper. Water conservation is a concern of most home owners, but it will not hurt to emphasize this aspect of any design. Saving water in turn will save the home owner money.

Prior to the actual design being drawn up, many landscapers will have the home owner take a field trip to a local nursery to select some of the vegetation and foliage which appeals to them. Occasionally the landscaping company may be able to go the extra mile to bring a sampling of varying plants to the home owner as examples of recommended plants.

Keep in mind that as certain plants and trees grow, they will become taller and wider. Placement is as important as type. Plants placed too close to the house, walkways or water features can intrude and create more work and maintenance with which the home owner may not be willing to deal. Also it is important to note that neighbors can often be particular to plants overhanging onto their property. Some sort of fence or other boundary may need to be considered in order to have a landscape with which everyone can be happy.

For additional information on the topic of landscape design and outdoor living visit Environmental Design, Inc. Article independently authored by Daniel P. Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Environmental Design, Inc. Click here for search engine optimization and search engine marketing or visit WebDrafter.com's Blog.