tbulebush

Need to build a very low retaining wall

Todd
5 år sedan

I need to build a retaining wall that is about 10 inches high. I had a sidewalk and french drain installed and as a result, was left with a ledge about 10 inches in height on the property line. I attached a few pictures to show the ledge and the proximity to the sidewalk. I used a can to give perspective to the height. The french drain runs directly under the can so I can't use any type of wall that anchors into the soil/ground. The contractor suggests building a low wall using pavers bonded together with construction grade adhesive and abut the bottom of the wall against the edge of the sidewalk (basically, where the can of beans is), then backfill it with sand and top soil. Does this sound reasonable or is there a better approach to this? Since this is on the property line, I can't slope the ground into the sidewalk as that would leave me with an angry neighbor. Thank you!!






Kommentarer (10)

  • pls8xx
    5 år sedan

    How cold is your climate, frost line depth?


    Distance from walk to property line?


    What is the pipe size of the drain and it's depth relative to the walk? Is the pipe location close to the walk or near to the property line?


    Set stakes( or visual markers) at each end of the drain and along it's route. Back up and take a picture of the whole area of the walk and drain.



  • Todd
    Författare
    5 år sedan

    I'm in south western PA and it gets pretty cold in the winter (sub-zero occasionally). Based on some maps I found online, the frost line depth appears to be about 40 inches. The distance from the walk to the property line varies from 6 inches to the left of the can to 8 inches to the right. I don't know the diameter or depth of the pipe, and I'm also not sure where it is relative to the walk and property line. Given the short distance between the walk and the property line, I'm hesitant to penetrate the ground.


    Thank you Abordale and pls8xx for taking the time to respond.

  • pls8xx
    5 år sedan

    The french drain is the most problematic situation in combination with likely frost heave. A french drain can make the ground above the pipe dryer. But the soil lower than the pipe becomes wetter.

    Soil with a higher moisture has a grater expansion from freezing. If the drain causes a shallow wet area under the edge of the walk it may result in an uneven pressure on the walk and anything added to solve the grade problem at the property line.

    The recommendation of your contractor will work as a temporary fix, but expect the pavers to separate, become loose, or out-of-alignment.

    What purpose does the drain serve? Where does it begin? And where does it end? Please describe how the drain water is discharged.




    Todd thanked pls8xx
  • PRO
    Yardvaark
    5 år sedan

    What you're considering, Todd, might more aptly be termed a tall curb, rather than a "wall." Placing a heavy object (curb) more or less on top of ground, wouldn't be a proper way to build it, but as Arbordale said, it would probably work OK if precast units, not mortared together, are used. If they are disturbed over time due to not having a proper base or being below the frost line, they could be fairly easily re-stacked. If you create a base of tamped gravel a few inches thick, it would be helpful for avoiding wonky settling over time. Before building it, I'd explore the depth of the drainage pipe. Damaging the pipe during the exploration could easily be avoided simply by using a hand trowel. You might discover that you have enough room to build a proper base.

    Todd thanked Yardvaark
  • Todd
    Författare
    5 år sedan

    pls8xx - The old sidewalk was graded into the house causing moisture issues in the basement, so I had to install a new sidewalk with the proper grade. To alleviate drainage issues between my house and the neighbors, I had a french drain put in next to the walk which daylights into the back yard. I plan to measure the diameter of the pipe at the discharge point to get an idea of how much space there is to work with for the wall.


    I also plan to investigate the depth of the pipe as Yardvaark advised. I'm going to use the same contractor to build the wall that put in the sidewalk and french drain, so he should (in theory) know where the pipe is and the depth.

  • pls8xx
    5 år sedan

    I may not correctly understand the general grade direction. I assumed that the walk step down indicated a downward grade to the right in the first photo. But you said the drain ran to a discharge in the backyard. Is the walk in the back of the house? I'm confused.

    One thing you might consider is the look of any fix. Using a different material in a small area usually looks like a patch. The only thing that will match the look of the walk is poured concrete rendered with a broom finish. It's probably too cold to do concrete in your location until spring.

    Considering the above and the possibility that the drain, if shallow and perforated pipe, could result in a cracked and misaligned walk, I think I would look for a cheap fix and let a couple of years go by.

    One cheap fix would be to use a treated 2 x 12 laid on edge against the side of the walk. Turn the corner with the wood at the walk turn to give vertical stability along the lower level.

    One thing I don't like about the walk is the single step. Where there is a single step in a straight walk with the same material, texture, and color to both levels, somebody not familiar with the walk may fail to notice the step down. It causes injuries. Commercial properties often paint a space across the top level to make it more noticeable. Better if possible, to either grade the walk with a slope or use two steps together.


  • PRO
    Dig Doug's Designs
    5 år sedan

    some ideas:



    Todd thanked Dig Doug's Designs
  • Todd
    Författare
    5 år sedan

    Doug - Thank you for that visual. Very nice.

  • PRO
    JSL Landscape Design Build
    5 år sedan

    Using solid gray bricks or similar units, lay them on top of the edge of the sidewalk and mortar them or use adhesive. That way no need to fuss with the soil. The sidewalk will act as the footing. Using 4" wide material won't take up too much space on the sidewalk.

    Todd thanked JSL Landscape Design Build
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