Introduction

A retaining wall is necessary for many different types of landscapes. From rock gardens to hillsides, having a retaining wall is sure to help your yard stand out. This article will show you how to make your wall look great while staying easy and inexpensive.

Do 13 inches deep and 2 feet wide.

Do 13 inches deep and 2 feet wide. The trench should be as wide as you can, but not so wide that it becomes difficult to work in.

That’s how much gravel to use. You’ll want about 5-6 inches of gravel for drainage, then 8-10 inches of soil on top of that before topping with mulch or topsoil (which you’ll need 4-5 inches of).

How much soil to use? Enough to keep weeds at bay and protect against erosion, but no more than half an inch over the gravel layer; otherwise you won’t be able to compact it properly later on!

It’s also important that your finished product is nice and compacted so there are no air pockets between layers. A few passes with a hand tamper will do the trick nicely!

Place drainage pipe at the bottom.

You can place a drainage pipe at the bottom of a retaining wall, but it’s important to remember that you should bury it at least 6 inches deep. If you are using a cap on your wall, then place a drainage pipe inside the cap. The idea is that water will flow through the soil and down into any drainage pipe to prevent pooling on top of your newly built retaining wall.

Use the right kind of backfill.

You will want to use well-drained soil, as this will help prevent water from pooling near your retaining wall over time. The ideal soil should also have a pH between 5.0 and 7.0, as well as a clay content of less than 50%. This means it won’t be too dense or heavy once you add the backfill material, which can cause stability issues for your wall. You may need to adjust the pH of your soil if it is too acidic or alkaline using lime or sulphur respectively; these materials are available at most hardware stores in small quantities for mixing into the backfill material before you fill up your forms.

Finally, ensure that you use a sand content of more than 50% since this kind of sand will help with drainage by keeping water from settling on top of compacted earth instead moving through it freely (like oil does).

Use bulkheads to level the retaining wall above grade.

• Use a level to check the height of the wall, and make sure it is level. If it isn’t, add more dirt underneath until it’s even.
• Use a level to check the slope of the wall, and make sure it’s 2-3 inches out from your foundation if you are building on a concrete block or stone. This will give you enough space between your retaining wall and house so that water doesn’t get trapped inside when it rains.
• Using a plumb bob (an object with a string attached) or laser level (a tool that projects lines onto surfaces), mark where you want your bulkheads to go at each end of the new retaining wall sections (marked “B” in photo). Then place them along their respective edges after digging out an area wide enough for them so they stick up above ground level by about two inches apiece; this helps prevent water from getting trapped behind them during heavy rainstorms.

Level blocks as you stack them.

As you add each layer of blocks, make sure that they are level by using a level. You can also check that the blocks are straight by using a string line. As you build, adjust any blocks that don’t seem to be sitting level or straight.

Use fabric or gravel between layers.

You can also use fabric or gravel between layers.

Use a fabric to prevent weeds from growing through the pavers during the winter months, when they’re dormant and won’t be able to compete with the root systems of surrounding plants. If you don’t want to use fabric on your retaining wall, then wait until springtime before adding any more layers so that you can plant them in fresh soil.

If your pavers have gaps between them after laying down a few courses, fill them with gravel before continuing with additional courses of stone. This will help ensure that no water gets trapped under your wall when it rains because there are still gaps between each layer!

Use deadmen anchors behind the wall every 6 feet.

If you’re building a retaining wall, it’s important to have deadmen anchors installed behind it every 6 feet. Deadmen anchors will help hold the wall in place while preventing erosion and future damage. It’s also recommended that they be installed at least 4 inches below the top of the wall, so that water doesn’t collect there when it rains or snows.

Take care with optional caps.

• You may want to consider using a cap that’s compatible with the material below it.
• Make sure your cap isn’t too heavy, or else it will be difficult to install and remove later on.
• Consider how easy it is to clean around the base of your retaining wall.

Dig a level trench twice as wide as the thickness of the wall.

Digging the trench is a straightforward process:

• Dig down to about half the thickness of your wall (3 inches for a 2-inch tall retaining wall).
• Mark the top and bottom of your trench with stakes.
• Dig out all dirt inside this marked area, leaving only earth on either side. If there are any trees or bushes in this area, be sure to move them safely before digging or risk damaging them when you remove them from their roots later on.

Measure the depth of the trench and subtract 1/2 inch for gravel.

Measure the depth of the trench and subtract 1/2 inch for gravel.

• To measure the depth of your trench, use a tape measure and start at one corner of your retaining wall; take it all around the perimeter, then add up all your measurements along each side.
• If you’re using a 2-foot wide trench, you’ll need to subtract 1/2 inch from each side’s measurement (1 foot minus 1/2 inch = 15 inches). The total should be 12 feet 9 inches—that’s how far down you want to dig!

Slope the gravel back from the front lip of the wall by 1/4 inch per foot.

The slope of the gravel back from the front lip of your wall should be 1/4 inch per foot, to allow water to run off the wall. This slope should be consistent across your entire retaining wall so that it doesn’t appear to have a dip in it anywhere.

Tamp each layer of gravel firmly with a large tamper or hand tamper.

After you’ve finished laying the first layer of gravel, it’s time to tamp. Tamping is the process of pressing down each layer firmly with a large tamper or hand tamper. You want to make sure each layer is level with one other and that there are no gaps between them. Make sure you tamp firmly enough so that your retaining wall doesn’t lean in any direction—you don’t want it falling apart on you! If a gap does form in your retaining wall, use extra layers of compacted stone to fill in the gap before tamping again.

Install a layer of landscape fabric to help prevent weeds.

Install a layer of landscape fabric to help prevent weeds.

Landscape fabric is a good idea to use if you want to keep weeds from growing in your retaining wall.

Level each course of blocks as you go.

To ensure a level retaining wall, you’ll need to use a laser level to ensure that each course of blocks is level with the ground and with each other. You can purchase an inexpensive laser level for about $10 at any hardware store, or rent one from your local tool rental centre.

When you set up your first row of blocks on top of the subbase (the layer at the bottom), use stakes or string lines to mark where each block should go so that they’re all evenly spaced apart. Once those stakes are in place, put some landscape fabric (or any type of flexible plastic sheeting) over your area where you’ll be laying blocks—this will help prevent weeds from growing between them later on!

If needed, use a rubber mallet to nudge blocks into alignment.

If needed, use a rubber mallet to nudge blocks into alignment. A rubber mallet will help you tap them into place without damaging the surrounding area or harming their structural integrity by striking too hard with your hammer or chisel.

Fill gaps between pavers with either decorative gravel or sand.

The next step is to fill the gaps between pavers with either decorative gravel or sand. Once they’re installed, you can smooth out any imperfections on their surface with a plate compactor or by hand.

If you choose to use decorative gravel, make sure it’s clean and free of debris before filling the gap between the pavers. Compact the gravel into place using a hand tamper (a flat piece of metal) or rubber mallet to nudge pavers into alignment as necessary. For added strength, create a bed of compacted soil beneath the paver joints using your trowel.

Remove all grass, roots, weeds and topsoil from the site.

The removal of excess soil is an important part of the retaining wall construction process. It can be done with a shovel, or another tool, and will make your life easier later on in the process.

The first thing you should do is remove all grass, roots and topsoil from the site where you’re planning on building your retaining wall. Once you’ve removed any weeds from your yard space as well as any topsoil that may be present in small areas where grasses have been growing for some time now (this will help prevent weeds from sprouting back up).

Place a 4-inch layer of gravel at the base of the wall.

• Place a 4-inch layer of gravel at the base of the wall.
• Use a plate compactor to compact the gravel and make sure it’s packed down thoroughly. You will have to periodically stop and move rocks out of your way as you go.
• Refrain from over-compacting, or else your retaining wall could sink inwards when it settles.

Compact the gravel with a plate compactor or hand tamper to create a solid foundation.

Now that you’ve dug the holes, it’s time to get your gravel on. But before you begin placing the rocks, compact them using a plate compactor or hand tamper. You want to make sure that there are no voids in between each piece of rock and that they’re as flat as possible so they won’t shift out of place during construction. If you don’t have access to either tool, use your feet!

If you’re working with larger stones (3″ wide or more), use a hand tamper instead of a plate compactor—the force needed will be too much for most machines. If all else fails, just ask someone else for help—there’s nothing wrong with asking for help when trying something new!

Pour soil up to 6 inches behind the wall. Begin backfilling on each side of the wall at the same time.

Now that the wall is in place, it’s time to start backing up the soil and building up a raised bed.

First, fill in any gaps between your retaining wall and the ground level with topsoil or garden soil (you can also purchase bags of premixed compost and soil). Level out this layer with a plate compactor or hand tamper so that it’s flush with the top of your retaining wall.

Next, pour new soil into each section of your elevated bed until it reaches 6 inches behind your retaining wall—that’s how deep you’ll need to go if you want to plant directly into an exposed root zone later on. Remember: You want this area filled up with healthy topsoil that will help anchor plants firmly in place as they grow vertically alongside each other! Now give each newly filled patch another dose of plate-compactor action before moving on to filling up another section along one side of your new garden space…

Tamp down each new layer of soil before moving on to the next layer. Make sure all layers are compacted thoroughly.

As you work your way up the retaining wall, make sure to tamp down each new layer of soil before moving on to the next. This will help ensure that all layers are compacted thoroughly. If you don’t have a plate compactor or hand tamper, simply walk over the top of each layer of soil with your feet firmly planted. Be careful not to compact it too hard!

Fill in areas with topsoil where needed and tamp down again.

Next, fill in any areas with topsoil where needed. Using your tamping tool, tamp down each layer of soil after adding it to the retaining wall. Make sure that all layers are compacted thoroughly for a sturdy foundation.

Conclusion

That’s all there is to it! If you follow these simple steps, you can build your retaining wall in no time. Just remember to level the ground on both sides of the wall and tamp down each layer of soil before moving on to the next.