Retaining Walls
Retaining walls may look simply like stacked bricks or stone, but there is actually a battle going on all-day, everyday between your retaining wall and gravity. These barriers are built to hold large amounts of soil and rock behind them. The more earth being restrained, the greater amount of pressure that wall has to bear. Don’t make the mistake of underestimating the power of nature. Work with us instead and end up with a retaining wall that will last the ages.
We are locals to North Idaho and love the area we work in. We service the greater Coeur D’Alene, Post Falls, Rathdrum, and Spokane Valley areas and the outlying areas. The natural beauty of the Inland Northwest makes our jobs that much easier, but a quality retaining wall only adds to that natural beauty. Large or small, round or square, Landscape Pros and Excavation is your trusted expert for retaining walls in the Inland Northwest!
Retaining Walls to Hold the World Back
THE TOP 6 BENEFITS OF RETAINING WALLS
Attractive Barriers
The addition of a retaining wall to your property can be a beautiful thing if installed by a knowledgeable team. Similar to paver patios, a retaining wall adds desirability and attractiveness to your outside area.
Erosion & Runoff Control
One of the larger reasons people install retaining walls is to prevent drainage and runoff from creating troublesome erosion concerns. They can help redirect natural drainage paths away from your home and reduce runoff at the same time.
Design Variety
Just because they’re made to be extremely strong, retaining walls don’t have to be an eyesore. Quite the opposite, actually, as the variety of supplies ranges over all types of stone, bricks, pavers, concrete, and even wood!
Protective Structure
When it comes to security, there isn’t much stronger than a wall of stone, brick, or pavers. Although some retaining walls are made for curb appeal, others are made to protect areas of your property from wind, water, and undesirables.
Flattens Sloped Ground
Yards that are elevated or have a slope in them can be difficult to manage. A retaining wall can help flatten your yard, making your lawn maintenance less a chore while providing more usable space for you to play or entertain your friends and family!
Easy Maintenance
Retaining walls require very little maintenance once installed. Often times, all that’s needed is to rinse them off every so often. Most of the materials used, such as the ones detailed below, require so little maintenance you forgot they were there!
Retaining Wall Material Pros & Cons
Wood Retaining Wall
Pros:
- Low Cost: Typically cheaper than other options
- Natural Appeal: Blends into a landscape more naturally than other materials
- Flexible Style: Wooden color, density, and design variations are plenty
- Easy Installation: With a few tools, this can be a do-it-yourself project
Cons:
- Wood Rot: Of the material options available, wood degrades the quickest
- Not as Strong: Weight and moisture will cause failures
- Increased Maintenance: Fighting off natures’ effects ain’t easy
Poured Concrete Retaining Wall
Pros:
- Affordability: Concrete is a mid-range cost compared to other materials
- Flexibility: Using concrete allows you to create curves in your retaining walls
- Strength: Likely the strongest option and can hold back tons of earth
- Attractive: Dull gray concrete is so last year; Colored and stamped is in!
Cons:
- Installation: Due to having to pour the concrete in, this is not a DIY option
- Fairly Permanent: This type of retaining wall is difficult to move once setup
- Design: Must be built with proper drainage and support considered
Precast Concrete Retaining Wall
Pros:
- Uniformity: Being made from molds, a uniform look is easy to achieve
- High-Quality: Most are quality checked, ensuring a high-quality product
- Durability: Made in controlled environment decreasing failure possibilities
- Time Savings: Quicker to install than poured concrete
Cons:
- Transportation: Each piece has to be carried to the site, can’t be poured
- Modification: Difficult to modify pieces to correct bad fit or blemishes
- Handling: Larger precast pieces require heavy machinery to lift and move
Natural Stone Retaining Wall
Pros:
- Natural Appeal: Bricks and Concrete will never look as real as natural stone
- Great Drainage: Water can naturally permeate the wall and not harm it
- Weatherability: Stone can endure rain, snow, and heat without degrading
- The Original: Going back thousands of years, stone has been used for walls
Cons:
- Diversity: Stones are like fingerprints as they never match others exactly
- Minimal Height: Typically kept under 3 feet tall unless mortar is used
- Expense: More expensive than concrete and pavers due to installation labor
Cinder Block Retaining Wall
Pros:
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- Commonly Available: Cinder blocks are easy to find, no matter the season
- Consistency: Same shape and size allow for a consistent look
- Strength: Extremely strong when filled with rebar and gravel or concrete
- Low Maintenance: Annual cleaning is all that’s needed
- Commonly Available: Cinder blocks are easy to find, no matter the season
Cons:
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- Unattractive: Less attractive option if left without paint or stucco
- Complicated to Remove: Once installed, these are difficult to remove
- Drainage: Will become unstable if proper drainage isn’t built in initially
- Unattractive: Less attractive option if left without paint or stucco
Brick & Paver Retaining Wall
Pros:
- Variety: Pavers come in a wider variety of colors and textures than stone
- Strong: Difficult to dislodge due to their weight and shape built for stacking
- Modern Appeal: Compliments both modern and traditional homes
- Faster Installation: Can be put together much faster than stone
Cons:
- Curve Radius: Sharp curves aren’t possible with rectangular bricks & pavers
- Drainage: Will become unstable if proper drainage isn’t built in initially
- Support Bracing: Additional bracing may be needed for larger walls
