Block pavers for a retaining wall
mattgarden
Posts: 109
Good evening,
I have recently acquired a low maintenance garden that needs a lot of changes to adapt to our needs. This summer I am hoping to reduce the size of the patio and lawn the remainder of the garden. Let's call it phase 1.
The current patio is around a foot higher than the Pebbled area below it. I want to take up the slabbing and remove the retaining wall between the patio and the pebbled area. I want to replace it with a new slightly higher level retaining wall in its new location. This is primarily to prevent my daughter falling.
I want to do this on a budget but also want it to look pretty. Beyond the Pebbles is an area of block paved seating with a similar path leading to it. There are 100s of blocks. Is it possible to use these for the retaining wall? If not does anyone else have suggestions for a budget but attractive way to do it?
Thank you all. You are all being so helpful and welcoming to me as a total novice
Posts
Hi Riley, thanks for your advice and images. Your garden looks lovely. I really love the blocks for borders. My blocks look larger than yours appear, more house brick size I guess.
I love the look of your wall in the first picture too. My wall will probably need to be a couple of feet high though. You can see the current setup in this image...
If it's only 3 or 4 courses high, it'll be fine. Remember to slope it slightly backwards as you go so the wall is not quite vertical and ideally put a sheet of weed membrane over the soil behind the wall and fill the gap with gravel (to stop water pressure on the back of the wall).
If it's higher than that you may need to use a sturdier construction - concrete blocks laid on their sides, for example - and then use the paviors in front to make it look nicer.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”