If you live in Utah,
there’s a large chance you live on some rough and rugged terrain. Many homes in Utah require a retaining wall in their yard. If any of these things sound familiar to your situation, it is likely you need a retaining wall: the need to control downhill erosion, if your house is downhill from soil lines, when your foundation is threatened by a sliding hill, when you need to manage water runoff, or you need usable land. So what is a retaining wall? Retaining walls are ground retaining systems that use their own mass to sustain the terrain behind them. There are many different types of retaining walls. This article will go over a few of the most popular types of retaining walls and help you to determine which type of wall you may need in your yard.
A Piling retaining wall is a common type of retaining wall. These successful retaining wall project requires walls are used in areas where the soil is soft. They are also used in areas that are tight or there isn’t a lot of space. Piling walls are made of vinyl, wood planks, or steel. The material is driven into the ground. These retaining walls use a tieback anchor to help the barrier stay in place. Then a cable is connected to the anchor to connect it to the retaining wall.
Gravity retaining walls are the oldest and most frequently used retaining walls. They are made of heavy materials such as concrete, stone, brick, and cinder blocks. These materials are used to resist pressures from the soil and rocks behind it. Most gravity retaining walls are only about three to four feet tall. Gravity retaining walls are thicker at the bottom than the top. The base of the wall is usually half of the wall’s height. You will most likely see many gravity retaining walls while driving around your neighborhood.
Cantilever retaining walls were the most commonly used type of taller retaining wall before the introduction of modern reinforced-soil gravity walls. They are made of mortared concrete or masonry. They also contain steel reinforcements. The cantilever retaining wall uses a lot less material than a traditional gravity wall. Their concrete footing must be positioned into firm foundations. This type of wall operates like a beam. It is often shaped like an upside down letter T or a backwards letter L. This wall requires special engineering to make sure it will withstand the weight of the dirt.
Whether you need an extremely heavy-duty retaining wall or a smaller, more compact retaining wall, you will be sure to have many options to choose from to help complete your Utah landscaping. With modern architecture, there are many different, beautiful, and unique materials available today to create the most perfect, charming retaining wall for your yard.