Ledgestone retaining wall building in Colorado: These pros like soapstone because the lines created by grease pencils and markers can stay visible for a long time, whereas soapstone washes off in the rain. The downside is that soapstone doesn’t work as well on wet blocks. You can find these pencils at online retailers. Stagger the overlaps (at least 4 inches for this Versa-Lok product) and try to keep the butt joint between the blocks as tight as possible. Large gaps can create a pathway for water and sediment. Whichever type of block you use, make sure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
NFC can either be mixed on-site for smaller areas or purchased from a reputable concrete supplier and trucked in for larger commercial applications. NFC is mixed at a 6:1 ratio by volume of 20mm max size clean aggregate and cement. Water content should be such that the cement slurry evenly coats the aggregate and retains a wet/glossy appearance without excess slurry running off, this is typically around 40 litres per 100kg of cement. With the use of NFC, we are able to build Block Retaining Walls in areas and situations where normal construction methods would not work. Some of these situations are: In areas where excavation behind the wall is limited either due to being on a boundary or close to other structures or footings.
We serve all of Colorado out of our home office in Colorado Springs. Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions you may have. Estimates are always free and everything we touch comes with a warranty. Colorado Retaining Wall specializes in the building and repair of retaining walls. Whether the wall is for a backyard or driveway of a residence or a commercial Shopping Center, we design and build large block walls for all Earth retention requirements. We have the ability to fortify the wall with shotcrete or soil nails which would include helical tie-backs or micropiles. Nearly every wall we build requires engineering and we have deep relationships with engineers that work hand-in-hand with our foremen regardless of the size of project. Please read our reviews and look and our photo gallery. Find additional information at Best Retaining Walls Colorado.
The latest technology in retaining walls can be seen in the variety of segmental systems featuring blocks that interlock, with no need for mortar. These systems enable you to finish a project that will look complicated and professional. The simplest DIY systems are ideal for short walls (approximately 3 feet high) and feature blocks with a lip on the lower, rear edge that locks them together for a stepped effect. When the cavity behind the wall is filled with earth, the pressure pushes the blocks forward, strengthening the joints between the lips and the blocks beneath.
A wall that leans into the soil it retains is less likely to be pushed outward by soil pressure than a plain-old vertical wall. Design and build your retaining wall to slope at a minimum rate of one inch for every one-foot of rise (height). Fortunately, working with retaining wall blocks makes it incredibly easy to achieve this “step-back” construction! The locking flange on the bottom edge of every block guides it to click into position slightly behind the lower block, preventing the top blocks from being pushed outward.
