Different Types Of Retaining Walls For Your House

From gardens to hillside farming; there are many instances whereby there is a need for a retaining wall.  Essentially a retaining wall is one that is built in order to hold back soil on one side of it. Because of this, it is often found in areas of unnatural slopes and terrain whereby there are two different levels of elevation.

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Despite having the same use, there are actually four main types of retaining walls. These are as follows; the anchored wall, the gravity wall, the cantilever wall, and the piling wall. This post will enlighten you to how each wall differs from one to another and as a consequence when they should be typically used.

Anchored retaining wall
An anchored retaining wall is largely considered the most complex in terms of design and construction. You may also need to hire a party wall surveyor too. Nevertheless, it is worth the hassle because this type of retaining wall offers the biggest level of strength and security. This is provided through the use of cables. Anchors are attached to the end of the cable and are expanded into the ground to offer added levels of stability. Not only is this method beneficial when there is a heavy load but also when the wall is too slender to be able to stand without the added security.

Gravity retaining wall
Gravity walls are particularly popular in gardens. They are built from hefty materials, such as stone or concrete, and the reason for this is because they actually depend on their mass. The weight of the wall will ensure the pressure of the soil from behind is contained. Because of this, a gravity retaining wall is the thickest of all four types. Sometimes you will find that these walls are built in the style of a ‘batter’ setback. This is a recommended way of achieving greater levels of stability as the wall will actually be leaning back towards the soil it is retaining.

Cantilever retaining wall
Aside from the two walls already mentioned, another option is to go for a cantilever wall. This is actually the most frequently used type of retaining wall and tends to be created in the shape of an inverted T. A cantilever wall is typically made from reinforced steel. The main feature of this wall that sets it apart is the fact that it contains structural footing and large beams. This works successfully to divert the pressure towards the ground rather than horizontally against the wall.

Piling retaining wall
Last but not least there is the piling retaining wall. These are highly beneficial in situations whereby there is only a little amount of space. Furthermore, piling retaining walls are great when soft soil makes up the surrounding area. This type of wall is typically made from steel. However, wood planks and vinyl can both also be used. For this wall to operate effectively the sheet pile walls are driven into the ground however sometimes anchors do need to be utilised as well – this tends to be the case for walls of a large size. Finally, sheet pile walls are most frequently used in temporary deep excavations.