Cobblestone retaining wall repair recommendations: If the block Retaining wall is more substantial as in a metre high or more then the fence would have to be behind the wall instead of through or on top. Most Segmental Retaining Wall blocks do not have a big enough cavity or void for the fence post to be directly concreted inside them and would lack the strength to hold the weight of a fence. Generally, most walls are built using an aggregate (Gravel) backfill or in some circumstances No Fines Concrete (NFC). Because of this, an allowance has to be made for the fence post at the early construction stage such as installing PVC Piping as a sleave for the fence post to fit into, this would require some forethought and good planning.
Which retaining wall blocks are best? These solid blocks are heavy. Lighter, hollow blocks are available, but they can’t be split because cutting them will expose the voids. Also, some hollow blocks require individual backfilling, which is time consuming. These pros prefer Versa-Lok blocks, which are held together with pins rather than a lip on the bottom because pinned blocks work better on tighter curves, and the flat bottom makes them easier to stack. They have also found that the small back lip on some lipped blocks can be prone to cracking, which will weaken the wall.
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.
After mixing your concrete, pour the wall in horizontal layers of not more than 20 inches, beginning at the ends and moving toward the center. Use a ramp to wheel the concrete into position and a splashboard to direct the pour and control spillage. Remove the spacers as you go, and work the concrete against the sides of the form and around the reinforcement as each layer is poured. Pour layers as soon after the previous one as possible to avoid cold (non-bonded) joints, which cause leaks. Strike off the concrete flush with the top of the form, and then trowel it to the desired finish. Insert anchor bolts for mud sills and wooden caps once the concrete has set sufficiently to hold them. Because of the pressure created by the slope of the lawn, cure the concrete for at least seven days before removing the forms. Find even more info at Colorado Retaining Wall Builder.
We also repair existing retaining walls. Many railroad tie walls or older concrete retaining walls which may or may not include rocks or boulders are beginning to show signs of failure. Often times a homeowner will build a DIY retaining wall that needs help after years of service. 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.