To keep the blocks on your retaining wall level and structurally sound you need a base layer of several inches of well compacted sharp gravel.
Retaining wall gravel base.
Retaining walls are designed to hold up a surcharge of soil such as a sloping hill or raised planter box.
For lower walls 2 we put 1 minimum of gravel 6 of sand then reinforced concrete base or concrete block below grade.
A level base on which the wall sits.
Retaining walls can be constructed using a variety of materials from poured concrete and large timbers to natural stones even bricks.
Fill the trench with a 2 to 3 inch layer of paver base.
A handheld tamping tool can really help in getting the gravel level but you re right one stray stone can throw off the entire operation.
All retaining walls share some common building components in their construction.
25 mm for each 1 ft 300 mm of wall height for the amount or buried block that is needed.
Avoid having downspouts pointed at the retaining wall and if it s against the house keep soil and mulch well below the siding.
Due to soil erosion your retaining wall should be built on a solid foundation made from paver base.
This is standard for all.
Follow the block manufacturer s instructions for wall height limits.
600 mm wide the length of the wall the depth of the trench will be 6 in.
The interlocking retaining wall block can be used to build walls up to 24 to 36 inches high depending on the size of the block.
More information on retaining walls where the base trench steps up a slope.
Retaining wall base trench.
Similar to gravel paver base is a form of construction aggregate that contains crushed rocks such as limestone.
Our trenches were more like 18 24 deep or more depending on the grade and about 18 wide.
Lay a 4 6 inch layer of the crushed base material in the trench.
Below is an overview of the different types of walls and these common components.
Dig a base trench 24 in.
The wall gets its strength from a sturdy base consisting of gravel.
150 mm plus an additional 1 in.
Also called drain tile at the base of the wall.
Round rocks such as pea gravel rolls and dislodge under pressure resulting in failure of the retaining wall.