Any yard landscapers in here?

[de8212]

I want to put a retaining wall around the bushes in front of my house. Bricks like these will be used. Not sure if that link will work. If it doesn't, here are some similar bricks.
Click.


Anyway, the first part of what I want to do is only about 26 ft. long with a curve or two in it. The "wall" will only be at most two high because the elevation (from right to left) is very close but not exact. Since I've never done something like this is it better to start at the low side (even though it's probably only a few inches) or the higher side???
Probably a remedial question but as I said, I've never laid these bricks before.

Any other tips on putting them down? Just level out a "channel" and start putting them down is all there is to it, it seems.

If you've done one and have tips or pictures I would like to see.

Are there any high traffic forums devoted to projects like this?

 

[cliftonite]

Originally posted by: de8212
I want to put a retaining wall around the bushes in front of my house. Bricks like these will be used. Not sure if that link will work. If it doesn't, here are some similar bricks.
Click.


Anyway, the first part of what I want to do is only about 26 ft. long with a curve or two in it. The "wall" will only be at most two high because the elevation (from right to left) is very close but not exact. Since I've never done something like this is it better to start at the low side (even though it's probably only a few inches) or the higher side???
Probably a remedial question but as I said, I've never laid these bricks before.

Any other tips on putting them down? Just level out a "channel" and start putting them down is all there is to it, it seems.

If you've done one and have tips or pictures I would like to see.

Are there any high traffic forums devoted to projects like this?

I would level out a channel, dig deeper than I need (6 to 8 inches), tamp the ground, put sand, tamp the sand, put gravel, tamp the gravel, then start the first block.

 

[microAmp]

I did this using those bricks to make circles around my trees.

Dig trench
Place in Paver Base, another words rocks/dirt, buy at HD/Lowes
I forget the tool name it's an 8"x8" stamper, stamp it down
Place Paver Sand
Then bricks, level if you want.

Small picture I have on hand.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com...09020_5fb42cbe72_o.jpg

Also forgot to add, HD/Lowes has freebie books by the stones to tell how do it also.

 

[MikeMike]

have fun... 26' is a bitch, it will be hard to keep straight, so make sure you have a good way to make sure it is straight where needed and not all crooked

 

[de8212]

thanks for the info so far.

Going to HD today to see if I can find one of the books. thanks for that tip micro. And thanks for the pic.

Mike - I don't think it will be too hard to keep relatively straight. Actually there are 2 slight curves in it so it won't be perfectly straight anyway. Unless you mean "level". If so, then I will tamp the ground and use a level so I would think that would be suffice.

Any other tips, pictures?

 

[iamwiz82]

I have done a few. Last year I did a 75' meandering retaining wall that went from 1' on the high side to 3' on the low side. It came out really well, I love how it looks and it survived with not a single bit of shifting over the winter.

I dug a 1' deep trench, laid 4" of pea gravel, really tamped it down (IMPORTANT!), then 4" of sand tamped down, then laid the bricks. I kept a few bags of sand to adjust for elevation changes, and as it dropped I stepped down the bricks. I also invested in a few tubes of retaining wall glue. Every brick was glued with two dabs of the stuff and it's held up really well. It was overkill to do every brick and not just the top layer, but I wanted to be safe and the glue is cheap.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
I have done a few. Last year I did a 75' meandering retaining wall that went from 1' on the high side to 3' on the low side. It came out really well, I love how it looks and it survived with not a single bit of shifting over the winter.

I dug a 1' deep trench, laid 4" of pea gravel, really tamped it down (IMPORTANT!), then 4" of sand tamped down, then laid the bricks. I kept a few bags of sand to adjust for elevation changes, and as it dropped I stepped down the bricks. I also invested in a few tubes of retaining wall glue. Every brick was glued with two dabs of the stuff and it's held up really well. It was overkill to do every brick and not just the top layer, but I wanted to be safe and the glue is cheap.

I hope you meant to say that you put sand down and then stone on top.

Why are people using sand? I used to do landscaping and we never used sand for retaining walls. Also, the whole point of using stone is for drainage. If the water drains and winter comes, there will be no heaving underneath the wall which over time messes the wall up.

 

[nerp]

If you want help keeing the wall straight and level, drive stakes into the ground with string tied to them to use as a guide.

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
I have done a few. Last year I did a 75' meandering retaining wall that went from 1' on the high side to 3' on the low side. It came out really well, I love how it looks and it survived with not a single bit of shifting over the winter.

I dug a 1' deep trench, laid 4" of pea gravel, really tamped it down (IMPORTANT!), then 4" of sand tamped down, then laid the bricks. I kept a few bags of sand to adjust for elevation changes, and as it dropped I stepped down the bricks. I also invested in a few tubes of retaining wall glue. Every brick was glued with two dabs of the stuff and it's held up really well. It was overkill to do every brick and not just the top layer, but I wanted to be safe and the glue is cheap.

I hope you meant to say that you put sand down and then stone on top.

Why are people using sand? I used to do landscaping and we never used sand for retaining walls. Also, the whole point of using stone is for drainage. If the water drains and winter comes, there will be no heaving underneath the wall which over time messes the wall up.

I've always done sand on top of crushed limestone. Just like the books tell you to do.

 

[spacejamz]

Pavestone How To FAQ's...

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
I have done a few. Last year I did a 75' meandering retaining wall that went from 1' on the high side to 3' on the low side. It came out really well, I love how it looks and it survived with not a single bit of shifting over the winter.

I dug a 1' deep trench, laid 4" of pea gravel, really tamped it down (IMPORTANT!), then 4" of sand tamped down, then laid the bricks. I kept a few bags of sand to adjust for elevation changes, and as it dropped I stepped down the bricks. I also invested in a few tubes of retaining wall glue. Every brick was glued with two dabs of the stuff and it's held up really well. It was overkill to do every brick and not just the top layer, but I wanted to be safe and the glue is cheap.

I hope you meant to say that you put sand down and then stone on top.

Why are people using sand? I used to do landscaping and we never used sand for retaining walls. Also, the whole point of using stone is for drainage. If the water drains and winter comes, there will be no heaving underneath the wall which over time messes the wall up.

I've never seen sand on the bottom. I have seen a gravel base plus gravel top coat to set the pavers in, but I dont like it, with sand I can adjust things much easier.