Getting a Retaining Wall in Nanaimo: A Guide

Considering a Retaining Wall in Nanaimo? Look No Further.

If you’ve been thinking about hiring someone to build a retaining wall in Nanaimo, you likely have some questions. Fortunately for you, we’ve got the answers you’ve been looking for.

We’re going to lay out everything you need to know about retaining walls, from their history and construction to why you need one. By the end of this article, you’ll be better equipped to think about the subject and prepared to hire someone who can get the job done well.

Retaining Walls: A Brief History

 As you’ve probably guessed, retaining walls weren’t created on Vancouver Island.

Their history reaches back into the ancient past, all the way to the Egyptian farmers who lived along the Nile river. The yearly cycle of floods made soil erosion a constant problem for them.

Eventually, an Egyptian engineer discovered that he could retain more of that soil and harness the Nile river at the same time by building up the banks with mud-filled reed baskets. Later, they would use the same concept to develop stone retaining walls along the sides of their tombs. Thus began one of civilizations most unassuming, yet beneficial, early inventions: the retaining wall.

And ever since, humans have been designing and developing retaining walls that prevent soil erosion, support steeply sloped areas, and add to the attractiveness of an outdoor space. Retaining walls are one of those rare tools that doesn’t just serve a practical purpose – it can genuinely add to the beauty of your front or back yard.

What is a Retaining Wall?

A retaining wall is a structure – often made of concrete or stone – that’s designed to support soil at two different elevations by putting pressure on the slope. They’re used most often on angled areas where rainwater and other runoff can quickly erode loose soil.

While retaining walls can be built in a variety of ways, from gravity walls to anchored walls, most residential and commercial needs can be met with a gravity wall made from precast concrete blocks. That’s one of the reasons that we specialize in this kind of retaining wall.

So, Are Precast Concrete Block Walls the Best?

We believe that precast concrete block walls are the best option for most jobs. But that’s because of their versatility and ease-of-use. 

You can find concrete blocks that match every possible style, including classic and modern looks. Not only are they available in a variety of shapes and textures, you can also order them in dozens of different colors.

And precast concrete blocks are easy to install – and replace. This makes them one of the best options for anyone who’s considering building a retaining wall. And it’s why we tend to use them for most of our retaining walls. 

However, we do offer a couple other options… 

Cast-in-Place & Tilt-Up Concrete Retaining Walls

Unlike a precast concrete block wall, a cast-in-place wall is  formed by pouring wet concrete into molds directly on the area where retention is needed. Once the concrete has hardened, the molds are removed, and the concrete wall remains in place.

Another concrete retaining wall option for those living in Nanaimo and the surrounding areas is a tilt-up wall. This kind of wall is built by casting concrete panels on-site and tilting them up into place with a crane. Tilt-up concrete retaining walls are a great option for Vancouver Island-based businesses who need large retaining walls.

The Benefits of a Retaining Wall

Retaining walls – no matter what their material or construction process – offer a number of important benefits. As you consider whether you should have a retaining wall built or not, it’s important to consider these benefits and how they might improve your property…

Support Your Yard’s Structural Integrity

If your property includes small or large hills, it’s at risk of soil erosion. This is even more the case if you live in an area where…

 ·       You don’t have a healthy lawn, dotted with shrubs and trees that can hold everything in place. 

·       Weather conditions move quickly from dry to wet during certain parts of the year.

·       Any hills are particularly steep.

By installing retaining walls along any major hills in your yard, you’ll protect its overall structural integrity. This includes the little erosion that takes place week after week, imperceptibly, as well as more dramatic instances of erosion, such as landslides.

Retaining walls prevent this kind of erosion by slowing the speed of runoff. By slowing things down, more water will be absorbed into the ground rather than quickly running over the surface, carrying your topsoil with it. And when you incorporate channels and drains into a larger retaining wall design, you can minimize the potential danger of runoff even more. 

In short, if you’re looking for a way to strengthen your yard’s structural integrity and protect it from erosion and flooding, a concrete retaining wall is your best option.

Design Your Yard for Maximum Efficiency

Although most of the press surrounding retaining walls surrounds their ability to protect against erosion, that’s not the only reason you should consider having one built. Retaining walls can help you develop a more practical, functional yard all around.

Anyone who’s tried to mow a particularly hilly area can testify to the fact that they can be incredibly difficult to maintain and keep up. In addition, they don’t offer many landscape options. But a retaining wall can change all that. It can minimize the amount of steep lawn that you need to mow, making it far easier to keep looking its best.

Retaining walls can even be implemented in a larger design to section off parts of your yard. You can create patio spaces, garden spaces, and recreational spaces at different elevations, using retaining walls to separate them and provide an attractive border.

And if you’re looking for a retaining wall that provides even more practical benefits, consider the possibilities of designing it to stand at a height where it can double as an outdoor seating wall. This will allow you to exponentially increase your patio seating at no additional cost.

So, retaining walls are not only great for a yard’s structure. They can also create a more functional yard that’s designed to fit your life and needs.

Improve the Look of Your Lawn

While everyone loves greenery, too much of it in a yard can become monotonous and boring. That’s one of the reasons that a single, simple flowerbed can add so much to a lawn. And if it’s true of a flowerbed, it’s even more true of a well-designed and implemented retaining wall.

If you take advantage of precast concrete blocks, a retaining wall can seriously improve the look of your yard. Since these blocks come in a wide assortment of sizes, shapes, textures, and colors, you can use them in creative ways to improve the look of your lawn.

How Difficult is it to Build a Retaining Wall?

While retaining walls are far from the most difficult project to take on, they aren’t as simple to create as you might think. Failing to create a level base, for example, is easy to do – and will have disastrous consequences. And if you need a cast-in-place or tilt-up concrete retaining wall, you likely won’t have the tools or experience you need to get the job done right.

In addition, if you’ve never built a retaining wall yourself, there’s a good chance that you’ll fail to consider important factors in its design. You may not be aware of options available to you. And you might even leave off important steps that could lead to problems down the road.

This is why talking to an expert about your retaining wall is so important.

How Can We Help You Build Your Retaining Wall in Nanaimo?

When you contact us about designing and building your retaining wall, we’ll walk you through the process from beginning to end.

Our most popular retaining walls are built with precast concrete blocks. As we’ve already mentioned, they provide unprecedented versatility with regard to their look, function, and use. So, when you contact us about building your retaining wall in Nanaimo, we’ll go step-by-step through this process…

We’ll meet with you at your property, observing the lay of the land and noting how a retaining wall may help with the structural integrity, functionality, and aesthetics of your outdoor space. We’ll listen to what you want out of your wall and make suggestions for how you can most effectively benefit from one.

Then, we’ll put together a plan for your retaining wall, complete with several design options to choose from. Once you’ve decided on a design, we will begin the construction process.

During the building process, we’ll create a solid, level base that will serve as a foundation for your retaining wall. Then, we’ll carefully install each block, ensuring the structure is sturdy and built to last. We’ll make any necessary cuts onsite so that each piece fits perfectly. And once we’ve completed the basic wall, we’ll finish it with the ideal block caps.

We will take your retaining wall from vague idea to clear vision and then, to finished product. And by the end of the process, you’ll have a wall that will offer you all the benefits of a beautiful, functional retaining wall.

If you’d like to learn more about how we can help you build a retaining wall in Nanaimo, contact us today and we’ll help you begin your journey to a more attractive, secure lawn.