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My back yard has a slope down towards the house and during the monsoon water often sits against the side of the house and seeps underneath. To fix that, and to create a couple of flat areas and a garden, I decided to put up a couple of retaining walls (and a French drain against my house). Local restrictions vary but I understand it is fairly common for most towns in the US to allow you to build a retailing wall up to 48 inches high without a permit (it would be a good idea to ask at your local planning department)
After reviewing the costs of various methods of retaining soil I decided to use railway ties (Sleepers for the rest of the world). I know ties are full of nasty preservatives but most of the negative health issues (like liver, kidney and respiratory tract problems, cancer and death) come from eating it, swimming in it or breathing in it's fumes (esp. when it is destroyed or burnt) so, if we are careful not to eat any dirt around the ties and don't lick them we should be fine. Our friends at the CDC have lots of info. In this area (New Mexico) ties are very cheap so try your best not to judge me too harshly. If you look around you should be able to find "landscaping ties" for a higher price that aren't as toxic. Or you can dig yourself a sawpit and cut your own.
Anyway, let's assume you have a bunch of railway tie-looking timber and want to make a retaining wall with them. Read on...
After reviewing the costs of various methods of retaining soil I decided to use railway ties (Sleepers for the rest of the world). I know ties are full of nasty preservatives but most of the negative health issues (like liver, kidney and respiratory tract problems, cancer and death) come from eating it, swimming in it or breathing in it's fumes (esp. when it is destroyed or burnt) so, if we are careful not to eat any dirt around the ties and don't lick them we should be fine. Our friends at the CDC have lots of info. In this area (New Mexico) ties are very cheap so try your best not to judge me too harshly. If you look around you should be able to find "landscaping ties" for a higher price that aren't as toxic. Or you can dig yourself a sawpit and cut your own.
Anyway, let's assume you have a bunch of railway tie-looking timber and want to make a retaining wall with them. Read on...
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Signing UpStep 1Materials
Railway ties (to make the wall out of, your planning step will result in an approximate quantity, if it isn't easy to go and get some more ties you might want to add a couple more)
Scrap 2x4 (for the temporary post braces, 6x 48 inch pieces should do the job or just two if you want to go slowly)
Scrap wood stakes (to anchor the temporary post braces)
Concrete (I use 80# premix bags, one or two for each post)
Pick & Shovel (or a way to dig)
Wheelbarrow (or other method of moving dirt & mixing cement)
Level (I use a 4 ft one, ties aren't straight so the longer the better)
3/8" rebar (reinforcing rod) to pin the ties together and the means to make a 3/8" diameter hole about 16" deep.
Scrap 2x4 (for the temporary post braces, 6x 48 inch pieces should do the job or just two if you want to go slowly)
Scrap wood stakes (to anchor the temporary post braces)
Concrete (I use 80# premix bags, one or two for each post)
Pick & Shovel (or a way to dig)
Wheelbarrow (or other method of moving dirt & mixing cement)
Level (I use a 4 ft one, ties aren't straight so the longer the better)
3/8" rebar (reinforcing rod) to pin the ties together and the means to make a 3/8" diameter hole about 16" deep.
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