How do I go about building a retaining wall?

Question

I just installed an above ground pool and need 4 feet of level ground around it. After quite a bit of excavating, I have my 4 feet, but I have a round wall of dirt I have to hold back. Is there a way to get this built without breaking my back or my bank account? Thanks!!

Answer 1

I just watched a TV show about this, and one of the concerns was that anything over 3 feet is difficult to stabilize. It seems you will need quite a good foundation for the wall, and to make sure that it drains well so that it won't collapse. I would use stone, concrete and re-rod, but as you are seeking an inexpensive solution, I'll just send you a couple of links and let you explore what might be best for you.

http://www.buildeazy.com/garden1_retaining.html
http://www.askthebuilder.com/RetainingWalls.shtml
http://www.bhg.com/bhg/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/bhg/story/data/12420.xml&catref=cat820070
Happy Building!

Answer 2

Yes, you can build a retaining wall. The question is how much room did you leave to build the wall? You need to figure what offset you want to have for each course, how many courses you need to equal the 4' height, add an additional 2-3 feet to the offset calculation. And remember, the first course of the wall will need to be anchored into the ground, so the top of that course would end up at or near your current ground level.
You now have the information to calculate the number of wall stones you will require, so you can guess if it will break your bank. The work to stack the wall out, backfill and compact behind, oh and don't forget to install some gravel for drainage, well you have to decide if this will break your back.

Answer 3

I found some good info here.

Answer 4

call contractor