Retaining Walls

Retaining Wall Bricks

Retaining wall bricks can give a wall a structured, formal look while improving the topography of your property. If you've been frustrated with a sloping yard or uninspired by a completely flat property, building a structure with retaining wall bricks may give you a new perspective on your home. A retaining wall creates a new level in your yard, giving you extra space for summer parties, flower beds or outdoor sculpture. Bricks are one of the most popular stone wall building materials that homeowners use in retaining wall construction.

Retaining wall bricks may not necessarily resemble the red bricks used in home construction. You may hear contractors or landscape designers refer to any of the block style materials used to build retaining walls as bricks. A landscape designer can introduce you to the many construction options that you have available when you're planning a retaining wall. Before you get started, compare quotes from several local experts to find a professional team that will give you the results you want at a price that doesn't exceed your budget.

Building with Brick Versus Stone

Although the primary function of a retaining wall is to hold back a large mass of earth, this task can be accomplished in a variety of stylish, visually appealing ways. The massive concrete retainers that you see along the sides of a mountain road may serve the same purpose as the walls in your front yard or back garden, but the resemblance will probably end there. Most homeowners prefer a more natural, aesthetic look when they're designing their landscape.

Bricks and stones are among the most widely used materials in home landscape design. One of the most significant differences between brick and stone is the regularity of their shape. Stones may be dug from a quarry or pulled from the ground, but even if they're mechanically shaped they usually achieve a more irregular, natural look. A stone structure made of naturally shaped fieldstone, granite, sandstone or basalt can achieve a rustic, unstructured look that is difficult to replicate with manufactured blocks.

Bricks have the advantage of being easier to stack to create an orderly, neatly structured design that's also very strong and secure. The irregular shape of fieldstones, by comparison, makes their arrangement less predictable. A homeowner who's designing a do-it-yourself dry stone wall without using mortar may leave weakened areas in the structure if the shapes of the different stones aren't arranged strategically.

If you prefer a well organized landscape to a more spontaneous design, bricks may be the perfect building material. These prefabricated blocks can be assembled quickly into a sturdy, attractive structure. Retaining wall bricks may be made of concrete or other materials that may be more affordable than naturally sourced granite or limestone. As an added bonus, the manufacturers of retaining wall bricks often make specially sized units for the corners or borders of walls, so you don't have to worry about finding a stone with an odd size.

Landscaping with Brick Retaining Walls

When you're shaping your landscape with retaining wall bricks, it's important to consider the practical function of your design as well as its aesthetic value. If your property has a steep slope, your structure may literally hold the earth in place. If you live in a climate where it rains frequently, having a steeply sloped yard may result in a mudslide on your patio. In any climate, a sloping yard encourages water run off and soil erosion when the property is irrigated or rain falls.

Retaining wall bricks come in a wide range of sizes and colors, so you can choose blocks that complement your home's exterior while serving their intended function. Small, light weight blocks can be used for shorter walls, while tall structures will require larger, heavier blocks for reinforcement. Many homeowners prefer to use the dry stacked method when using retaining wall bricks. When blocks are stacked in the proper arrangement, no mortar is needed to hold the structure together.

Loosely arranged blocks can adjust to increased water pressure when the ground swells with moisture after a heavy rain or a thaw. An adequate drainage system, including a drain tile, must be built into the unit to allow excess water to escape. Otherwise, the entire retainer may give way if you have a month or two of heavy moisture.

Before you begin your project, talk with several professionals about how to incorporate retaining wall bricks into your landscape design. To avoid an overly regimented look, you can plant annual flowers or ground cover at the base or top of the retainer. The natural shapes and colors of foliage and flowers will offset the more structured appearance of the prefabricated blocks to create a harmonious landscape design that your family and visitors will admire.

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