Death of the Windsor Retaining Wall

My father asked me the other day, what question did I get most from my landscape and lawn care customers. The answer: How much does it cost and what kind of retaining wall can I install?

Customers and potential customers alike are always amazed about the high cost of landscape design. Cost may not always be about the materials used, but it is always, about the time involved in the design and installation. Labor is the key component of any project and any business. If you doubt me, just call for an estimate on an in-home computer repair.

The second question is one that continues to evolve. Not long ago, when a customer wanted a retaining wall installed at their residence, the choice was simple; you get pavers or Windsor’s. That is certainly not the case today as Windsor’s are rapidly becoming extinct as the dinosaur. Here are few tips when thinking of installing a retaining wall:

1. Materials: When choosing materials, select the type that is best suited for the desired result. Many long-lasting materials are available for landscape use including flagstone wall rock, Xeriscape rockery, railroad tie maze, regal stone, Pyzique stone, Windsor stone, and framed fence. Also consider recycled concrete paving treated timbers, vertical poles, pre-cast concrete modular units, poured concrete, and brick veneer.

2. Type of wall: The type of wall you choose should be determined by need. Decide if you need a poured-in-place concrete "structural" wall or a much less expensive "dry-laid wall" consisting of stacked, open-joint material.

3. Determine design or on-site placement: Planning ahead will help you avoid the expense and time it takes to relocate a wall or to modify retained areas once they're installed.

4. Drainage: Most retaining walls fail because of pressure against the wall caused by water or soil-moisture build up behind the wall. All walls should provide for the back-of-wall water to freely drain down and away from the wall. This is accomplished with gravel backfill, or manufactured drainage blankets and drain pipes. Structural walls require "weep" holes to allow water to drain from behind the wall.

5. Foundations: A wall is only as good as its foundation, and all retaining walls should be built on structurally sound, compacted foundation sub-base material. Leveled and compacted earth or gravel fill are acceptable. The foundation material should extend at least one foot beyond the front and back of the base width of the wall. When building dry-laid stone walls, place the largest, most stable stones on the bottom of the wall, and be aware that the base width may need to be as wide as the wall is high.

6. Cant or batter: Walls are more stable and structurally secure if they slope back or "lay back" into the retained slope. This amount of variance from true vertical is called "cant" or "batter".

7. Anchors: Timber walls and other walls of solid horizontal materials usually have "T" anchors extending back into the slope into undisturbed earth. This helps walls resist pressures that force them forward, or cause them to pivot on footing material. A good rule of thumb is to provide at least one anchor per 16 square feet of exposed wall face.

Installed wall costs generally range from $20 to $35 per square foot of wall face for dry-laid materials. Cost will vary considerably depending upon materials used and overall wall height. Structural wall costs may range from two to ten times that of dry-laid walls.

Solar Lights for Walkways - Cut Costs

Over the last fifteen years, solar energy has become a highly flexible power source. One of the best ways to use it and cut costs is go with solar lighting for your walkways. A common misconception among many people is that solar energy requires large, bulky panels to work. While this is true if you want to produce large amounts of electricity for a structure, it leaves out a large segment of cheaper solar users. The solar industry has made major advancements in creating one piece solar platforms that are cheap and can be used for practical purposes. Using solar lights for pathways around your home is one area. Solar lighting is now the choice for gardens, landscaping and lighting paths. Lighting products typically come in sets of two to six self-contained lights. Each light typically is comprised of a metal or plastic stem with a lighting mechanism on the top. The lighting mechanism uses LED technology and is powered by a small solar panel built into the top of the piece. The lights can be purchased with or without backup batteries depending on your needs. Once you’ve selected your solar lighting pieces, you simply map out where you want to add lighting in your landscaping. Next, you put the solar lights in place by sticking them in the ground to a point where they are snug and will not blow over in the wind. Congratulations! You now have lighting for your pathways that isn’t adding to your utility bill. Your lights will charge during the day and light up in the evening. Depending on the particular brand, the lights may stay on throughout the night. Alternatively, certain brands will run for 8 hours or so, which means they go dark around midnight or one in the morning. Maintaining your solar lights is very simple. You really don’t have to do anything. If the lights start to dim or go out earlier than usual, they are not broken. Typically, the problem is you have dirty solar panels. Clean them off with water or follow the manufacturer direction. Once clean, the lights should work perfectly. Using the sun to power your outdoor lighting needs is a great way to highlight your home and save money on energy costs. Keep them clean and the lights will last for years.