A poured concrete retaining wall is generally constructed to help provide lateral support for sloping soil. Without a retaining wall, the soil would collapse and fill the area in front the wall. Once the concrete is poured and the retaining wall is complete, the concrete can be left natural, stamped with patterns and color or be covered with other natural materials such as brick or stone.
There are four types of concrete retaining walls, gravity, semi-gravity, cantilever and counterfort. The slope of your property and the desired height of the wall are both factors that determine which method used.
Gravity Concrete Retaining Walls
- Rely on their own weight to retain the soil
- Usually massive enough to not require reinforcement
- Are monolithic cast and generally formed on site
- Cost effective for walls up to 10 feet tall
Semi-Gravity Concrete Retaining Walls
- Contain some reinforcing steel
- Including steel helps reduce the thickness of the wall
- Blend of the cantilever and gravity wall types
Cantilever Concrete Retaining Walls
- Utilize reinforced concrete
- Consist of a thin stem and base slab
- Can be formed on site or precast
- Cost effective up to 25 feet tall
Counterfort Concrete Retaining Walls
- Similar to cantilever walls
- Incorporate thin vertical concrete webs
- Can be formed on site or precast
- Cost effective for walls over 25 feet tall
Decorative Poured Concrete Retaining Walls
Concrete walls do not need to be basic, gray and esthetically unpleasing. They are numerous decorative options that can be used on concrete retaining walls.
Using decorative form liners, contractors can mimic the look of natural and masonry stone such as brick, flagstone etc. The liners are available in various shapes and textures. Color can also be added to the concrete.
Installing poured concrete retaining walls is typically a project best left to the experts. As an experienced landscaping contractor, Alpine Companies has installed retaining walls in Denver yards for over 40 years. If you need help designing and installing your concrete retaining wall, give Alpine Companies a call today at 303-797-8908 for a free estimate. Or, click here to contact us via email.