Installing drain lines at existing walls requires labor and equipment to remove the retained soil so the line can be correctly placed.
Timber retaining wall drainage pipe.
Ways to achieve good drainage include using at least 300mm of a granular material such as gravel in the backfill the material directly behind the wall.
Not adding drainage pipes.
Effective drainage is vital for a retaining wall otherwise water pressure known as hydrostatic pressure will build up behind the wall and lead to bulging or cracking.
These will allow water to drain out of the earth and prevent your soil from getting waterlogged and excessively heavy.
When you are installing the landscaped earth which the retaining wall is designed to hold up you should fit in some pvc pipes.
These are called weeping holes.
Most retaining walls require drainage and are built with a perforated pipe set behind the wall in a gravel base.
Regardless of the reason why a retaining wall is used it is typically constructed of a material such as brick concrete stone or wood timbers.
Pipe drains also known as toe drains are perforated pipes that collect water along the length of the wall and drain it to the outside.
With proper retaining wall drainage and construction it can bring a lot of character and function to your landscaping.
Depending on its purpose a retaining wall can be very short or very tall.
No stones behind the wall.
Retaining walls can be constructed using a variety of materials from poured concrete and large timbers to natural stones even bricks.
Cut holes into the wall to let water out.
Some of these drains are vented through the front of the retaining wall while others may run the length of the wall and drain out to the sides.
Do choose a material you can easily work with.
Mar 19 2014 when building a retaining wall lay perforated drainage tubing at the base of the wall slightly above ground level so runoff can drain out without undermining your wall.
Because the grade of this yard has a slight slope that will promote water runoff we can skip this step on this project but we will add gravel for drainage and back fill with dirt.