7 Commonly Overlooked Retaining Wall Install Mistakes that Lead to Failure

These are 7 common mistakes that I see in segmental retaining wall installations from my time in the industry. From the excavation to the final step of the process, each of these things can easily be missed or skipped and will lead to the failure of the project.
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7 Commonly Overlooked Paver Install Mistakes that Lead to Failure
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Пікірлер: 90

  • @markcaldwell1245
    @markcaldwell1245 Жыл бұрын

    Finally a complete video on the minimum methods applied to properly build a retaining wall. Thank you

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    Жыл бұрын

    Hope it helped!

  • @BigPiePublishing
    @BigPiePublishingАй бұрын

    “To a certain height which is usually not that high” 😂 Love the specificity.

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    Ай бұрын

    😂👍

  • @Yonick1999z
    @Yonick1999z2 жыл бұрын

    Dude you’re goated. Thank you for sharing information like this

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for watching and commenting!

  • @composer451
    @composer451 Жыл бұрын

    awesome ! thank you for the time spent to share this info

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    Жыл бұрын

    Thank you for watching and commenting!

  • @jean-yvesdurocher8467
    @jean-yvesdurocher846711 ай бұрын

    Best video on the subject! Keep them coming. Thx.

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    11 ай бұрын

    glad it helps!

  • @envy425
    @envy425 Жыл бұрын

    Man this channel never disappoints

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    Жыл бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @loveforeverk6020
    @loveforeverk60202 жыл бұрын

    He is a very good worker and explanation

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @atop147
    @atop1472 жыл бұрын

    Another great video Mike!

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    2 жыл бұрын

    You're a beauty!

  • @bobhays6798
    @bobhays679810 ай бұрын

    great information

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    10 ай бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @DOLRED
    @DOLRED Жыл бұрын

    A house flipper put up a 7 foot high and down step retaining wall along both sides of the garage driveway length. He used little gravel; No Geogrid; No reinforcing rods, and no drainage hose. Current landscaper tells us this and I see for myself. The 2010 wall bellied out as a result and blocks began pulling apart. Plus, he pointed out how the "Other Guy" used solid black fabric behind the wall and never ever do that!! We bought this next door house for my brother-in-law, and really did not want it, but were afraid of what would come if we did not. It has been a money pit ever since (Like a boat).

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    Жыл бұрын

    Ouch sorry to hear that!

  • @thehulk9847

    @thehulk9847

    5 ай бұрын

    (BOAT) break off another thousand lol this has been my house as well.

  • @chriseads4791
    @chriseads4791 Жыл бұрын

    Destabilizing a retaining wall form my new home purchase and I realized now why it failed drainage buried underneath ground , no gravel base , no backfill

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    Жыл бұрын

    Yup, all very common things to see

  • @amossnowdaharleyman9179
    @amossnowdaharleyman91799 ай бұрын

    I'm working on a 900ft2 raised bed garden that is on a slope and 24" tall/deep at the highest point and 8" at the lowest point. Custom made my drain system and set the base course on 4" of reinforced concrete. Blocks are smooth glue type and I used a solid film of Loktite PL-500 adhesive. Expensive and slow to build but I think it will work because as a glued wall it's a homogenous unit. Time will tell.

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    9 ай бұрын

    Nice! I would say that if your wall units have a locking mechanism built into them or clips of some sort you don’t need to use glue. And just make sure the glue you are using is flexible.

  • @DirtyDirtbath
    @DirtyDirtbath Жыл бұрын

    Daaaaang I should have done more homework before starting this part of my project because besides digging out the area for my pavers and retaining wall I definitely didn't compact the ground before I put down crushed concrete , I did compact the hell out of the concrete though and have slag under the pavers and bricks. The wall is only 6 inches high so I'm hoping for the best

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    Жыл бұрын

    6 inches isn’t too high 👍

  • @alicefreist318

    @alicefreist318

    Жыл бұрын

    Depending on how loose the soil was, with only a 6" wall, you should be ok for a while.

  • @imstevemcqueen
    @imstevemcqueen2 жыл бұрын

    Doesn't the freeze line, for your area, determine how far down you put the footer (base)? Freezing subsurface heaves up and down from season to season

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    2 жыл бұрын

    Segmental retaining walls are designed to be flexible systems. As long as the base is free draining that doesn’t hold moisture and uniform, plus the retaining wall needs to be constructed properly.

  • @masucci61
    @masucci61 Жыл бұрын

    I’d like to build a retaining wall in a riverfront location which would be able to challenge the movement of blocks of ice during the spring thaw Do you have any courses for this type of retaining wall? Thanks

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    Жыл бұрын

    I do not. I’d choose a manufacturer and reach out to them on specs for building that type of wall.

  • @Paul0000ification
    @Paul0000ification Жыл бұрын

    Do you have any tips on how to build a wall on a slope? I don't know whether to start at the top and stagger down or start at bottom and work my way up. Or just spend the extra money and dig a long level bottom. The wall is about 17meters long and will be 1m high at the low point

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    Жыл бұрын

    It is easiest and best to work from the bottom up. It would likely be quite a bit more to dig the whole trench level. Also just note that at 1m high you are at the border line height for requiring the design to be engineered.

  • @patrickweser5553
    @patrickweser55532 ай бұрын

    What about a retaining wall for a driveway. If you want to run asphalt to the block. Do you run a continuous drain along the top if the wall. Or pitch it to a corner drain. 🤔

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    2 ай бұрын

    Your driveway should already be sloped towards the road so you shouldn’t have to worry about a drain behind the top of the wall

  • @gscortez
    @gscortez Жыл бұрын

    I don't exactly know how to use landscape fabric for a retaining wall. I know that you use a layer behind the backfilled part of the wall. That makes sense. But I also see different combinations with lining the entire trench with it, layer above the base, layers between the courses, etc. Lining the entire trench sounds strange to me as I feel like that would be like a gutter right under your wall. I'm referring to a diy backyard retaining wall no higher than 4ft.

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    Жыл бұрын

    Yes you definitely want to install the geotextile for the wall trench. It still drains especially if you get the nonwoven. It is more so to separate the gravel from the subsoil. There are two schools of thought behind the wall for fabric. I generally do especially if it is a garden wall. But always a layer of fabric on top of the drainage area behind the wall so the soil does not work its way down.

  • @gscortez

    @gscortez

    Жыл бұрын

    @@iamahardscaper So if I'm doing things by the book, I would have a layer lining the bottom of the trench. A layer from the capstone down the back of the wall and over the drainage area. Naturally I'll also have a layer on the top of the backfill just for blocking weeds on the surface. Sound about right? Thanks!

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    Жыл бұрын

    Yes but if you are doing fabric for the trench, that can just extend to the backfill area and up and then back to the caps.

  • @gscortez

    @gscortez

    Жыл бұрын

    @@iamahardscaper Ah! Ok, so in a cross-section view a single perpendicular (to the wall) length of fabric can cover all those areas. Kind of like a fabric wall behind your actual wall/drainage. I haven't seen a video that has been super clear about this, but this was helpful. Thanks.

  • @jayesh-yb1po
    @jayesh-yb1po10 ай бұрын

    I want to learn bcs right now I m doing small small landscaping project

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    10 ай бұрын

    I would go to the start of this playlist and go through the videos that apply to your project Hardscape Installation kzread.info/head/PLDb_Bo8EoV6SzzuKFZLIGdXW6nG4pBcJS

  • @derbygirle66
    @derbygirle662 ай бұрын

    What is your opinion on Belgrade diamond Pro vs Piedmont/Rosetta’s Kodah products for retaining walls 3’ ish to 4’ at a certain point on one of two walls around our pool?

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    2 ай бұрын

    I unfortunately do not have an opinion on either. I've never used them. If it is an aesthetic question, that is all personal preference. If it is more so the function, I would double check with the manufacturers to see whether their walls can be built and how they are to be built to that height.

  • @derbygirle66

    @derbygirle66

    2 ай бұрын

    @@iamahardscaper ok thx. One is the rougher facing. The other are wet cut 45-100+ lb multi length pieces that resemble limestone and are easier to touch, lean against, sit on etc, but Kodah product is pricier and not sure I shouldn’t just save the 5k and use the $ on plantings/landscaping

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    2 ай бұрын

    Yeah, that is a budgeting issue but I wouldn't want to settle on something I wont like. I would just weigh whether or not you like the less expensive option. If you like it, it doesn't hurt to save a little and use that money elsewhere. If you feel you are just settling for that option, I would go with the pricier one and then just revisit the plantings when you are ready to in the future.

  • @derekmiller8743
    @derekmiller87439 ай бұрын

    For a 1’ wall would a 4” drainage pipe still be necessary?

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    9 ай бұрын

    I still usually do if anything for more space for water

  • @Kenandlizabeehaven
    @Kenandlizabeehaven Жыл бұрын

    How long should it take to do an L shape wall 12' by 12' 2 courses

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    Жыл бұрын

    That is tough to say without seeing it in person. If it is just a free standing wall, it’d take me as one person probably a day to do it with everything delivered on site ready to go and a bin for excavation.

  • @DirtyDirtbath
    @DirtyDirtbath Жыл бұрын

    So I'm building a 6 inch retaining wall so I can level off my yard where it is lower than my neighbors yard and he has a lot of water pool on his side of the fence so I was thinking if I just built my yard up so it's just above level and graded slightly towards his yard go prevent the water from flooding into my yard, do you think this will work? Or should I install a french drain behind the retaining wall? I'm working on a huge drainage project, all of my downspouts are on a line and 2 french drains on a line both of which going to a few NDS flo-wells. I'd rather not have to dig more since that's all I've been doing for the last 5 weeks but if you think putting it in is a must, then I will. The area I'm building up is off my patio, I have one low spot that water runs off so I have a catch basin right where the water runs off, I graded the pavers to drain any run off to the catch basin but didn't expect to catch any of the water from my neighbors, just push it back towards his house (I offered the neighbor to put in a drain between our houses to fix both our problems but he had 0 interest so I figure he can just keep the water. Thoughts please?

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    Жыл бұрын

    I’m sorry any drainage work would need me to be there to see everything. It never hurts to have a properly built French drain.

  • @DirtyDirtbath

    @DirtyDirtbath

    Жыл бұрын

    @@iamahardscaper thanks for your feed back, I reckon I'll have to see if I still get water coming in from that corner after this project is finished and if need be, I have plenty of material left to do so

  • @RedTigerBlood
    @RedTigerBlood2 ай бұрын

    What kind of pavers are you using?

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    2 ай бұрын

    Pavers and Wall product in these videos are usually Techo Bloc, sometimes they are Unilock or Belgard (Permacon) also.

  • @readoryx373
    @readoryx373 Жыл бұрын

    Silver City NM has a 100-year old, two-storey, water-pumping building made of hand-laid stone, whose basement is 20'x20' and goes 50' down, with no settling issues. HOW?

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    Жыл бұрын

    😮

  • @DOLRED

    @DOLRED

    Жыл бұрын

    The Romans built structures which still stand today. The Pantheon in Rome is one of them. In the middle ages it was besieged by several feet of flood water from the Tiber River until river flood walls were later built. Like one You Tuber wrote: "It is one of the most incredible buildings I ever walked into." It is 2000 years old : kzread.info/dash/bejne/eZ14xa6sirGzf5c.html

  • @Phillyfan320
    @Phillyfan320 Жыл бұрын

    I’m building patio steps leading up to my house using retaining wall block. My base is 2A modified (with fines) and the backfill for the steps is going to be 3/4” angular clean stone. Do you think there’s a need for a drain since this isn’t expected to collect much water like a typical retaining wall? And if you think a drain is needed should it be on top of the base layer or higher in the clean stone? Thanks!!

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    Жыл бұрын

    I wouldn’t think a drain is necessary for just steps. I’d have to see, but if it is just steps, you are good

  • @joshuasolomon2573
    @joshuasolomon2573 Жыл бұрын

    I installed a 24’ round pool and need to make a 12’ radius wall halfway around the pool with the highest point 48” then slopes down to 18” on both sides. Is there a specific stone I need to use for that radius with the versa loc system? I’m not sure how many courses/blocks I’m going to need. It’s about 40 linear feet.

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    Жыл бұрын

    You can use any wall system, it just depends on how much cutting you want to do. Preferably with minimal cutting you are looking for a wall that has tapered units and then you can consult with the manufacturers specs to see if that wall works with that specific radius. Otherwise you will need to do some cutting.

  • @mariogomezcortez9901
    @mariogomezcortez99012 ай бұрын

    Does anyone have any experience with tire derived aggregate as backfill?

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    2 ай бұрын

    I have never heard of that before

  • @mariogomezcortez9901

    @mariogomezcortez9901

    2 ай бұрын

    ​@@iamahardscaper off the top of your mind. Would that sound reasonable to use? All it is is chipped vehicle tires at 3" to 6" used for drainage and lightweight support

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    2 ай бұрын

    I personally would not. I have never seen that speced in anything I have ever built and don't think that would compact properly.

  • @YoutubeAccountMan
    @YoutubeAccountMan Жыл бұрын

    For anyone looking to build a wall over 3 feet, YOU NEED A PERMIT FROM THE CITY.

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    Жыл бұрын

    AMEN!

  • @Harleyboi

    @Harleyboi

    Жыл бұрын

    Eff the city lol 😂

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    Жыл бұрын

    👍

  • @Harleyboi

    @Harleyboi

    Жыл бұрын

    I'm building a 172" retaining wall, no code. 🤫 shhhh lol

  • @seanseanseanseansean
    @seanseanseanseansean Жыл бұрын

    That was a weird talk. Why, when you need to say the word "behind" you instead say "in behind"?

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    Жыл бұрын

    👍

  • @meblake7359
    @meblake735911 ай бұрын

    Why don't you explain the processes you talk about for repairing the problems? Your video is useless and only comments on the blatantly obvious.

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    11 ай бұрын

    There are no repairs for these problems. Tear it down and start again. The solutions are in the video on how to build it properly and there are further videos on our channel for full guides to retaining wall builds.

  • @meblake7359

    @meblake7359

    11 ай бұрын

    @@iamahardscaper I have a retaining wall that fell because the fiberglass pins were not long enuf. We paid a professional to fix it and they said it will never fall. 10 years later, it fell. I fixed it this time for good. I was unable to find answers as to how to fix my wall.

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    11 ай бұрын

    There is never a fix for a wall unfortunately other than just following the steps to build it up properly. Good compacted base, embedded 6”, drainage area, setbacks and or geogrid for added stability, and properly leveling each course.

  • @meblake7359

    @meblake7359

    11 ай бұрын

    @@iamahardscaper I used 5 ft fiberglass rebar in all my base layers and pinned each upper brick with 12 inch pins to allow 4 inches of pin to hold each upper brick because the bricks are 8 inches thick.

  • @starreveiled
    @starreveiled Жыл бұрын

    Hydrostatic pressure??? It's because of the weight of the rock behind the wall. Ppl grade the ground behind the wall around 45° and all that weight with the Earth's rotation pushes forward into the wall and eventually the wall gives hydrostatic pressure may contribute somewhat if the wall has drainage and fails it's not hydrostatic pressure because the pressure isn't pushing equally on all sides and the downward pressure is weak weak because the water pressure is changed dramatically due to the drainage.

  • @iamahardscaper

    @iamahardscaper

    Жыл бұрын

    So with that logic there is no reason to have a drainage area behind the wall. I’ve seen many walls fail within a year because of the logic you gave there.

  • @starreveiled

    @starreveiled

    Жыл бұрын

    @@iamahardscaper I never said no drainage. I said about the weight of several tons of stone pushing on these walls. Yes drainage is needed but in the past twenty years there have been over 100 different ways to install a retaining wall and given today's technology this has never been perfected

  • @adamreitz7668

    @adamreitz7668

    11 ай бұрын

    But with that placing a mirroring parallel retaining wall to the first wall should mean there would be no need for slope at all because the force of the earths rotation would surely keep in in place since the earth rotates in a single direction thus exerting the a uniform directional force on all things alike.

  • @hammaswingah1693

    @hammaswingah1693

    5 ай бұрын

    Man, I hope you're either kidding or can't breed. Either way, adults are on this site, waste time elsewhere.

  • @deanlawrence871

    @deanlawrence871

    Ай бұрын

    Have you misunderstood? It’s the added pressure of water that causes the wall to give (often) hence making sure the water can drain downwards or out through the wall relieves the pressure and stops walls failing!