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What are the four basic types of retaining walls?

Not only do you have plenty of material options available to build your wall, but you also have options regarding the type of wall you can build. Here are the 4 main types of walls you can put up:

1. Gravity: This is the most basic wall. Its weight and mass are what hold soils at bay. These walls are usually made from heavier materials like brick or stone. They may require a trench for installation and a concrete footer to sit on.
2. Cantilevered: These walls are fixed to a foundation and supported by steel bars inside the concrete or masonry. The slab foundation goes under the soil and the weight of the soil holds the foundation in place. This type of wall is often built for commercial use.
3. Sheet piling: These are also basic walls. They are often composed of either thin sheets of steel, wood or vinyl driven directly into the soil. Extra support is provided by a vertical corrugated structure
4. Anchored: Anchored walls can use a variety of fronts that require anchors for support. These anchors are driven into the ground behind the various fronts. The anchors are attached to cables or strips.

What is the most effective retaining wall?

Choice of materials is important when it comes to retaining walls. For the best support, stone, brick or concrete are the best options for retaining walls. For them to be most effective, however, you’ll need to have good drainage.

While you can purchase these materials yourself, it’s not recommended that you try to install them yourself. For the best results, hire a contractor like Loftin Dirt Works LLC who is experienced with masonry work and has installed many walls.

Is a straight or curved retaining wall better?

Retaining walls are usually either straight or curved. There are many things to consider when deciding between a straight or curved wall.

1. Aesthetic appeal: While retaining walls have a practical purpose–to help prevent erosion and lend support to foundations–they are put in for aesthetic reasons as well. Most people tend to find curved walls more aesthetically pleasing.
2. Amount of add-ons: If you have multiple add-ons like lights or stairs or multicolors, curves can make the wall look busy. Straight walls look best if you plan to have many add-ons.
3. Things above the wall: Straight walls are better if you’re installing structures like fences or sheds above the wall. This keeps you from having to build around the curve. On the other hand, if you’re adding flowers or plants above the wall, curves are a good option.
4. Location: Will the wall be seen by many people? If it’s not, straight walls may be a good option, especially because straight walls cost less to build. Curved walls, however, often have greater aesthetic appeal.
5. Strength: Generally, curved walls are going to be stronger than straight walls.

At what slope should a retaining wall be avoided?

If you are trying to determine whether or not you need a retaining wall, one thing you’ll have to take into consideration is the slope of your soil. The maximum soil slope that is safe is 35 degrees. Any slope that’s greater than that you would want to consider installing a retaining wall.

Of course, you can install a retaining wall to enhance landscaping no matter the slope of your property. Many people often install these walls for that very reason.

Should I use landscape fabric behind a retaining wall?

If you’re working on a wall as a DIY project, landscape fabric is an essential part of a retaining wall. The landscape fabric will create a barrier behind the wall that when filled with gravel will open up an area for water collection and movement. The fabric also helps the voids in the gravel from getting packed with silt.

Make sure to leave room above the gravel fill for topsoil or bedding soil.

What is the easiest retaining wall to install?

If you are planning on building a retaining wall as a DIY project, the easiest material to work with is landscape timber. You only need a few timbers and spikes to build the wall. So few materials also make it the cheapest to install.

The primary disadvantage of wood walls is that they are subject to fungal rot, termites, and water damage.

On the other hand, if you’ve installed the wood wall correctly and keep an eye out for problems like rot or termites, then it could last up to 40 years. Poor installation could see the wall failing in under 5 years.

It’s not recommended to install stone, brick or concrete walls yourself. You’ll get better results hiring a contractor that is experienced with masonry work.

What is the most low-maintenance driveway?

When you’re choosing a drive, you’ll want to keep maintenance in mind. Here are some of the lowest maintenance drives you can install:

• Gravel: Gravel is the easiest to maintain. It normally just requires fillers on occasion, although every few years you may have to regrade it. It’s also self-cleaning since it’s permeable and sheds water.
• Paving stones: Paving stones are also permeable materials and easy to maintain. This type of drive is also durable and can last up to 100 years.
• Concrete grass pavers: This eco-friendly material consists of concrete squares with holes filled with grass. It’s a permeable material that will prevent heavy flooding. Its main maintenance issue is weeds, which will need to be pulled out.
• Plastic permeable pavers: Made from 100% recycled plastic, this material is also permeable and has a long lifespan.

How long does the gravel last on a drive?

Gravel drives are some of the most durable around. These drives can last for several decades, up to 100 years or more. Of course, the drive will require some minimal maintenance, usually in the form of fillers.

Is a gravel driveway good for drainage?

Gravel is one of the best materials to use for a driveway when it concerns drainage. The material is very porous, which means more water drains back into the soil. This also means that you’ll have fewer puddles forming on your drive and less risk of flooding after heavy rainfall.

Are there disadvantages to having a gravel drive?

Although you’ll find you have more benefits than problems with gravel, you’ll want to consider some of the disadvantages people note with them:

• If it’s not properly installed, the gravel can wash away. Professionals will make sure your gravel is stabilized and not washed away.
• Weed growth can occur. Any weeds that grow into the gravel will need to be removed so the drive will remain stable and aesthetically pleasing.
• Potholes can easily develop. While potholes might develop, especially after heavy rains or ice and snow or heavy use, they are also easy and cheap to repair. Once the pothole is filled the drive can be used almost immediately.

What gravel is best for driveways?

If you are looking to install a gravel driveway, you have plenty of options available to you. What type of gravel you choose will often depend on the type of soil on your property. You’ll also have aesthetic considerations and a contractor experienced with gravel road work will be able to help you assess what’s best based on these and other factors.

Most gravels are blends of different sizes and types of stones. Some common types of materials used in the Clifton / Waco, TX area include granite, Crusher Run, pea gravel and Alabama path stone.

In this area, contractors and homeowners tend to choose a version of crushed stone for drives and roads. Crushed stone is especially good for high-traffic drives.

As far as size goes, most gravel ranges from one-fourth inch to one inch. Make sure when choosing the gravel that it’s neither too small nor too large and not too flat or round.

How do you prepare the ground for a gravel driveway?

When you install a gravel drive or gravel road, you have to make sure the soil is prepared properly. Otherwise, the gravel will just wash away. Here are the steps to follow to install a gravel drive:

1. Stake the path and clear out all grass or topsoil from the area.
2. Level the ground within the staked path.
3. Spread the base layer and compact it.
4. Add the middle layer.
5. Spread and shape the surface layer.

What do you put underneath a gravel driveway?

After you’ve staked out a path for your drive and cleared out any grass or topsoil from the area, you’re going to spread a base layer onto the path. When the drive is professionally installed, before the base layer is installed, a layer of landscape fabric will be installed. On top of this material, your base layer of gravel will be installed and compacted. The middle layer is then installed, and finally, the surface layer of gravel is installed.

Can you have a gravel driveway on a slope?

Yes, gravel drives can be installed on slopes. When gravel is installed on slopes, stabilizers such as locking pavers will be fitted into the ground to trap the gravel into place. Locking pavers keep the gravel from spreading out, even if there is heavy traffic.

What equipment is used for clearing land?

A contractor hired for land clearing will first assess the moisture, soil stability, species habitation, terrain, and vegetation density. They will address concerns about the environmental impact and any obstacles present. Once they make their assessment it will be easy for them to choose the right equipment and machinery to work around all of these elements. 

A variety of equipment and machinery is used for land clearing that the contractor will choose based on their assessment of the land. This includes excavator mulchers, tracked or wheeled mulching units, and skid steer tractors equipped with attachments that mulch. The average land clearing will require other tools as well that an experienced clearing company like Loftin Dirt Works LLC will have on hand. 

What is manual land clearing?

Manual land clearing involves pruning or removing dangerous or unwanted vegetation using hand tools such as chainsaws. Using these tools allows contractors to accurately and precisely remove vegetation and other obstacles. Manual clearing will use bucket trucks and spider lifts to remove what the contractor cuts down or Good Rigging Control System (GRCS) hand tools when those pieces of equipment cannot get to the cleared land. Material that’s cleared from the land is loaded into Grapple trucks or Roll-Offs and removed from the property. 

When do you need land clearing done?

There are any number of reasons you might need a land clearing service. While many buy land to build a home on, businesses will also need to have land cleared for their new sites. Both homeowners and businesses often choose to build on undeveloped property because it’s often cheaper in the long run to buy and build on that property than to purchase or rent and renovate an existing building.

Of course, homeowners and businesses are the only ones that will need land-clearing services. Agricultural concerns will need to have land cleared for a variety of purposes from installing stock tanks to clearing out space for grazing land or to building barns, silos or other types of agricultural buildings.

How long does it take to clear an acre of land?

While the time it takes to clear land will vary, on average one acre of land takes three to four hours to clear using the right equipment and manpower. Here are a few things that will affect the time it takes to clear the land and the cost of a land-clearing job: 

• Lot size
• Purpose of the preparation
• Density of vegetation
• ∙Amount and size of brush, rocks, stumps, trees
• Travel time and ease of access to the lot to be cleared

How does land clearing affect soil?

Land clearing on a small scale, backyards and gardening have less effect on the soil than agricultural or construction-related land clearing. If land clearing wasn’t allowed, of course, there would be no negative environmental impact. But, that isn’t possible or practical, so land clearing professionals are charged with clearing land in a way that reduces the environmental effects.  

One way contractors can reduce the environmental impact is to clear smaller tracts and replant them immediately to prevent soil erosion. Another option used by some contractors is to buy adjoining land and create a wetland to attract the habitats and native species to balance the gain and loss.

While it may seem a waste for land clearing to take place, there are positive things that can be done with the land once it has been cleared.  A few ideas to consider based on the location and size of the cleared land:

• Farming: Plants, produce to sell, and use as an educational farm for local schools. 
• Environmental farm: Work with local businesses, communities, or energy providers to offer solar and wind power options.
• Self-storage facility: Build storage units and rent them out. 
• Horses and livestock: Build stables to rent, offer riding lessons, or create a petting zoo.
• Raise alpaca, goats, and sheep: Raising alpaca and sheep for wool processing. Raise goats for renting out to landowners that need their lot “mowed”. 
• Sports fields: Design and build sports fields for baseball/softball, soccer, etc., and rent out to little leagues and adult leagues.
• Shooting range or paintball course: Design and build a shooting range where enthusiasts can take target practice. Design and create a paintball course and rent it to individuals and groups.
• Campground or glamping facility: Set up electrical/water for camping rentals or go above and beyond by adding elaborate amenities for glamping, a new trendy concept.
• Photography studio: Design and build different photo opportunities or build a portrait studio.
• Parking lot: Areas where parking is minimal to non-existent can benefit from a supervised parking lot, close to attractions and venues that draw large crowds.