Retaining Wall, Columbia SC
If you have ever driven across a hilly road, you would have seen a retaining wall. They are the giants that hold the ground back on the steeper side of the road. This can also be achieved on a smaller scale in the garden or lawn of your home. Many people get retention walls for landscaping purposes. Others get it because the soil on their premises requires extra structural support. No matter why you are getting a retention wall, one thing is common in all cases. A retaining wall must always be sturdy enough to hold the soil on the higher side. If it cannot, not only will the wall itself be damaged, but the ground on the steep side will also break off and be eroded away. Retaining walls can be made in a number of designs, all of which have some property that gives the retention wall the requisite strength and support.
Brick Mason Columbia, being a brick masonry company, obviously specializes in constructing brick retention walls. A brick retaining wall has many advantages over other retaining walls, something we will talk about later. Brick retaining walls are one of the more difficult jobs when it comes to brick masonry. This is because a retaining wall must be extremely hardy and durable. It has to withstand tremendous pressure, and needs to be stable enough to withstand that. |
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A brick wall of any kind can be made to have varying degrees of firmness by varying the composition of the mortar used and the size and type of bricks used. Thus, brick contractors have to be extremely careful in getting that composition right. A wall not strong enough will break down soon, while a wall too stiff will start to crack easily.The brick masons at Brick Mason Columbia know very well how to get these parameters right, so that you get a long-lasting retaining wall that will simultaneously make your garden a vision of rustic luxury. We also employ expert stone masonry contractors who can build sturdy stone retaining walls in your home that will give a luxurious look to your garden. Our brick stone masonry contractors will also do any brick wall repair you may need to get done on your brick or stone retaining wall.
What are the uses of Retention Walls?
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Retaining walls in major infrastructure mainly have the task of holding back the soil on one side so that it provides a stable ground to build structures on, space to create roads and a safe place to construct houses on the lower side. For individual needs, the use of retaining wallscan be the same. One could get a retaining wall in their garden or lawn to provide the stable ground on the higher side for any number of purposes like gardening or building structures, while it provides space on the lower side for parking, walkways, sports grounds, outhouses or for any other purpose. If your house is too close to a water body, you can get a retaining wall on the waterside to prevent the wet soil from giving away. Retaining walls can also give a more level ground on a sloping surface by creating terrace-like steps on its side. A retaining wall can be also be constructed to create seating space in the garden, or simply as the centerpiece of the garden. A retaining wall can be created on flat ground to hold a certain amount of soil to create a tiered flower bed or vegetable patch, something that helps create natural partitions without the use of ugly labels and divisions in the garden. Brick Mason Columbia can create your retaining wall with different patterns so that it has a pleasing appearance besides its functionality. |
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What are the features of a retaining wall?
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A retaining wall should have certain characteristics to be labeled as a good retaining wall. We have already talked about how a retaining wall must be extremely hardy so that it does not have a problem tolerating the immense force exerted by the weight of the soil on it. A retaining wall must also have some kind of mechanism in place to counter the force of gravity on it. Different designs of retaining walls use different methods. But one thing is for sure. The larger the gradient of the height of the slope of the ground, the taller must a retaining wall be and the thicker and stronger should its structure be made to stand against the higher gravity and weight.
Besides this, a retaining wall should also have a proper drainage system. Some materials are naturally permeable to water and let it pass. In others, some drainage system must be installed to allow the water from the higher ground to pass to the lower side. If this is not done, water will keep accumulating on the higher side, which will add extra pressure to the wall. A retaining wall should also be capable of preventing soil erosion, which usually occurs on a much larger scale on sloping grounds. Brick Mason Columbia takes care of all these factors when building your retaining wall. |
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What types of retaining walls can you get in your garden?
Retaining walls can be made with diverse materials and in a variety of styles. Each method has some pros and cons, but they are all quite popular depending on the reason the retaining wall is being built and the location of the house. Some of the most popular building materials include CMU, poured concrete, natural stone, brick masonry, stone panels or veneer, brick veneer, wood, limestone and rubble in gabion form. Concrete blocks are easy to install, but too high walls are not stable. The natural stone retaining wall is highly durable, but it is costly and provides poor drainage. Poured concrete has greater scope in terms of look, but it is also more susceptible to cracks. Brick masonry is low-maintenance, highly durable and resistant to climatic elements and fire, but it requires specialized, skilled brick masons to install. The brick and stone masons at Brick Mason Columbia can make the most attractive and hardy brick and stone retaining walls for your home. A veneer of any kind is just for show, and their characteristics depend highly on the core material used. All the other material options are usually installed for their aesthetic value rather than their utility, as they are not durable as such and quite vulnerable to different things like moisture, chemicals, corrosion, erosion and so on.
There are a number of different design aspects of a retention wall. The most common ones are gravity wall, cantilever wall, piling wall and anchored wall. Each uses a different mechanism to support the weight of the soil. Gravity walls rely on their own weight to support the soil, cantilever walls utilize the lever system, piling walls use structural strength while anchored walls use actual anchors attached to the ground for support.
There are a number of different design aspects of a retention wall. The most common ones are gravity wall, cantilever wall, piling wall and anchored wall. Each uses a different mechanism to support the weight of the soil. Gravity walls rely on their own weight to support the soil, cantilever walls utilize the lever system, piling walls use structural strength while anchored walls use actual anchors attached to the ground for support.
Why should you get a brick retaining wall?
A brick retaining wall provides all-round support to the wall, unlike the other materials. Brick itself is a very tough material, and when joined by mortar, can form a literally unbreakable barrier against the soil. A brick masonry wall is quite durable due to its structural hardness, even against unequal pressure. It can resist all kinds of weather well, including moisture, heat, cold, wind, etc. Another salient feature of a brick wall is its fire resistance. Brick retaining walls have hardly any disadvantages. The only one you can think of is the need for really skilled brick masons who can construct a brick retaining wall with the right materials and engineering that will last for a long time. If you do not get your retaining wall built by expert brick contractors like the ones, we have at Brick Mason Columbia, you will be in a lot of trouble as repairing and replacing damaged bricks in a retaining wall can be difficult. If you can take care of this, then we can assure you that nothing will be better than a brick retaining wall for your house. If you prefer the look of stone retaining walls, we have still got your back. Stone retaining walls are as good as brick ones and our stone masonry contractors can construct some of the best stone retaining walls of South Carolina.
What should you ensure for getting a retaining wall?
It is imperative that you only hire especially trained brick masons who know their job well. Even skilled masonry contractors can get a retaining wall wrong. It is best to do a background check and only hire such a masonry contractor who has worked on brick retaining walls before with satisfactory results. You should also use only the highest quality materials for your retaining wall. Also check with the appropriate authorities in South Carolina or your locality regarding the height of the retaining wall you can get. Most places will have a threshold value. Getting a wall above this value will need you to get a soil report done and a soil engineer and structural engineer to assist in the construction.
Brick Mason Columbia is one of the most sought-after masonry contractors in Columbia, South Carolina, for being experts in building high-strength, durable retaining walls. Our masonry contractors know quite well every single factor that must be kept in mind to ensure that the retaining wall will be able to support the weight of the soil. They can judge the quality and character of the soil, the brick and mortar they are going to use, as well as the kind of design that will suit best in these cases. You will read a lot of accounts by people who might tell you what a daunting project a retention wall can be but we assure you that as long as Brick Mason Columbia is there, you will have nothing to worry about.
Brick Mason Columbia is one of the most sought-after masonry contractors in Columbia, South Carolina, for being experts in building high-strength, durable retaining walls. Our masonry contractors know quite well every single factor that must be kept in mind to ensure that the retaining wall will be able to support the weight of the soil. They can judge the quality and character of the soil, the brick and mortar they are going to use, as well as the kind of design that will suit best in these cases. You will read a lot of accounts by people who might tell you what a daunting project a retention wall can be but we assure you that as long as Brick Mason Columbia is there, you will have nothing to worry about.
