DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

I am looking to create a retaining wall. It will be split into 3 parts.

I need to make 2 1.5ft walls to create a terrace stepping system and there will be a 3ft wall along 1 side of the garden.

I want to know if i need special blocks for this or if I need to use some steel reinforcement.

I assume I should use a gravel foundation and lay the blocks in a backwards leaning motion. Backfill with gravel and then every half a ft put some steel webbing ontop to reinforce the walls strength.

Is this necessary?

Can't I just use concrete foundation, bricks and mortar for a wall less than 3ft? Thanks.

Please click my link to get access to the image file to get a better perspective of what i am trying to do.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4Mn6y ... sp=sharing

6-inch (150mm) concrete blocks willbe ample for these walls. Both the 18-inch and 36-inch flavours. Use a foundation trench 12-inces wide and 6-inches deep, fill with concrete as per our mixing concrete page where you can also work out volumes of materials required. https://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/mi ... ncrete.htm

Lay the blocks upright (no need to slant) but consider how you willfinish the top of the wall as you cannot lay turf onto the topof the block so you will need to build the block higher than the garden surface and put some sort of capping onto it. See our page on laying bricks and blocks where you will also find some information on laying coping stones https://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/la ... blocks.htm

We have a page on retaining wall advice here https://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/retainingwall.htm

Another page on building garden steps here https://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/garden-steps.htm

Building garden walls here https://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/bu ... enwall.htm

You may also want to visit our page on rendering walls https://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/re ... -walls.htm