Recent Retaining Wall Work Around Pittsburgh

What You Are Looking At

Most of the walls below are segmental block, which is the workhorse of Pittsburgh residential retaining. A few things worth noticing in the photos:

The curved walls. Curves are harder than straight runs and they are a reasonable indicator of who built something. A curve that flows evenly and keeps a consistent setback took planning. One that steps and jogs did not.

The steps built into the wall runs. Terracing a slope only helps if the terraces are usable, which means access between levels. Steps built into the wall as it goes up are far better than steps bolted on afterward.

The drainage outlets. In several photos you can see the drain line exiting through the face near the base. That is the part that decides whether the wall is still straight in twenty years, and it is the part missing from most walls we are called to repair.

The backfill stage. One or two shots show the wall part-built with the drainage stone visible behind it before backfilling. That is what should be there. If your wall was built without it, that is why it is moving.

Types of Work Shown

• Terracing sloped rear yards into level usable space
• Curved garden and seat walls around patios and landings
• Multi-tier systems on steeper lots
• Block steps integrated into wall runs
• Drainage stone and drain line installation behind new walls
• Base preparation and first course setting on compacted stone

Want Something Similar?

Every property is different, and what worked on one slope will not necessarily suit yours. The way to find out is a site visit.

We will look at the grade, the soil, the drainage and the access, tell you what the wall actually has to hold, and put a figure in writing. Free, and no obligation.

Related: retaining wall installation, block and segmental walls, natural stone and boulder walls, drainage and waterproofing.