retaining wall for driveway

Started by MikeT, February 13, 2008, 11:58:37 PM

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MikeT

I am probably over-thinking this, but I thought I would get your collective thoughts and wisdom.  I currently have a gravel base parking area that slopes down to my house.   The county says that since the parking area slopes as much as it does--2 feet over 18 feet-- I have to pave it.  But if I pave it, with the current slope I will not only have a somewhat steep driveway, but I will have to divert the rain water away from the house.   

So my thought is to create a short retaining wall about 2 feet high  that would run about 16 feet along the front of the house for and begin about 2 feet from the house.   I would then fill with more 3/4- road  base and then look to pave that. 

So if I do this, what is a nice-looking, economical way to build this wall?  Since it will have vehicular loads and will be paved, is this something I can do with landscaping type stones, like one sees at Lowes or HD, or do I need to look to road-type retaining wall units that are made from concrete and are set in place?  I know these come in blocks that are 2 feet high by 2 feet deep by four or six feet in length. 

I know I need to figure out how to transition the sides as well, but first I want to figure out the main wall part.

Thanks,
mt

Willy

I would go for the large retaining wall concrete blocks. That way you would never have to worry about them shifting with a big truck driving near them. Of course later you could dress them up with decorated blocks but the big concrete ones would save a bunch of retaining wall work. Our concrete place sells them a lot to farmers to make walls to load equipment off of and hold back dirt near buildings. They bring them out and set them in place for you. It gives them a place to use up extra cement and not waste it. Mark


glenn kangiser

Maybe you could go up with the big blocks as Mark says then top it off with landscape rocks.

You might be able to get large landscape rocks - basalt from Dan Kaufman in LC.
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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MikeT

Thanks, guys.  I kind of thought I had to go with the big block units.  I was hoping for a DIY option....I think I will go with the basalt rocks on the sides--that will be a better transition to the hillside.

First things first...I need to run my water line from the street to the house.

mt

FrankInWIS

I have a similar need..... I got to get the drive up to the level of the garage...which has been raised about 2 - 3 feet to get over flood plain level.  My drive abuts the poperty line and the drive follows that till it makes a 90 degree turn into the garage.  I like the idea of the big blocks of concrete.  This is way to the back of my lot and my neighbors... visual not that important.  I only have 25' to work with, I would top fill the area from the blocks (which would be right on the lot line) to the garage with some type of fill (IDEAS?) and I would expect sometimes the wheels could go right onto the blocks themselves. 
Any idea on cost of these large blocks?  $??