Retaining wall for flowerbed - Raised flowerbed

[Adam Ashworth]

Was wondering if any one could help?

I am going to build a raised garden bed retaining wall, the back of the wall will be 16 m long, the flowerbeds will be spilt into 3 sections of around 5 meters long. Each section will be 1 block higher and around 0.4 m wider as it goes down the garden. The first section will be 1.5 blocks tall, then 2.5 blocks then 3.5 blocks so it wont be a tall wall. Each section will be devided by 1 block thick wall.


Will it be ok to use single blocks and also do i need expansion gaps? The blocks i was going to use are areonated concete blocks.

[lutonlagerlout]

@16m adam you really need to split that into 3 or you will get movement
better to build 3 5M sections linked but with expansion joints in the internal corner so they dont stick out
LLL

[r896neo]

Also don't build them from lightweight blocks if you want to render them. It can be done but is much more prone to possible problems with render cracking adhesion etc than 3.5 or 7N blocks

[lutonlagerlout]

sorry has to be conkers outdoors
concrete blocks
LSP will tell you why :;):
LLL

[Adam Ashworth]

Thanks Lutonlargerlout .
How do you mean put expansion joints in the internal corners?

here is a link to the diagram i have done

http://www.flickr.com/photos/83280120@N05/7631172316/

So you would do 3 completely different beds? was hoping i could have them all joined as i have a capping stone put over the top of the wall whick will only work if its 1 block thick and would rather the look of them all joined together.

what are the blocks called?

Thanks

[Adam Ashworth]

[lutonlagerlout]

you need some kind of expansion or it will crack
just to the left of the 0.9 and the 1.2 would be ideal spots so 4 expansion joints in total
you can use 10mm foam strips that you then mastic over
LLL

[Adam Ashworth]

like this? The grren lines are the expansion gaps. also forgot to put in the diagram about the tree in top left hand corner. so ther will not be a corner for the wall... cheers

[London Stone Paving]

sorry has to be conkers outdoors
concrete blocks
LSP will tell you why :;):

???

[lutonlagerlout]

hope this explains it better
that tree will wreck the big box at some point
trees and walls do not mix
LLL

[Adam Ashworth]

Sorry Luton i could not understand from them lines.

I have now decided to bring the wall 5 ft from the tree to stop any issues with it causing damage. i have re-done the pic leaving blanks in the line for where i think you mean put the expansion gaps and then blue for where the brick ties go?

Pretty sure i am wrong but was trying to work out what you meant? Do you mean leave a gap then use a tie for the bricks that are either side of the expansion gap? Thanks for your help

[lutonlagerlout]

adam look at this photo from my site

if you look next to the pier there is a movement joint ( i did this so that if a car hits the pier the whole wall doesnt come down)
every 225mm up that joint there is a wall tie tying the pier to the wall
what you need is a centre box and wall ties and expansion where your 2 other boxes join the centre one
hope this makes sense
ps the joint on that wall was masticed after in brown to disguise it
LLL

[rab1]

that your house in the picture

[Adam Ashworth]

Smart wall larger,

Right sorry to say it but i am still confused....!

With the wall that i am building i was going to have it only 1 brick thick and being that its quite low i was not going to have pillars? Or do you think that i need it to be 2 bricks thick?

I understand about the expansion gap now ( i think )- that you have ties in between them. So from my new picture is it correct?

cheers.

[lutonlagerlout]

adam heres 3 shovels ,take your pick :;):
imagine a fag box ,a big match box, and a small match box as your planters
line them up and where they touch they need expansion joints
but as you build them if you tie them together the whole job has more strength
LLL