The Brew Cabin

Posted: **Thu Mar 10, 2016 6:23 pm**

New to the forum, but desperately need some advice.

I have several single skin retaining walls on the property banking out a steep rear garden. Most of these appear to be moving and there is no damp proofing as far as I can see. Bricks appear to butt up to the soil. I have no idea when the walls were built, or who did them (possibly a previous owner?)

In several places, the mortar between the bricks is also crumbling away. I can probably deal with that, BUT how can I reinforce the walls so that they do not slip any further?

The bottom wall is about 8m high and holds the whole of the garden back from the shed and extension on the rear of the property.

Inside the shed there only appears to be cladding and boards holding back the soil from entering the shed area and this is becoming water stained and is leaking rain run off at the bottom when we have heavy showers.

Any suggestions at all appreciated at the moment.

Thanks for reading

Dax

Posted: **Thu Mar 10, 2016 7:06 pm**

Don't sound to healthy. 4 inch brickwork is only good for too and less retaining well. At 8 metres the wall needs anchoring into a concrete foundation with rebar. Needs to start off wide at the base and 9 inch bonded brickwork as you bring it up. Sounds dodgy to me and will go fall over sooner rather than later.

Posted: **Thu Mar 10, 2016 9:20 pm**

Guessing I probably need to get a pro in to have a look at it. I was considering reinforced wiring to cover the whole lot and anchoring this in to the existing brickwork, then cladding or building second skin, but not sure that will work.

Not convinced that there are even proper foundations in place if the rest of the work in the yard is anything to go by - paving laid straight on mud up to the exterior wall level with the damp course and no drainage for any rain water run off. Sloping garden on the other side to the terracing is reinforced in places with normal concrete all leading down to single skin brick wall holding in a stocked pond!

Posted: **Fri Mar 11, 2016 12:12 am**

rule of thumb on a retaining wall is footing width should we 3/4 the height, the number of diii/landscaper/builder jobs we see where retaining wall are built of strip footings like a normal wall is scary. get an engineer in, there are a number of options from mass walls i.e. gabions, concrete lego blocks. to cribbing to pilings and facing etc

Edited By GB_Groundworks on 1457657130

Posted: **Fri Mar 11, 2016 7:26 am**

Thanks for the responses - confirmed my initial thoughts that we need a pro. Will get on to it asap. I appreciate the walls have sttod for probably a long time, but don't want to take the risk.

The Brew Cabin

Advice on garden retaining walls