Retaining wall contractor Oakville ON![]() Masonry Oakville is proud to provide high quality hardscaping services for our fellow residents, business and property owners, particularly in the retaining wall construction, sometimes interchangeably referred to as a garden wall.
There are some key differences between the two, the main one being that the former focuses more on the aesthetic appeal of the yard or garden (think raised beds for flowers and plants), whereas the latter focuses primarily on function, with aesthetic appeal as a nice bonus. Our masonry contractors deal primarily with building a functional and beautiful retaining wall. Oakville, a city of over 200,000 residents, in close proximity to Burlington and Mississauga and part of Southern Ontario, has land that has a variety of gradings and climates. Because of this, you will often find areas or pockets of land that will need a retaining wall. What exactly is the function of a retaining wall? As mentioned above, retaining walls go well beyond its aesthetic appeal and serve a main functional purpose to prevent foundational erosion and soil run-off. Should you DIY a retaining wall? Unless you yourself are a contractor, the simple answer is NO. There are many steps of building a retaining wall where errors can slip in, and an improper wall can result in detrimental consequences to your property including: soil run off, foundational erosion, water seepage which can cause rot in adjacent wood structures like decks and fences, and other garden elements. |
What type of retaining wall should I get?
The type depends on a few factors, one of the most important being the grading of the land and the surrounding space. What you need for a backyard garden can differ vastly from a highly sloped public space.
Here are a few common types of retaining walls:
Cantilever: this type of wall is made of poured concrete with an inner reinforcing steel. Because of the material and the reinforced steel, it can retain or support a lot of lateral soil forces. A cantilever retaining wall does require careful planning and execution before being installed.
Counterfort: this wall is like the stronger cousin of cantilever walls. It is also made of poured concrete with reinforced steel, but has an additional web along the back surface of the wall for extra reinforcement. A counterfort retaining wall is popular in environments where a high wall is needed.
Gravity: this is also known as a poured concrete retaining wall, is formed on site and uses the sheer weight of the structure to withstand the earth’s lateral forces.
Semi-gravity: similar to the gravity wall, the semi-gravity retaining wall relies on the weight of the wall but has reinforcing steel to allow it to have a slimmer profile.
Although there are a handful of types of retaining walls, there are also material choices that can be chosen for some, including concrete, stone and brick. If you’re unsure, do not hesitate to call us at Masonry Oakville to assess your site. Our expert and professional retaining wall installers will be sure to recommend the appropriate options for your property and needs.
The type depends on a few factors, one of the most important being the grading of the land and the surrounding space. What you need for a backyard garden can differ vastly from a highly sloped public space.
Here are a few common types of retaining walls:
Cantilever: this type of wall is made of poured concrete with an inner reinforcing steel. Because of the material and the reinforced steel, it can retain or support a lot of lateral soil forces. A cantilever retaining wall does require careful planning and execution before being installed.
Counterfort: this wall is like the stronger cousin of cantilever walls. It is also made of poured concrete with reinforced steel, but has an additional web along the back surface of the wall for extra reinforcement. A counterfort retaining wall is popular in environments where a high wall is needed.
Gravity: this is also known as a poured concrete retaining wall, is formed on site and uses the sheer weight of the structure to withstand the earth’s lateral forces.
Semi-gravity: similar to the gravity wall, the semi-gravity retaining wall relies on the weight of the wall but has reinforcing steel to allow it to have a slimmer profile.
Although there are a handful of types of retaining walls, there are also material choices that can be chosen for some, including concrete, stone and brick. If you’re unsure, do not hesitate to call us at Masonry Oakville to assess your site. Our expert and professional retaining wall installers will be sure to recommend the appropriate options for your property and needs.