Who said that retaining walls have to be boring and rustic? It is an insult to the modern construction industry and something discouraging many homeowners from having beautiful additions in their homes. Today, you can build a retaining wall using aesthetically appealing material like wood. Wood capitalises on its strength and versatility to form a stable terraced surface capable of restraining huge volumes of soil. However, you need to understand that wood requires maintenance after a couple of years. If you notice signs of wood rot or insect attack, then you need to replace all the affected planks of wood. The following guide will help you when taking on this project in your home:
Choose the Right Wood
Wood occurs naturally in the environment. If you expose to moisture, vermin and other harmful elements, the wood starts to decay and degrade. You need to treat it with the right chemicals for preservation to make sure that it can last for many years. Make sure that all your replacement posts and planks are pressure treated. Additionally, the accompanying hardware needs to be galvanised or stainless and capable of resisting rust.
Remove Soil Around the Damaged Posts
Start by removing the soil lying behind the damaged planks of wood. Dig a hole big enough to allow you to access the area behind the retaining wall. You can slope the excavation gently to enable easy access. When doing this, make sure that you have space where you can spread all the removed soil so that you can put it right back when you finish replacing your old lumber. A large tarp will suffice for this job.
Reinforce the Remaining Pieces of Wood
You need to support the rest of the wall section. It ensures that all the posts remain in place while you carry out your repairs. Nail a piece of wood vertically to the existing wall section such that it holds the remaining planks together. You should add some angled support to keep the wall in place while doing your repairs.
When you have adequate support, proceed to unbolt the bad timber planks from your retaining wall, and remove the post.
Replace the Bad Posts
Dig a hole about twenty inches deep and twelve to sixteen inches in diameter. Run a string horizontally across the dug section to make sure that you set your new wooden post at the same height with the rest of the wall section. Thereafter, fill your hole with some quick-dry cement and put the new post in the hole. Support it with two by four posts to keep the post in place while the concrete cures. Allow the concrete to cure for about three days before attaching additional planks to complete the retaining wall.