How do I go about repairing this Retaining wall that is cracked and falling backwards? We tried to use a come along and a sissor jack to push the wall back forward some so that we could fill sand in behind and pour quick crete in the crack but the wall did not move and the sissors jack broke.
It looks like with a crack like that, you're foundation has been compromised. For the safety of all around you, there is no easy fix. Rip it out and hire a professional to do it right this time. That wall is going to kill someone.
Is that a large concrete beam on top of the wall?
It looks like with a crack like that, you're foundation has been compromised. For the safety of all around you, there is no easy fix. Rip it out and hire a professional to do it right this time. That wall is going to kill someone.
Is that a large concrete beam on top of the wall?
OH no... are you sure there is nothing we can do? On the top is a formed water run off concrete water drain. The top looks as like you would cut pce in half so that water can drain off down the slope side.
Every part of the wall except that top course is falling toward earth. As for the reasons for the top course standing firm? Could be the poured slab on top getting caught on the house and not wanting to bduge. Hard to tell without being there. But assuming the garage sides are plumb, it's obvious to me that the entire wall (sans portion of top course) is leaning toward the drive.
But the top course doesn't change what the final outcome will be.
As for what happened - over the years, in the early spring and late fall, moisture got behind the wall. Overnight it froze, pushing the wall a fraction of a millimeter. The next day it melted, then settled a bit deeper into the void it created from freezing the night before.
About a thousand iterations later, you have what you see now.
My guess is there was no clear/drainage stone behind the wall when it was built, no way for the moisture behind the wall to get out. That may not have been common knowledge when the wall was built, but it is now. So make sure that gets done when the wall is rebuilt.
Thank you very much for the explaination. And here I thought it was actually the top of the way that was moving. I understand now that it is not the case... the whole bottom is...
This is a house that was build in the mid 1800's ( I think) it is my parents house. So your right that there is no kind of drainage holes in this concrete wall. Which poses a bigger problem for us than we were hoping for, but thank you for the explaination of what probably happend.
Ok .. so 7 Vivacious Teens are coming over with sledge hammers to take care of that wall you see up there on Wednesday (with gloves goggles and a waiver (LOL))
So here is our new wall .. The stone will be here Friday Morning should be rain free in my area for a week.
My biggest question right now are my seepholes .. I plan to use PVC wraped in window screen ( I happend to just replace all the screens in my house so I have a lot of screen material) placed under the bed of the lime rock... Does anyone see a problem that is screaming at them?
Last edited by yeahground : 07-20-2009 at 11:03 PM.
Reason: forgot to add the picture... LOL
What's the spacing between the walls? If they're not far enough apart, you'll functionally have one 7-foot wall, which is certainly not a DIY, design by the seat of your pants thing.
What's the spacing between the walls? If they're not far enough apart, you'll functionally have one 7-foot wall, which is certainly not a DIY, design by the seat of your pants thing.
We are thinking of going back two to three feet.
I will double check the walls on the inside of the garage to make sure the outer wall is ' not connected '
I will look into a foundation lift for extra support while we put up the wall/s
Thanks for the tips.
I will also see if anyone will come out to ' bid ' the job explain what we want to do and see if he has any insights... (unlikely to get anyone out without pay)
There are lots of 'red flags' in your diagram. Also, what type of wall material are you using?
Please get a professional involved who will actually look at your site.
Its going to cost you more the have a pro come back out to fix your new wall than it will to have them do it from scratch. It always costs more to do something twice.
I see numerous problems with the layout you've presented, but I'm reticent to mention them because like the others, I think this is not a weekend warrior project. And it's not about smarts - you may be brilliant. It's about experience, and those of us that have it are telling you to at least bring in someone to look at the project that has done some of these. Otherwise, this may turn into a disaster.
I think when I finally get the DIY site launched (It's coming, I swear!), we should have a Suzi Orman feature on it - like where women call in to get her approval for buying a Harley? People will present their case, like if they should build this retaining wall, and then they'll either be approved or denied.
There are lots of 'red flags' in your diagram. Also, what type of wall material are you using?
Please get a professional involved who will actually look at your site.
Hello guys...
First off, please know that I appreciate your comments, I wouldnt have posted here if I thought I'd gotten no response at all.
Saying that you are reluctant to provide tips on possible ' red 'flags' in my diagram is simply absurd. Why have a forum section for Homeowner help if we are not going to get it?
Please don't think I am being rude or think that your pleas for me calling a proffessional are falling on deaf ears; I can totally appreciate that. But I expect those kind of comments from forum users and not moderators/administrators. When your DIY forum is ' launched ' you may want to think about two seperate accounts for an administrator. One from a perspective of being helpful .. and one from being just that.. an administrator.
That being said I hope I didnt turn you off from blurting out these red flags... I am here... asking for help and advice .. if you have none .. dont post.. if you do and you dont want to tell me and you post that you dont want to ell me.... how is that getting Homeowner Help?
to answer the posted quoted question we are using CORNERSTONE .. you can read more about here ..from a local supplier.
We have used this same block to retain a smaller 3' slope in my parents back yard to hold ground for a rock garden, we feel confident we can do this.. with some help and advice of course..
My apologies if I have somehow overstayed my welcome.
Last edited by yeahground : 07-22-2009 at 11:20 AM.
Reason: punctuation/ added
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