As the weather is warming up and the feel of summer is in the air, people are starting to tackle home and garden projects. Planting flowers and adding additions to the house is a fun way to spruce up your environment and create a space to call your own. One great addition to a home is a retaining wall. But what exactly is a retaining wall and how can it be a part of your next home improvement project?
A retaining wall is a structure that holds soil and plants behind it. Its general function is to give extra support to land to prevent erosion of soil or earth. Basically, the force of the hill offsets gravity and the slope of the hill behind it. A retaining wall is a great resource to help manage water runoffs, as it slows the flow of rainwater. Retaining walls are also a great way to create usable land or space in homes or businesses. Today we’re going to focus on how a retaining wall can fit into your home and give you some ideas for your next project!
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Around Pool Area
Retaining walls aren’t just for holding soil back. If you’d like to create a comfortable space for you and your family to relax around the pool, consider adding a retaining wall to your home. Concrete retaining walls are a classy way of adding privacy to your backyard for those family get-togethers. Retaining walls don’t have to be all one height either. Consider using tiers of retaining walls with a gravity retaining wall. Unlike traditional retaining walls, gravity retaining walls rely on their own weight to support themselves and are generally shorter.
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Alongside Driveway
If you have a slight slope or hill around your driveway, consider adding a retaining wall to spruce up the look of it. Not only is this a practical option to help hold the soil back and control water runoff, it’s a fun way to add some color to your home. Low hanging trees or plants are a great addition to a retaining wall that add a pop of color when you pull into your driveway. This can also help the resale value of your home because of the look and the practicality of a retaining wall.
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To create a Patio Paradise
Even if you don’t have a pool, you can still create a backyard paradise. We have some great options for creating the patio itself including beautiful walkways and surfaces but consider adding a retaining wall to add another layer of your paradise. Using the gravity retaining walls is a great way to section off seating areas and grilling areas to create your own private getaway with plenty of room for family and friends. Stepping into your backyard can be like stepping into another world—your own private patio paradise.
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Layered gardening
If you love the look of flowers and have a green thumb, consider adding a retaining wall to add layers to your garden. A traditional retaining wall uses the slope to hold back soil and is already a great tool for adding flowers to that slope. Many people will plant flowers in the soil above their retaining wall and let them hang down for a beautiful backdrop in any garden. Adding shorter gravity retaining walls can add more layers and space for planting. Each retaining wall doesn’t have to just be straight either. A layer of artistry can be added by curving the walls and creating the exact garden space that you dream about.
These ideas don’t have to be dreams or far off ideas that you never get to. We’d love to help you tackle these ideas and make your home improvement dreams a reality! Call us today at (248) 379-0250 or (586) 726-6091 to see how a retaining wall will fit into your next home improvement project.