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Retaining walls are often considered for their functionality alone, but can actually be used as a secret weapon to transform the design of a landscape. Yes, sometimes you need a wall to prevent soil erosion and tame harmful rainfall runoff. So, why not turn a utilitarian feature into a gorgeous addition to your landscape? Here, we look at a few tips for choosing a retaining wall system that will make your Long Island property look spectacular.
Materials Matter
Any hardscaping installation should complement, rather than work against your home and landscape design. The right retaining wall should be built using materials that match their surroundings while still effectively meeting the structural demands of the site.
Precast Concrete Retaining Walls. Concrete retaining wall systems are a popular choice as they are built to adapt with ground movement, relatively quick to install, come in a variety of sizes, and comes in a variety of shapes, colors, and textures to work with almost any design scheme. Concrete retaining walls are constructed using intelligent stacking systems which flexibly accommodate curves, corners, and steps, giving you greater control over the structure and shape of your landscape’s vertical elements.
Natural Stone Retaining Walls. Prized for their timeless beauty, stone retaining walls offer a sense of naturalness and authenticity unachievable by other materials. Choose from fieldstone, cut stone, and boulder-style walls to add rustic warmth your Long Island home’s garden or outdoor rooms. Keep in mind that if your landscape design plan includes walls higher than 3 feet, you’re best consulting with an engineer to ensure safety an proper performance.
Timber and Wood Retaining Walls. Wood tie retaining walls are not commonly used anymore as their longevity isn’t great when compared with stone and concrete. Wood tie walls work well as raised planting beds for vegetable gardens or ornamental plantings and are typically fastened together using metal spikes. With the advanced in manufacturing in the concrete industry, many Long Island homeowners are reaping the lifelong stability that is offered by concrete retaining walls, rather than opting for wooden solutions.
Carve out Functional Spaces
Choosing the right retaining wall requires careful consideration of your landscape’s overall layout. Think about which parts of your yard you’d like to enjoy as outdoor rooms, or how multi-level terracing could shape the way you use and view your landscape. When leveling off and sculpting an unwieldy slope, make sure your retaining wall has a solid underground base and satisfactory drainage behind. Retaining wall installation can be a complicated engineering and installation procedure, so be sure to consult with a professional in your area. For a job done right, guaranteed, reach out to a Unilock Authorized contractor in Huntington Bay, Glen Cove, Southhampton, or surrounding Long Island communities by visiting this page.
Another way to expand your walls’ utilitarian purpose is to convert them into functional seating areas. Remain ever-ready for spontaneous guests by bordering your patio with low seat walls to create overflow seating, leaving off a section or two to avoid enclosing the space too much. Another tip? Build a durable seat wall right into your pool deck’s hardscaping for an accessible spot to rest or from which to supervise small children.
Aside from protecting your property from destructive erosion and runoff, retaining walls are surprisingly useful for their aesthetic and yard-sculpting attributes. For more inspiration on choosing the right material for your Long Island home’s retaining wall, check out the Unilock Design Ideas catalog here!
