Retaining Walls Help Create New Space in Your Backyard
(ARA) If you’re like many
people, you probably want more usable space in your backyard. But how do you get
it without having to buy additional real estate?
 Today’s
segmental retaining wall systems are a viable solution. They can turn an
unusable slope into a stunning tiered garden; transform a lifeless patio into an
outdoor kitchen; and even convert your front entryway into a spacious and
welcoming courtyard. Retaining walls are only the beginning of what
you can do with some of these products freestanding walls, columns, stairs, seat
walls, outdoor cooking areas … all are possible using the better segmental
retaining wall systems. Segmental walls are built using
high-strength concrete retaining wall units without mortar. Friction from the
weight of units stacked on top of one another, along with interlocking
mechanisms, retains soil behind the walls. The most durable systems employ solid
concrete units held together by non corrosive pins inserted from the top of each
course of units into the course below. Top-pinning systems make unit alignment
easy and allow maximum design flexibility. They’re also more
environmentally friendly than landscape timbers and other materials that can
contain hazardous preservatives, and far less costly than poured-in-place
concrete walls. More than a Patio Backyard
dining is exploding across the country -- and that means a lot more than just
throwing some chops on a portable grill. Traditional concrete slab patios are
being upgraded to outdoor cooking spaces complete with built-in grills, food
preparation areas and other amenities. These extensions of your
kitchen can be created using retaining wall systems which are capable of
building columns to 1.2m tall, freestanding walls to 900mm, inside and outside
curves, stairs and corners of just about any angle. A fire pit and grate
installed in the centre of a paving-stone patio, surrounded by short
freestanding walls for seating, makes a cosy backyard gathering place. The
benches, built with segmental retaining wall units, will complement the
paving-stone patio and last a lifetime with virtually no maintenance.
Wise Investment Not only are landscape improvements a way to
get more enjoyment out of your yard, they’re also a wise financial investment in
your home. When people ask how they can get strong interest in their property,
most real estate agents will tell them to fix up their landscaping.
A recent study showed that buyers of existing homes will pay up to 11 percent
more than the asking price for a home that features a well-designed landscape.
Homeowners who spend 5 percent of the value of their home on landscaping can get
returns on their investment of 150 percent to 200 percent.
Courtesy of ARA Content |
