As you drive around Kansas City, you may notice there are many garden and landscaping features that have become overly popular. The retaining wall is one such popular feature, appearing on lawns around the city. As a leading landscaper here in Kansas, High Prairie Landscaping installs retaining walls for a variety of purposes.
Here we will discuss the four basic types of retaining walls you may see across Kansas City, and why each one is useful.
1 – Cantilevered Walls
The cantilevered retaining wall is not just for show but is commonly featured as a decorative garden wall. It is a perfect retainer for uneven properties when you are looking to split the yard without losing half of your grass and soil onto the next level. Cantilevered retaining walls are made with concrete and steel, over which soil is splayed to weigh the slab down. This additional weight keeps your retaining wall from becoming top heavy and tipping over.
This is one of the strongest forms of retaining wall and is often featured in commercial properties, such as hotels and apartment complexes. Although they sometimes cost more than a standard gravity wall, the cantilevered wall is well worth its price in the quality of support it brings to any landscaping project.
2 – Gravity Walls
The gravity retaining wall is one of the most common walls in gardening and landscaping. These use mass and gravity to keep the wall up and your garden intact. You may notice these on houses around the city, although some commercial properties choose gravity over cantilevered.
Before installing a gravity wall, a shallow trench is hollowed out to reinforce and support the wall as it goes up. This is an especially important step if the retaining wall is shorter than average.
Gravity retaining walls are beneficial in a variety of ways, including design. Unlike some other retaining wall types, gravity walls provide you with a multitude of style options. Whether you love stone, brick, or cement, the sky is the limit.
3 – Anchored Walls
As the name suggests, an anchored retaining wall is strategically supported by deep anchors that are pressed into the dirt before expanding to hold their ground. The anchors provide lasting support, which explains the longevity of anchored walls throughout Kansas City.
Anchored retaining walls are not only used on their own. Many homeowners choose to incorporate anchored retaining walls on their property alongside thicker or more traditional wall types.
If you are expecting your retaining wall to hold a heavy load, the anchored retaining wall is the best and most supportive wall for your purposes.
4 – Sheet Piling Walls
As it may sound, a sheet piling retaining wall is much thinner than the above-mentioned walls. In this way, it requires less material to create and is lighter weight. Its lack of bulk does not stop this retaining wall from performing its duties, however. Sheet piling retaining walls are unique in that they are often used to contain more than just dirt. Some contain rocks and even water.
While sheet piling walls are handy in certain situations, they are not for every homeowner. Unfortunately, due to the structural design of these wall types, sheet piling walls must be set up in soft soil, and if the load is overly heavy, it may require additional help supporting it.
Due to the minimal amount of materials used in sheet piling retaining walls, you will notice they are cheaper than other retaining wall types. Before investing in sheet piling walls, consult with a local landscaper to ensure it is the right type of wall for your property and usage.
Contact High Prairie Landscaping Today
High Prairie Landscaping is a local landscaping, outdoor kitchen, pool installment, and water management, expert. We work closely with our clients to develop bespoke gardening plans unique to your home and your tastes. Through our work in landscaping, we have come to develop a keen eye for retaining walls and which type is required where.
If you are working on your property and require the use of a retaining wall, we invite you to call on our knowledge for your project. The team at High Prairie Landscaping is always happy to lend a hand within the community, aiding friends and neighbors to make their landscaping dreams a reality. Contact us at 1-816-398-2091 to learn more about our retaining wall services, materials, and prices. We look forward to your call.
