Keys to Developing a Retaining Wall Around a Coastal Property

If you have a coastal property, you have to be very careful about soil erosion. Probably the best way to counteract this natural occurrence is to build up a retaining wall, which will go smoothly if you remember a couple of key protocols.

Consult With a Professional Engineer

A retaining wall for a coastal property isn't something you want to design haphazardly. Rather, you want to plan out every single detail meticulously to ensure this wall holds up and keeps the soil around your property from eroding over time. 

In this case, you should work with a professional engineer who's experienced with coastal retaining walls. They'll make sure you have everything down to a science, from the materials used to the wall's dimensions. Then, once the right plans are in place, you can begin development with a clear direction for what needs to happen.

Focus on a Material That's Easy to Work With

Whether you plan on developing this retaining wall yourself or are hiring a professional company, it's a good idea to choose a material that's easy to work with. Then you can quickly get this retaining wall constructed without having to expend a lot of resources like money and time.

There are several material options for coastal retaining walls, but one of the better options from a workability standpoint is the use of manufactured concrete blocks. These blocks are already a particular shape and size, which saves you or contractors a lot of effort. You'll just need to get them lined up properly and stabilize them to where they won't move, even if there's frequent wave activity in the area.

Develop a Strong Foundation

Most retaining walls around coastal properties are built in a stacked manner where one layer is added to the next until the appropriate height is reached. It's important to focus on the bottom portion in particular because this is essentially the foundation. It needs to be structurally sound in order to keep this wall from moving or breaking down. 

What you can do to create a strong foundation for this retaining wall is make sure the bottom surface is even and then reinforce it with a material like crushed rock or concrete. That should give the bottom portion more stability that you can add to with confidence.

If you want to keep soil erosion from happening around a coastal property, you need to develop a retaining wall. As long as you use sound design principles, this wall will work like it's supposed to for a long time. 

For more information, reach out to a company such as Lindley Landscape.

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