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Technical

8 Benefits of Secura as a Retaining Wall Solution

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By Alex Walther
4 min read

Tobermore’s Secura retaining wall products provide architects, engineers, contractors and housebuilders with cost-effective solutions for all types and sizes of retaining wall projects. This retaining walling system has numerous benefits, especially when compared to standard concrete retaining walls.

Fast, easy mortar-free installation

Secura retaining walls are built up using a simple, mortar-free, dry method. Once the area behind the planned wall has been excavated, only a concrete foundation is required, and no wet trades are needed for construction of the wall. There are no mortar drying times to delay installation, meaning that constant progress can be achieved.

Secura retaining walls can be installed by an unskilled labour force, saving time and money during construction. The placement of the blocks is simple, with a nib holding them in place. and rapid progress can be made.

Watch our video to learn more.

Retaining Wall Design Service and Technical Support

Tobermore offer a range of innovative tools that provide detailed design and technical support from installation through to completion of Secura Grand projects 

Secura Create  

Generating preliminary retaining wall designs, Secura Create automatically produces elevation views, cross sections and product quantities required for your project. The user will receive a breakdown of quantity of products needed including Secura blocks, geogrids and backfill material. 

Secura FastFind  

Secura FastFind enables contractors to download a typical Secura Wall drawing for print or to be used in their project package. By simply entering site conditions and required wall height, the FastFind tool will instantly provide a downloadable design drawing. 

Secura Partnership Portal 

Secura Registered Contractors will have access to a partnership portal. The Feasibility Estimator uses basic formulas to calculate an estimated cost of a Secura retaining wall. The Tender Calculator allows costings including additional resources (wall, labour, cut & fill), producing a PDF that can be presented at tender stage.  

Book a CPD with one of our trusted advisors to learn more on the tools available.

Range of sizes for all scales of project

The breadth of products in the Secura range mean that different scales of project can be accommodated. There are products for gravity retaining walls, reinforced soil walls, and retaining walls constructed with concrete backfill.

Gravity retaining walls up to 960mm

Gravity retaining walls depend only on their own weight to resist pressures from the soil behind them. They are ideal for retaining walls up to 960mm high. They are used for smaller domestic walls, terraced walls or raised planting areas.

Secura Lite is the best product for these situations and is available in three block sizes in one pack.

Tobermore Secura Lite Bracken

Reinforced retaining walls over 1.2m

Retaining walls should be reinforced in applications above 1.2m metres high and they can be built up to 9m high. The reinforcement is most often provided by a mesh geogrid, which is laid between the blocks and covered with backfill which is then compacted.

Tobermore buttercup fields leicestershire secura grand walll in bracken close up

Retaining walls with concrete backfill

For areas where only a small backfill area is available, concrete is poured into the excavated space behind the wall. This fill then acts as a mass gravity wall.

This method can be used in areas where there is up to almost 50% less space available behind the retaining wall, compared with geogrid-reinforced applications. It is a slightly more expensive option, so is only specified where space is limited.

Secura Grand blocks are used for higher walls. They are ideally suited to larger landscaping schemes found on housing developments, roads, commercial property etc. Download our Secura Retaining Walls design guide for more information.

Tobermore buttercup fields leicestershire secura grand walll in bracken

Attractive, rugged appearance

Secura offers the same stability as standard concrete retaining walls but with a much more pleasing finish. The rustic surface texture gives the appearance of aged, natural stone.

Three attractive blended colours are available: Heather, Bracken and Slate. The natural variation of colour provides a softer, far more attractive look than plain grey concrete.

It is suited to areas where standard concrete would be too harsh, such as housing developments, rural areas or higher prestige urban developments.

More efficient use of space

When built up, Secura retaining walls gradually slope back, opening up areas and giving a greater sense of space compared with claustrophobic vertical concrete retaining walls. It also offers the facility to create an extra outdoor space by cutting into the slope and flattening out the area.

Creating curved retaining walls

Secura retaining walls can be easily designed and built up into curves. Design and installation guidelines are available. Contact us for more information.

For reinforced soil walls, the geogrid should be laid in strips around the curved wall on the first course, ensuring that the principal reinforcement direction is perpendicular to the wall, ensuring maximum strength. On the second course, alternate the placing of the geogrid, so that the whole area is covered as the wall rises.

Creating retaining walls with 90 degree corners

You can create 90 degree corners using Secura Grand retaining wall blocks. There are two types of corner block to use when constructing internal and external corners, a left and right block. These are used alternately for each new course.

Cost effective

Secura is offered at a competitive price compared with standard concrete retaining walls. Get a quote for pricing information.

Retaining walls that help you cut project costs

Secura is a mortarless retaining wall, engineered for simple and efficient on-site construction, reducing the need for wet trades or specialist plant.

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Alex Walther

Alex is the Retaining Wall Category Manager at Tobermore. He is involved in providing specialist technical, commercial and construction support to Tobermore’s sales managers and clients with the aim of growing the modular retaining wall market. His aim is to provide market leading support centred around Tobermore’s Secura retaining wall product range.