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The best residential retaining wall installation method for your project is one that is quick, simple to install, and effortlessly produces a high-quality finish. Modular concrete retaining wall blocks, also referred to as segmental retaining wall blocks, are applicable for the majority of residential projects. Engineered for simple and efficient on-site mortarless construction, modular concrete retaining wall blocks reduce the need for wet trades or specialist plant and speed up construction.
Modular retaining walls are available in a range of colours and finishes to complement the aesthetic requirements of hard landscaping for housing developments and are suitable for a wide variety of site conditions.
Modular concrete retaining wall blocks can be used to construct gravity retaining walls. Their maximum height will vary depending on the manufacturer’s recommendation and can reach around 1m. In this scenario, the weight of the blocks holds back the lateral pressure of the earth behind them.
When gravity retaining walls aren’t robust enough to meet project requirements, reinforced retaining walls are specified instead. These combine interlocking retaining wall concrete blocks with geogrid or concrete reinforcement methods and can reach an unlimited height.
The installation of modular concrete retaining wall blocks, also referred to as segmental concrete retaining wall blocks, brings the following benefits over alternative methods:
The installation of mortarless interlocking modular concrete retaining wall blocks requires suitably trained installers; however, the lack of mortar means that they can be constructed without the additional skills of a bricklayer. The removal of a wet trade and the intuitive design of concrete retaining wall blocks make them easy to lock together. This increases the speed of retaining wall installation and construction is less weather dependent than when wet trades are required.
Another factor that slows down the construction of brick built retaining walls is that as their height increases, the base of the wall must widen to provide the wall with the required strength to support the soil. As well as adding material cost, this will slow down construction time when compared to an installation using concrete retaining wall blocks, as well as requiring skilled bricklayers for their construction. Consequently, labour costs also increase.
Some methods of forming retaining walls require the use of heavy machinery and this adds cost to the installation and may be difficult for sites with restricted access. Cantilever retaining walls are made of reinforced concrete and embedded retaining walls use interlocking sheet piles or bored concrete piles. Both these methods require the use of heavy machinery on-site that is not required when installing concrete retaining wall blocks.
Where mortar is used in the construction of retaining walls their visual appearance may suffer due to efflorescence that can occur when the water-soluble salts used in clay brick retaining walls come to the surface. Whilst the complete eradication of efflorescence is not possible, Tobermore modular concrete retaining wall blocks are vapour cured for a minimum of 12 hours during manufacture. This process, along with the wall’s mortarless construction, helps to reduce the possibility of efflorescence. The colours and textures of concrete retaining wall blocks provide housebuilders with a wide choice to match their project’s aesthetic requirements, and it is reassuring to know that the appearance will not suffer in the long term because of efflorescence.
Retaining walling made easy, thanks to Secura Grand. This classic, textured block is the simple solution for any groundworker seeking to address sloping issues.
Make more efficient use of land with Secura Grand
At Tobermore we ensure that our customers have all the knowledge they need to successfully install our modular concrete retaining wall blocks, also referred to as segmental concrete retaining wall blocks. These include installation guidelines, videos, toolbox talks on-site and the supply of a retaining wall design support package for each project.
Our Secura Grand mortarless modular retaining wall concrete blocks can be combined with Geogrid to form reinforced walls to an unlimited height, with heights up to 9m being BBA certified. The straightforward installation can help achieve valuable time and cost savings for your project.
When asked to sum up the importance of installation to our customers, Craig McBride, Tobermore’s Technical and Product Training Manager, commented:
“The speed and ease of installation of our concrete retaining wall blocks bring real cost and time saving benefits for the hard landscaping elements of a project. We pride ourselves on supporting our customers throughout the whole process of using concrete retaining wall blocks. This includes site support services where we see first-hand how impressed installers are with the simplicity of using our products.”
If you would like to learn more about how to install concrete retaining wall blocks, you can book a CPD with us at Tobermore. It can be carried out remotely or we would be happy to come and talk to you in person.
If you have any questions about our retaining wall solution, please contact our sales team who will be happy to guide you through the retaining wall choices available for your project.
Secura is a mortarless retaining wall, engineered for simple and efficient on-site construction, reducing the need for wet trades or specialist plant.
