Rock Retaining Walls Melbourne

Rock retaining walls have various purposes which range from aesthetic use, topography, and maximising land use. Over the years, retaining walls are becoming more common.

However, specific rules govern retaining walls construction, such as other civil engineering work. These rules have to be respected while errors should be minimised while constructing a structure on a slope.

Retaining walls in landscape design serve two primary functions which are to strengthen the slope and also serve as a decorative means. There are several ways to design and construct a rock retaining wall, and the one you prefer is up to you.

Before building a rock retaining wall, there are a few questions to ask yourself and get clear answers to. What is the reason for constructing a retaining wall? Is it to prevent leaching and to slip off your soil by protecting the slope? Or is it to decorate your garden, make vertical or zoning or gardening? Whatever your reason, you are assured of the best result with a rock retaining wall.

You need the services of a professional landscape designer to ensure a reliable and strong retaining wall that can protect your home from a slope or landslide.

Some of the services done include soil study, slope reinforcement with reinforced geotextile or mesh, after which a robust concrete foundation is built before erecting a retaining wall.

Additionally, extra work is done to change the course of rainwater away from the slope. Constructing rock retaining walls is an intricate work of engineers which require a certain level of expertise. Safety is also an important aspect to watch out for in retaining wall construction; therefore, you need to hire the best hands. Below are rock retaining wall tips to take note.

Rock Retaining Wall Tips

Rock retaining walls can be built with natural rocks or fieldstones available on your land. If you need to buy stone from other sites, you should choose a flat stone like flagstone, or cut stone such as ashlar. It is much more comfortable and gives a studier wall when you work with a cut or flat stones than fieldstone.

You can also add a new aesthetic look to your building like making it look natural or having an aged look. For instance, to make it look natural, you can add flowers to various sites in the wall. Rougher stone usually has wide gaps that allow on to fill it with soil for planting.

If a cut stone is used, make a plan for plantable gaps during the rock retaining wall building process. The holes do not need to be too wide, so it doesn’t affect the durability and integrity of the wall.

Cascading plants, like the creeping thyme, yellow and white alyssum all look so attractive as it spills down the sides of rock retaining walls. Herbs also look great while they grow on rock walls or near the walls.

Codes and Regulations

If you need rock retaining walls in Melbourne, you should take a look at Melbourne’s city’s building authority for code and applicable rules concerning building retaining walls.

In most areas, you may need an engineer’s approval for a wall with over 3 feet height. Also, if you are a resident in Melbourne, you may need to acquire a permit to erect your rock retaining wall.