Wall Rebuild

[Jason M]

Well Spring time is here and it is time to fixed the damaged retaining wall and I want everyone's opinion. I built this pond in July 2011 and left for a tour in Iraq/Kuwait in Sept 2011. In March 2012 a tornado came through and ever since my walls have been leaning more and more every month. I am not sure if it is a result of the tornado or to much weight behind what I had constructed. Either way I am going to reconstruct the wall within the next month, my question to everyone though is should I construct it out of retaining wall block or pour a stamped concrete wall. The wall be about a foot shorter all around as I built it a little too tall the first go around so the railing probably will not be needed.

Attached are some pics of the current state that the wall is in.

 

[capewind]

I would love to be able to say something positive and blame the tornado, but from what I can see of the design, sooner or later, pressure and time was going to get your hard work - a tornado could help speed things along:-(

Either a poured wall, or certain wall blocks, make really nice ponds IF done correctly. I think the biggest question will be in the amount of labor you want to put in, or if you want to hire the whole project out. IF you dont want to do the work yourself, you will likely find a poured wall considerably cheaper. Prices vary around the country, but HERE, a high quality block wall that can handle a pond will run you $40-60 per square foot of block FACE. IF you want to do the work yourself, a product like Keystone Compac, Century or Century Half, will cost you about $10 per square foot of FACE ... the blocks themself run about $8 per square foot of face (cap block is about half the cost of the wall blocks), and the difference should cover your footing and gravel backfill (for drainage), or atleast into the ballpark.

 

[taherrmann4]

Jason I have a few questions. 1.Is the fence around the pond to keep out kids, animals or both? 2.How tall is the wall and is it the same height all the way around or is dug into a hill some?

I would look at doing a block wall, there are so many different colors and textures to choose from but it will take a lot of work.

Thanks for your service too!!!

 

[Jason M]

I will be doing all of the labor with some help from friends and family. We have access to backhoes and concrete forms so the only true cost is in the material that we choose. The fence was basically to keep the kids and neighborhood dogs out. The height would be a constant 3' on one side and then go from 3'-2' on one side and 2'-0 on the other.

 

[CountryEscape]

Welcome, Jason M!!!
Sounds like a good project to get into. I agree the blocks that are available are fun, so many different colors and textures. I'm not much for concrete, unless you plan to cover it with something fun and unusual, like plants, etc.
I also want to think you for your service to our Nation! It's your service that keeps our Country free. A favorite slogan of my my son, a former Army veteran, is, "If you don't want to stand behind us, feel free to stand in front of us."

 

[markd]

Whatever material you use, make sure the construction method is correct... A little hard to tell from these pictures, but it looks like the original wall is landscape timbers? Did you put sleepers in, or tie back into the pond area in some way? If not that would explain the bowing.