Retaining walls can a very tricky fix in the masonry world. There is no one-size-fits-all scenario for retaining wall repair or replacement. It all depends on the condition of the wall and how it was constructed in the first place.

A well-built retaining wall:

• Features a robust footing to anchor the wall into place (18 to 24 inches deep)
• Has CMU Blocks reinforced with rebar at regular intervals for structural integrity
• Is strong enough to sustain the lateral load. (The weight behind it)
• Has weepholes and no significant lean. Drainage is very important to the freeze thaw cycle.

In contrast, a poorly built retaining wall:

• Has a shallow, insufficient footing
• Is not reinforced with rebar or built with brick
• Has no weepholes and demonstrates significant lean (8% to 9%)    
• Has cracks wider than a quarter-inch (Slide a quarter in the crack)
• Heavy brick flaking/spalling/ masonry gaps are turning to dust

What is a retaining wall? A retaining wall is a strong, solid barrier utilized to support soil laterally so as to “retain” the soil at two separate  levels on either border. These structures are designed to harness soil to a slope that would otherwise naturally not exist. Retaining walls are a favorite form of slope stabilization. Retaining walls used to separate water from land are called bulkheads.

So the question is:

• Should You Fix Your Retaining Wall?
• Should You Replace Your Retaining Wall?
• Should You Tear Down Your Retaining Wall?

Should You Fix Your Retaining Wall?

Just putting a masonry patch on a retaining wall may make it look better but it won’t solve the issue that caused the problem in the first place. You should fix your retaining wall if the structural integrity of the wall can sustain a repair and/or if it’s cheaper than building a new retaining wall.

It may sound counterintuitive, but fixing a retaining wall is not always the cheapest option.

Retaining walls fail because they are unable to sustain the load that is forced upon them. Primarily, this is due to expansive soil. Expansive soil expands and shrinks in direct correlation to water saturation.

Water makes everything heavier, including the dirt caged up behind your retaining wall. If your retaining wall has no weepholes, then it’s very likely to fail.

Not enough weepholes or drainpipes is a big reason why retaining walls lean. A leaning wall will eventually collapse.

We can repair retaining walls by adding weeping holes, utilizing Helical Tiebacks, Vertical Piers, or waler beams, based on your needs.

However, it’s imperative that the wall is able to survive the repair and sustain it. You can’t implement tiebacks on a wall that wasn’t built correctly because the wall will crumble around it.

Yes, the helical will stay in place (they can sustain 74,000 pounds of pressure), but the wall will concave.

So, yes, it is worth it to fix a retaining wall if it can sustain the repair. However, some of our clients would like the wall returned to sit at a clean 90-degree angle. This involves heavy excavation work behind the wall and jacks up the final price line immensely. This price jump can even be more than the cost of putting in a new retaining wall.

We recommend stabilization only. While it is possible for us to return a retaining wall back to square, it’s not cost-effective.

We suggest – leave the wall crooked. It will hold with our repair.

Should You Replace Your Retaining Wall?

If your retaining wall cannot sustain the repair or (as it occasionally turns out) it’s cheaper to build a new retaining wall than repair – then yes, we suggest you do replace your retaining wall.

There are a few things that you might consider that might get in the way of a repair and create a limited access.

These are:

• Trees and heavy foliage
• Another wall on the other side of your retaining wall
• Fences that back up to the retaining wall

Should You Tear Down Your Retaining Wall all together?

Probably not. We can only guess why that wall was put up, but there was probably a reason it is there.

If you can’t afford repair or a new wall, it’s not a good idea to eliminate the primary source of retention with no backup plan. It will probably cost you more in the end.

Unless the hillside slope is going to be bulldozed or leveled, a failing retaining wall is better than no retaining wall.

In conclusion:

• You should repair your retaining wall if it can sustain the repairs and if the repairs are cheaper than a complete rebuild.
• You should build a new retaining wall if the old wall is unsalvageable.
• You should never remove an old wall without a plan for how to hold the slope.

Call us at Best Cincinnati Chimney at 513-474-1158 and we can put some eyes on your project and give the best alternatives for your retaining wall.