Off-the-wall uses for retaining walls

Segmental retaining wall (SRW) systems make attractive walls, but they also are used to build many beautiful and functional outdoor features for homeowners and professionals alike. As the most versatile resource in a professional landscaper’s tool box, SRWs can also be used by do-it-yourself landscapers with a little know-how. Whether you need to transition a slope, shore up soil or create beautiful hardscaped features, one retaining wall system — the VERSA-LOK retaining wall system — can do it all.

YouTube creator and construction pro Stanley “Dirt Monkey” Genadek calls VERSA-LOK the “gold standard” of retaining walls.

“VERSA-LOK’s solid, pinned units are superior to hollow, lipped blocks that require fill and might trap water,” says Genadek, who owns a landscaping and excavating company. “It’s the one block that can do it all. VERSA-LOK is the gold standard in SRWs as far as I’m concerned.”

“Retaining walls are most often employed to address grade changes in the landscape and to retain soil,” says Scott Arnold, manager of Villa Landscapes, a design and install landscaping firm. “But as the ‘Legos’ of landscaping tools, retaining wall units can be used to create many beautiful and functional features such as outdoor kitchens, fireplaces and seating.”

FUNCTIONAL FEATURES

Retaining wall units can make beautiful tiered gardens, raised garden beds, planters, tree rings plus fire and water features. One common application is a raised patio, where retaining wall units serve as a foundation for a paver patio surrounded by freestanding walls in place of a wood deck. Creative homeowners and installers have used retaining wall units for lighted column posts, waterfalls, hot tub platforms or mailbox columns.

STEPS/STAIRS

Going up and down a slope is easier with solid stair foundations created from retaining wall units. From stairs out the back patio to steps for access within a hardscape design such as a multi-level patio, retaining wall units are a safe support for stair treads and pavers.

FENCING

Keep people moving the right way with freestanding walls used as fencing or partitions. A parapet wall is a back-to-back wall that serves as a barrier for vehicles and pedestrians. Stepped-down freestanding walls are used alongside ramps for easy access. Custom columns designed with lighting and fencing with timbers or rail posts can serve as a fence solution.

The endless design options afforded by retaining wall systems are limited only by the imagination. With a variety of colors and textures, retaining walls can do it all, beautifully. If you can design it, you can build it with VERSA-LOK.

This article is courtesy of Brandpoint.