Metro Atlanta Retaining Walls: What You Need to Know for a Durable, Long-Lasting Build

There are four main areas of focus when building a retaining wall.

The Footer: The footer of the wall needs to have proper depth and width. Standard retaining wall footers are 2' wide by 1' deep made from clean gravel. If your contractor is using a hand tamp for this, your wall will fail. One row or more of block needs to buried under the ground.

Backfill: Your wall needs proper backfill. 12-24” minimum of clean gravel needs to be put behind the wall. The holes in the block need to be filled with gravel depending on type of block. Clean fill dirt will get compacted behind the wall as well. Any wall over 3.5’ will need Geo-grid. Geo-grid is a high-strength, engineered mesh made from polymers (usually polyester or polypropylene). It looks like a grid or net, and it’s designed to reinforce soil by creating a stronger, interlocked foundation. It locks into the soil behind the wall, helping the wall resist pressure from the ground. Without geogrid, many walls will eventually lean, bow, or fail.

Weep Holes: The wall needs to have a drainage system behind it along with WEEP HOLES!!! Weep holes in a retaining wall are small openings built into the wall that allow water to escape from behind it. They may look simple, but they’re one of the most important components in preventing wall failure.

Permits: Every city and county in Metro Atlanta has different regulations and laws. Here is a quick reference guide.

https://www.retainingwallcompanies.com/guidelines/ga.html 

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