Prairiegardens.ca Produced for the Aruuki Artisans Group Inc Retaining Walls

01/23/12

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Retaining Walls

One would think that on the prairies we never actually heard of retaining wall systems but you would be surprised at how much is produced here. Wall systems are much more superior to cement walls or brick walls. They are stackable so there is no mixing mortar or ordering cement mixes. They are colourful so that you can coordinate with gravels, pavers and they come in different textures and styles. Most importantly they are flexible. This is absolutely important because our weather in the winter can be -25 Celsius in the morning, +7 by the afternoon, and after a little evening rain back to -18. The wall must be able to shift and absorb the swelling of the soil without looking like it is going to fall over or crack and break.

The following 3 galleries cover the most common styles of retaining walls, the hottest newest thing on the market (as far as cement blocks go anyways), and the old style of stone walls which are being rediscovered.

Most Common styles of Retaining Wall Systems

One of the most easily found systems is the Allan Block styles. I do not have a picture of them, although I have used them. They look exactly like the Pisa II but with a rougher texture. They differ in that they are hollow and very light. To gain weight and stability you need to fill the holes up with gravel. They are cheaper and can be stacked quite high to hold back a lot of soil but I have found them to be much more time consuming. With the other systems you just stack them. The basic difference is the rougher face of the Allan Blocks versus the less rough look of the other systems.

Split'n'Stack Charcoal

Probably one of the most popular types of precast retaining wall systems. Very easy to find through out the prairies. Lots of colours and very easy to build with.

Split'n'Stack Tumbled

This a variation of the regular Split'n'Stack to get a little bit more of a natural stone look. For its inexpensive cost it is a cool look.

Pisa II

This is a very strong wall used to hold back large areas. The stones themselves are 45lbs each. A related stone is the Allan Block Senior.

CastleRock

This is a midrange stone that is stonger than Split'n'Stack but not as hefty as the Pisa II. The nice thing about these ones is that they create smaller circles than the Pisa

New Interesting Wall Systems

 

Way back when I first started, the retaining walls basically looked like stacked parking lot cement curbs. There was a push to create a wall that mimicked stone walls or brick walls. The new walls that have come on to the market in the last 3 years are very creative and exciting. They are a much more realistic look yet maintain good stability. They are generally only for low walls below 2' but are much more interesting to look at. A couple of new ones this year will resemble the ashlar blend of stone a beautiful look of large and small rectangular pieces.

 

ROX grey

The ROX system has a slate feel with stones that have mixes of grey and burgundy. The variety of sizes also makes for interest within the wall.(built by Greenland Garden Centre)

ROX tan

The tan has a mix of tan and charcoal. It mixes well with most tan and beige pots and gravels. (built by Greenland Garden Centre)

Old English

A very nice new product used for low walls. This is a mix of two types of retaining walls. They are a tumbled, rough textured stone that cuts fairly easily. (Built by Rona)

Natural Stone Wall (Dry wall)

 

A big problem on the prairies is the expense of building. You can spend a few years collecting stone or spend as much as 49 cents a pound for rock. But in the last 5 years especially in the last 2 years landscape suppliers are importing amazing cut stones. Rundle, limestone, and basalt create fantastic freestanding walls that can slow traffic. Natural stone walls are not "that" difficult to build but it is basically a 3 dimensional puzzle. In the end, the wall needs to be  pretty.

Basalt Stone

Basalt is an excellent natural stone for building. The stones have nice variations in colour and often have mosses or algae on them

Basalt Wall

The stones create a true old British wall. The stones are not smooth on both sides so there are spaces that are created. But the look can not be matched by the tumbled retaining wall stones

Limestone Wall

I have used limestone for building for years. You do need to hand pick the stones to get fairly flat faces and a good variety of sizes. But excellent building material

Limestone Planter

The variation in sizes, texture and tones of grey adds a richness to the front yard

Same wall

To jazz up the wall a little we added an extra bed in front with an edging. Most of the plants are annuals and were planted in the spring of this picture year

Flagstone wall

There are a lot of varieties of flag stone (rundle, charmin and mountain brown). One of the easiest to build with because the surfaces are smooth and give fairly tight spacing. Gives a clean formal look.

Fieldstone Wall

Building a wall with round stones is a real challenge, but the stones are extremely cheap. Generally, to be used as a leaning wall and not as a free standing one.

 

Same stone wall

a close up, to add some stability fine chipped gravel was added behind and between the spaces

 

 

 

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This site was last updated 12/31/06