A retaining wall prevents erosion, keeping a hill in area behind a house, or it may serve as a basement wall, depending on the property’s construction. Among the problems of constructing a retaining wall is ensuring that water drains away from it, otherwise the resultant moisture can damage the wall over time or leak into your home. Among the best methods to ensure adequate drainage is to set up a French drain behind the wall.
Examine the Land
Before you construct a cinder block retaining wall, then you must analyze the territory when it rains to view how the rainwater flows. This can help you to develop a water drainage drawing to ensure that water doesn’t slip behind the retaining wall, as well as ensuring a place for the water behind the wall to go after you put in the drain. For instance, after installing the drainage, then you may need to integrate runoff ditches to ensure the water goes where you want it to.
Excavate Behind the Wall
A cinder block retaining wall holds back a great deal of pressure. When it rains, the water in the hill behind the wall has to be drained away from the wall to keep the wall from being compromised. Before establishing the foundation for the cinder block wall, then ensure you have at least 1 to 2 feet of functioning room behind the wall that lets you put in a drain atop a gravel foundation.
Construct the Wall
Construct the wall to a flat base. Throughout construction, the local construction authority will occasionally inspect the wall to ensure it complies with local building codes. When the wall is totally built, you can lay in the needed drains and gravel. At either end of this wall, create a path for the water to flow into a drainage ditch or pipe, to transfer it away from the wall and house.
Gravel and Drain
Compact the bottom of the pit behind the retaining wall to have it flat. Pour 1- to 2-inch washed drainage stone into the hole and the foundation of this wall approximately 4 to 6 inches deep. Put a drainpipe with perforations that operate along its top over the gravel, using the solid side facing the bottom of the drainage ditch. The perforations in the top allow the water to seep into the pipe, which carries it off to both sides. After installing the perforated pipe, cover it and fill the hole using 3/4-inch washed gravel to within 6 inches of the surface of the wall. Insert dirt above the gravel for the rest 6 inches, and compact it lightly.