How to fill gap between retaining wall and Colorbond?

jeeves

The previous owner of the house I bought has stuffed dirt into the cavity between the retaining wall (yellow arrows) and the colour bond fence (purple arrows). It’s all around the property (the last photo doesn’t have any arrows, but that’s the longest the dirt fill was done). The gap is  200mm all around. If left like this, the panels will rust faster, not to mention the dirt seeping through the gaps onto the neighbours’ properties. I’m getting a landscaper to remove the dirt. Any ideas on the best (practical and aesthetic) way to fill the gap? What’s the best way to get rid of the dirt?

MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @jeeves. It's sensational to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about filling a gap.

To address this, the first step would be to prevent soil from traveling beneath the Colourbond fence. Since it seems the neighbour's side may be lower than your side of the fence, you'll need to install a treated pine plinth along the bottom rail of the fence. This plinth should run the entire length of the fence to act as a physical barrier that isolates the soil from coming under the fence.

Make sure that the treated pine is isolated from the Colourbond fence to prevent any potential damage or corrosion. You can do this by painting the backside of the plinth with bitumen paint, which will provide extra protection against moisture and contact with the fence.

Once the plinth is in place, you can backfill the gap between the retaining wall and the Colourbond fence with soil. This will help fill the 200mm gap and keep the soil in place. For aesthetics and to further prevent the soil from eroding, you might consider adding decorative stones or plants along the borders of the plinth. This will not only help secure the soil but also give the area a more polished look.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell