Masonry block retaining wall or concrete sleeper retaining wall?

Cham1

Hi Team

My backyard fence is higher than the house level. Roughly around 600MM height to the sleeper in the back fence . I want to build  a retaining wall from 400MM away from the fence  by using the versawall retaining wall blocks. But I'm not sure where it is suitable in this situation or not  or should i use the concrete sleeper retaining  wall with galvanized  posts?

Thanks,

JacobZ

Hi @Chamod,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you with us.

The first thing you'll have to consider is whether you need approval for this retaining wall. Generally, retaining walls under 1 metre in height will not need approval, but rules can differ depending on the proximity to the boundary of your property. It would be worthwhile to check with your local council to confirm that you can build your retaining wall within this proximity of the boundary before proceeding. It is definitely worth checking prior to the commencement of your project, just to be safe. The keywords you will be looking for are "boundary setback" and "retaining walls". If you look up your local council with these keywords in your search, there may be available information. If not, you would need to give them a call or send them an email.

The Versawall retaining wall system can be used to construct retaining walls up to 800mm high without reinforcement as long as you follow the manufacturer's recommendations for installation, which can be found on Adbri Masonry's website. Here is a screenshot of a typical, unreinforced installation.

There are two things I note. 

The first is the triangle on the right showing the exclusion zone for structural loads behind the wall. As long as your neighbour's house is not built within a metre of the fence, this shouldn't come into play. If it is, then you would need to speak with an engineer to confirm suitability. 

The second thing I note is the need for a 300mm wide section of drainage gravel behind the wall. If, by installing your retaining wall, you were exposing the concrete foundations of your fence, then this could become an issue due to the proximity to the wall. Looking at the soil up against the fence, it seems likely that this may become a factor. In saying this, it would also be a factor with a concrete sleeper retaining wall.

To summarise my thoughts, you should first check with your local council that what you are proposing is allowed. Then, after this, confirm where, in relation to the wall, your neighbour's house is. Then, finally, whether installing a retaining wall this close to your fence will affect the integrity of its concrete footings.

Let me know what you think and if you can provide information on the points I have made, I can certainly assist further.

Jacob