How to raise backyard level against fence & paving?

Question

My backyard currently slopes 35cm from the house down to the fence. I’m going to raise the level to the level of the house and pave the area.

In order to avoid having the raised dirt up against the fence, is it best to build a retaining wall in between? I’m thinking of doing a raised garden bed that would act as a retaining wall.

How far off the fence would the garden bed need to be? Could it be hard up against the fence?

If going without a garden bed, would I build the retaining wall just off the fence then backfill the gap with stones?

Open to any other suggestions. Thanks

Bwalker · Answer

Thanks guys, this has been really helpful. I’ll post some photos as I get a little bit closer

Dave-1 · Answer

Good Morning @Bwalker

I am currently raising the height of my soil maybe 20cm ish on one side, next to my fence. I havnt posted a project as yet but might post a segment to show later this morning. I dont like the idea of soil against the fence or weight as it will push the fence out of alignment and cost more $$$$ to fix.

I have gone the route of gabion baskets down the side of my fence in what was the old channel held back by a copper log retaining wall. It works well tho a wider cage would be wiser (The width of a cage should be around 2/3rds the height of the cage) I went narrower as that was what was there and I had limited mesh so "waggles hands" I should have gone the right way I think :)

Will wait for some pics from you and try and get part of the project posted.

Dave

EricL · Answer

Hello @Bwalker

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about backyard levelling.

Raising the yard by 35cm and paving it sounds like a great project, and you’re definitely thinking about it the right way by considering how the new level will affect the fence. In most cases, you wouldn’t want the new soil level sitting directly against the fence, especially if it’s a timber fence, as constant moisture and buried palings can significantly reduce its lifespan over time. A small retaining wall or raised garden bed is usually the best way to handle this kind of level change cleanly and properly.

A raised garden bed can absolutely work as the retaining wall, and for a 35cm rise it’s actually a really practical and attractive solution. The important thing is that the garden bed itself needs to retain the soil independently, rather than relying on the fence to hold any pressure. Even though the height isn’t massive, fences generally aren’t designed to act as retaining walls. Ideally, you’d build the garden bed slightly off the fence line rather than hard against it. Leaving around 100mm between the fence and the garden bed is usually a good minimum, while 150–300mm is even better if space allows. That gap helps with airflow, drainage, maintenance access and future fence repairs.

If you decide not to go with a garden bed, then building a low retaining wall just inside the fence line is the most common approach. In that case, leaving a small drainage gap between the retaining wall and the fence is still recommended, and filling that space with drainage gravel or stones works really well. It keeps moisture away from the fence, improves drainage and helps prevent debris building up behind the wall. For a project like this, low concrete sleeper retaining walls are a very popular option because they’re durable, neat and low maintenance. Bunnings currently stocks a range of retaining wall materials including concrete sleepers, retaining posts, drainage gravel and ag pipe that would suit a project of this scale.

One thing that’s really important before starting the project is checking any council or boundary requirements in your area. If the backyard is quite large, I’d strongly suggest engaging the services of a professional landscaper or engineer to make sure the retaining wall post foundations are correctly designed and embedded. Even though the retaining height is only around 350mm, a large volume of soil across a long distance can still place significant pressure against the retaining wall over time. Having a proper plan prepared is the safest approach and can help avoid movement, leaning or drainage issues later on. In many areas, the person changing the ground level is responsible for retaining it correctly, so it’s definitely worth confirming requirements before construction begins.

You’ll also want to make sure the finished paving level stays below any brick weep holes if the house is brick veneer. Keeping the paving at least 75mm below the weep holes is important to avoid future moisture issues. It’s equally important that the paving still has a slight fall away from the house, even though you’re bringing the yard level up. A gentle fall helps water drain away properly instead of pooling near the slab or running back toward the house.

If you’re able to upload a few photos of the area, along with some rough measurements of the space and the distance from the house to the fence, we’d be happy to help you work through the best layout options.

Here are some handy guides:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKnTb25UO_k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_3iLZrCuUE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PstC89O0EP8

Let me call on our experienced members @Nailbag, @Dave-1 and @Noyade for their recommendations.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric