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I actually started prep work for this poject ages ago, several years in fact but it had a bunch of things that had to be done before I could start. I wanted to have a flat area for the spa or whatever in case the spa idea dosnt work out, just below the pool deck area.
The area once just had two half tall gates that had a lean on them, I wanted privacy so built -
Courtyard privacy fence and gate build
Courtyard privacy fence and gate build, Part 2
The requirements of the retaining wall -
-It had to hold back a large amount of clay soil.
-Free drainage as water is funneled towards the side of the house from further up the hill.
-Be able to sustain having 3 ton of water above it.
-Also have steps incorporated into it.
It was a project that ran over 9 months ish andis one of the larger walls I have built.
Materials
50mm by 50mm 2.6mm gal mesh.
Recyled hardwood timber.
Recyled concrete and general rocks/bricks
Sandpaper 36 grit (belt)
Cabots Natural decking oil Merbau colouring.
Paint Brush medium.
Kango Hyper torque driver bits
5.5mm Cobalt drill bit (Longest I could find at that size)
Cutting disks for grinder.
Nylon material.
Tools
Cutting Grinder
Circular saw/drop saw
Drill.
Belt sander
Torqued drill
Pliers
Long nose pliers
Ratchet straps
Level
Shovel
Hard rake
Gorrila 4 wheel trolley.
Pound hammer
Steps
Step 1
I hadnt built such a wide based cage before. I also had not built in wet clay. We had a lot of rain over the time I was working on the cage and trundling rocks and placing them was a messy job for sure.
I really like sketching out how things will look, it helps narrowing down the issues later. This was at an overall idea before I started.
If I went with the premade baskets Jack 80 x 40 x 40cm Rectangle Landscaper's Plant Support Garden Gabion Which in the end I decided not to as lining them up neatly can be a problem of fiddling around.
What the area was like before.
Lots of cleaning up to do for prep work.
The area I was installing a new retaining wall. The old one was some metal posts hammered into the ground and a couple of sheets of corrugated iron.
I was actually surprised that this old wall had withstood a decade of time since I had moved in.
As the spa will hopefully be a dutch heated style I wanted to be able to burn all the old timber so I chopped and stacked it all.
Retaining walls that shouldnt be retaining walls....
Gonsky...
This area will be paved in future for the spa to sit on it.
Dimensions of the area I am working with. Its always handy having them on the phone 
Or in Facebookland so you can show people what you mean when you are looking for bits and pieces.
Poetential drainage channel for in front of the wall.
The deck is 1m off the ground so I considered some temporary steps but decided to save the money for parts later.
All cleaned up, tho this is why I dislike those white pebbles... I spent hours digging them up as someone had "poured" them as fill? stockpiled? Who knows but a pain to dig up.
I had bought some "seconds" of 50mm by 50mm gal mesh a couple of months before.
Time to make up the spirals, I used fencing wire 3mm? Its solid.
Finished spirals before stretching them out
I have added a screwdriver through the spine of the timber rake handle to make it easier to turn and it sped things up hugely.
One oversized length done. The longer the spiral the harder it is to keep going. So usually around a foots worth of rings is what I make up.
I start by poking the wire through the hole on the spindle and half turn, Then take it off, put the screwdriver through the hole and bend the wire over the handle to lock it in place. Turn with left hand and hold down and push down to form the spiral with the right. My musclesin my arms are screaming now. The four wrapped loose spirals took me around and hr to do…
New ones cut up to do another day
The tighter Spirals are ones done before without the screwdriver. It won’t make a difference as they are stretched out before use.
I dragged some mesh around to see how high I might go and what it would look like… almost tempted to leave it full height but maybe two rung’s of the 50mm mesh down may be better.
Figuring the width out.
Top down look
Stretching out the spirals I made for the gabian baskets
Tools needed
More stretching, must admit it is fun to do, just have to be careful in case it slips off the bolt as you wouldn’t want it to flick back in your eyes and yes I do wear safety glasses while doing this
Spirals, all the extras I made and chopped up into two different lengths. No real measurements just guesstimating
Step 2
Next step was to cut up the panels for the cage and also the steps, I was dragging my feet over the cutting up for the steps as it was problematic with step heights and tread widths. A few nights thinking about it for sure.
All sides and ends made up for the cage itself
Width of basket is 16 squares 800mm, went with a wider basket to increase the weight as it is meant to be a true retaining wall once the spa is laid back down on pavers approximately 3 ton of water when full. Started stitching the side panels together with the spirals.
Spiral one end of mesh on top, no need to balance the whole piece atm
Spiral the other end
Piece of timber across the width holding the weight up makes it a lot easier to do the other end, then spiral both sides as you work your way across the basket.
Top, which then becomes the bottom of the basket as I flip it over
Almost done, need to cut this bit off and the last side spiral wrap still to do
It’s amazing how the spirals work
Basket flipped, will need to level the ground once it’s a little drier but very close to level now. Considering the clay is saturated I could potentially fill and it would almost self level but don’t want to risk that.
Basket is all ready, needs 4 of stays. Normally I’d do 2 for this size basket but because the cage wire (2.6mm) is smaller I am making sure the weight is spread evenly.
Actual size of basket
Trying to work out how many steps I need for the height and also how far they will travel
Side on look at what the steps will be…
Mmmm running into issues of consistency with heights of the steps.
So the blocks showing a quantity times 50mm and it’s 9 * 50mm worth of square mesh. The mesh is 50mm squares. The tread I was thinking of using is 70mm all up which covers the planks and some base boards underneath to hold them all together. The figures in brackets are the calculated figures. Is 10-20mm out too much on a step? I think so. Min height of a step is 115mm and max is 240mm, my steps are 170mm in height. Maybe I need to change that to another figure so I can find the sweet spot? Time for sone thinking. Glad I did this instead of just cutting mesh
A mock up of the steps and how the steps are to help me out visually
Fourth 550mm (I actually have all the pics but figured that it was a little repititious )
Step depth 300mm
Where the steps will go
My rock race, I have been trying to figure out how to get my rocks down to the cage without having to pick them up once they were put in the trolley that could. This was my solution, I had almost bought timber to build one today but the more I thought about it the more I said "I have timber already", just need to temporarily use it! The clay is sopping wet so it will be a messy job
Better view and if the sideboards and kickboard at the bottom to stop the rocks. Will have to go easy until the cage is filled a bit
From the deck, trolley reverses up to it and tip
Trolly tipping
Made the steps less steep (used some of that light weight sawable concrete blocks), tested it out and seems like it may work. The rocks will come from down the front yard, up the side path, across the back of the house, down these steps and onto the deck.
Modifying Sketch I did yesterday, tho I did change the tread depth to 250mm deep as the 200mm was looking a little short
Mmmm the first version of 200depth by 250high (It failed)
Second version, All the bits put together to get an idea of how it looks. Feeling pretty happy
Base and backplane to go with the steps
Cage is level! (And yes I did check all the planes )
Steps coming together nicely. Its just the outside facing panels, the treads I will do as I fill the cage... mmmm Will see.
Stay wires installed, do NOT miss out on installing these.
Side by side to see how they fit.
The timber is to just show the top of steps, The actuall tread will be a bit thicker..
Stay wires to keep the sides of the cage in line.
Top down of the steps also with stay wires.
Top down looking at where the steps will go, I had to shave off about a cm of clay at 2mm a time with the flat blade shovel to make level. This is why the gabion cages are good when sitting on compaced earth/clay.
Step 3
Its time to fill the cages now, Only problem with the ease of saying it, is that the pile of rocks/concrete I have is directly on the other side of the house from where the photo is taken.... and some more thoughts ....
Little trolley that can
Pile of rocks to go to the gabion cages. They have been stockpiled for awhile.
Let’s see if it works…
Totally happy with the ease of how it worked.
My pokey stick to push the rocks down
Three loads of rocks…
Empty cage, the wind has dried that clay out like crazy!
The rake really worked wel
I have another pile of sandstone facing rocks for the front tho I think I will be short if I use them. I may only do facing rocks for the large cage as the steps will have timber treads. In the end I just stayed the course with the broken concrete look.
Really didn’t feel like it but it’s supposed to be icy tomorrow so figured even if I do 3 trips that’s 3 trips less another day. Ended up doing 5 trips. Two hrs worth…
Raised it 10-15cm worth… The race was chockers with the 5 loads of rocks
Five trolley loads… I would smash the larger rocks up to a smaller consistant size as to be able to be spread evenly. Having large rocks within the cage is a false economy I figure as they wont lock together so easily.
All placed, tomorrow another 15cms worth...
My adjustment tool.... It was used a LOT (pound hammer)
Another day of filling the cage
Working late into the evening.
That’s all that’s left of that pile of rocks…. I think I have another couple of piles about... somewhere..
Handy rocks just waiting to be used...
My arms were feeling it at this point.
Four steps done, ran out of spirals tho. I thought I had heaps!
Almost there....
Fill needs to be finished before the lid goes on
Time to make more spirals…
This was hurting my left hand so reversed it after I had finished. It didnt help.
Mmm think I should have wound the wires closer together.
Stretching out the new batch of spirals
Chopped up three lots and got lots of smaller lengths
Breaking up the last of the bricks. Making them fit
Needs to be fairly level so I can close the lid
Oh yeah!
Little wide but manageable. The cage tends to want to splay out (hence the stay wires), I have never stood on a cage to "pack" it down as I think it would stretch it all out of a consistant shape.
Step 4
This step is a longish one but I wanted to show how the cage is joined together as well as the timber tops to the cage and stairs.
Back to ratchet straps, adjustment tool and even a wooden chisel. The timber strip on top is for the timber top I am going to be placing there will be screwed down through the mesh and into these timber bars.
The timber needs to be centred so tappity tap tap… well “bang”, “bang”, “bang” lol
My big “adjustment” tool, I would ram that into the side of the basket to push everything over. It leaves less of an imprint on the mesh then the pound hammer plus have the weight to carry it through.
Then tighten the straps
As you can see it was a fair distance out
Tools of the trade….
Gratious step shot…
Winding the spiral on after using the adjustment tool and ratchets had closed the gap.
Pulling the sides in and using two spirals to do the joining
Pretty happy how it was going
Mmmm adjust tool needed
Stoked!!! Really really stoked, tomorrow the timber tops maybe, then to level the ground behind the wall, oh and put in some material to catch fines between the basket and soil
The material to stop the fines from entering the basket will go down here.
Timber lengths in the cage are to screw the timber tops to.
This will be dug out and paved plus a grill drain across the width to the stormwater pipe in that hole. (I will post another project for this section as this one has become pretty large by itself)
A busy afternoon, tine to start chopping up timber for the top of the cage and the treads for the steps. The timber race was used up this way.
All set up and I hate the idea of chopping long lengths down 😕 It means you can use them in less spaces in the future lol
My timber “washers” these will sit between the cage and the boards. Otherwise the spirals on the edges will push them out of place
A bow… mmm maybe I can use it. It used to be really bad (as in the height of itself in the middle)
Mmmmm
Sweet spot. The problem with reusing secondhand/recyled timbers.
Let’s see what I can do
Ohhhh yeah! My race has gone and my timbers are cut
Just sitting in place as I want to plane the timber first… mmm thinking about that but shall see.
Working out the treads, 3 wide are too big, 2 wide are too narrow… Found a couple of pieces that were about to be scrapped and half the width
Perfect
Same height of the treads
Yes that’s a cold chisel being driven between them. The problem with recyled hardwood is that it is strong as iron, seriously they were locked tight together.
And believe me it didn’t want to seperate
Screwdriver to hold place as I work on the other end
All done plus the last two normal sized ones
Cheering! And I mean I was really Cheering!
Have to join the treads with screws through from underneath (The short strips will hold teh tread together) and then countersink holes for the long screws down into the timber in the cage itself (so to fix it to the cage). So you would see from side view -
-Tread
-Timber washer (Plank)
-Mesh
-Then a thick piece of timber under the mesh.
All sitting in place...
Decided to sand instead of planing the timber due to old nails mostly (my electric plane wouldnt have liked it) and also didn’t really want to loose a whole lot of depth of the timber tread itself.
Pilot holes for the long wood screws new style I’m using
Feeling happier but mmmm to the top left tread, the pilot hole isn’t deep enough and when I then the screwed it down it cracked the timber. Need to pull it apart to fix it. (wasnt that hard really, just a reverse of the steps taken so far)
Left hand side of the step, you can see the split if the timber (That dark vertical line behind the screw.)
Right hand side almost the same. Solution I think is for a longer pilot hole drill.
Long bits being done, I wanted one done and then kept telling myself “one more means less another day” I didn’t try screwing then down as I need to solve the issue of the timber splitting first.
Tho very happy with the colouring
The recommended drill bit and the tx socket for my impact driver.
Very gritty sandpaper
Ohhh yeah, liking the look!
Time to fix the step and to fasten the timber top down… I was stressing for sure.
This is what happened when I drilled down through the top tread, the timber spacer washer and then into the fixer piece… the screws I am using only came on the market a few months back apparently but really I should have used my brain and realised I needed a pilot hole all the way through everything
Linking up spacers to deal with the spirals and mesh
Step 5
Final section of fixing the timber to the top, backfilling and leveling the soil behind the gabion cage.
Seriously stoked and impressed how it looks
The gaps are for drying and air flow, also I didn’t want to rip one of these in half to have a solid bench across it. The wider spacing for the drying part is probably wiser way to go
All fixed! A little movement on the top most one but should settle in.
Tomorrow’s job of digging this out and putting in pavers and also drainage. (Another project will have this )
Need to put down material to stop fines from filtering through
Looking forward to filling the hole in. It’s been a hazard since I got here!!
Nylon material and the question is will I have enough… Need to chop it off to use for the step area as well
All done and just enough of the nylon wool. I decided on the nylon wool as it was the closest thing I could find to the upholstery material I have used previously in the same way. I had used all the old material that was being thrown out and needed a replacement material that wont break down easily.
Removed the middle stringer from the top step, as there was too much flex in the spirals for my liking so fill with smaller gravel and rocks to create a firm footing. It worked beautifully.
Step done, material in and backfilling away
Finished! It was a good day and a great time to finish at the end of the day!
Feeling pretty happy but body was tired as well.
Love the steps, need to oil them as well
Next step is drainage and paving in front of the wall, then levelling the top and paving before lying the spa back down
Need to dig this out … it’s wet clay ugh
From up the top of the deck
Always take photos of what you use! I went with a tinted one as the timber is greyish
Looks super brown but not really. Mmmm will see tomorrow
Half way through
It drank the oil like crazy
Really happy with the colouring and knowing I had sealed the timber.
The oil gave it a very nice feel and really works well with the courtyard.
The pavers and drain you can see will be in another project. I had run out of paving sand so needed to lift them after this photo anyway
Evening @JacobZ
hahahaha I have asked myself the same question.... And the answer is I have a whole lot more around the yard still to do Tho they will be smaller ones as they will be retaining walls for only about a foot of height and edges of paths.
If you look to the right of the steps there is a path there, well a goat track atm. I have several gabion cages that are going to go between the base of some posts for a privacy screen next to the fence to allow water to still flow but also hold the soil. Ive drawn up plans just nervous to start If I have rocks I can still build more! (Am running out 
but still have a few hidden piles lol)
Dave
Good evening @Noyade
Back breaking.... and here you are a welder That is back breaking work! Surpprisingly the cages are not back breaking work, When you break it down the cages are kind of like stacking wood for the winter. Maybe the hardest part is making the spirals but a few months back I noticed that the gabion cages that Bunnings sells as kits also have seperate pre-made spirals you can purchase Jack 3 x 400mm Gabion Accessories Galvanised Spiral - 4 Pack
Dave
Hahahahahah and some more Hahahahah's @Noyade
You just made my day! Man thats funny
Slow and steady, rock by rock but they last for years!
As a side note
Im itching to find a tool that can straighten out bent mesh without having to remove the mesh from the cage. I know the tool exists as I remember seeing it somewhere in my travels. I had the dodgy neigbours flip a house team drop an air con on one of the gabion walls from the first floor... Gabion dinged but it didnt move 
I cant see the ding as its their side s its not an urgent fix and yes they paid me $300 to buy more mesh. The tool is like a ram bar for a fence post but back to front. It has a two pronged claw and then a long shaft with a sliding weight. You hook the claw over the bent mesh and then slide the weight away from youso it is like a reverse hammering. I work in a large workshop at Uni so worse case I can get one of them to make the tool but I know what exists. Maybe its a car industry one? Any ideas?
Dave
Bingo! @JacobZ
That is very much what I had pictured in my mind Looks like another tool may be added to my list lol
Thank you!
Dave
G'day Dave @Dave-1
"I'm itching to find a tool that can straighten out bent mesh"
Any chance of a photo showing the mesh repair you're trying to address? I was also thinking along Jacob's line but on a bigger scale using cast iron weights, even barbell weights - that will slide along a steel rod for a 'bigger hit.' One end with a hook - the other with a steel face.
Just a thought.
While I have your attention - you remember the jig you made, to centre accurately long drills through wide wood?
I presently can't find it on this site - it was in one of your posts somewhere.
I'm interested in it. 👍
Cheers!
