Retaining Wall Pics

[MattyB]

After several months of back breaking labor, I finally finished a large retaining wall. Here's the pics:

Here's what the area looked like before:

[MattyB]

[paulgila]

looks awesome,dewd!

you gonna level that area in front of the wall a bit? i forget waht you told me was gonna be there.in fact,i've forgotten EVERYTHING you've ever said.

[MattyB]

Yeah, the concave area will be a flat spot for a patio set. I'll have to build another wall downslope and then continue to terrace and make steps and planting areas all over that general area.

[paulgila]

put some triangles there & water the crap out of em.

[Kim]

I am suitably impressed. Very fine work with the curves, well done! Looks nicer than repurposed tires, too!

[Matt in SD]

Impressive. I know how much work these are. It's a great feeling when they're done.

Just curious, did you dig out the footing all at once or did you build each section and dig as you went along?

Matt

[joe_OC]

SAWEET!

[MattyB]

Just curious, did you dig out the footing all at once or did you build each section and dig as you went along?

Matt

I dug and prepared the footing in sections and built as I went along. I was very happy with the way the curves came out and I managed to have the wall meet the existing concrete steps perfectly.

[Walter John]

Congratulations Matty, very well done.

That wall has got better curves than Marilyn Monroe.

Do tell us your planting plans above.

[rozpalm]

Wow, you did a great job! I can't wait to see it all planted out. Are you planning to install any orchids or brom's on it?

[MattyB]

The planting plan for this area of the garden will be all arid, low growing plants like cycads, agave, cactus, etc., except for 8 Syagrus sp. 'abre ojos' that will be planted along the dirt road edge.

[BS Man about Palms]

I helped move a few blocks out of the truck to the "holding area". That was plenty of work just for that! LOTS of work has been done by Matt there!!

Great job Matty!

Matt- time to post your pix soon!

(What is it with Matts and block walls..? )

[freakypalmguy]

I'm sweating and out of breath just looking at the pictures, nice jay oh bee mista.

[LJG]

Wow Matt. That looks like a lot of work and it really paid off. Nice.

[Daryl]

Nice wall Matt. Those block walls are fun to build once you get the bottom course laid. Did you use a dry or wet footing? Good to see those curves too!

Daryl

[MattyB]

I dug down to hard native soil and used 3/4" crushed rock as a base. The first course is completely burried.

[Jeff Searle]

Matt,

It's so nice to see you used some of my design suggestions when I was out there visiting a couple of months ago. It came out nice! It was certainly alot of hard work. Why agaves and succulents? I thought you were building a rainforest?

[Jeff Searle]

put some triangles there & water the crap out of em.

Yea...a "trio" of them.

[Dypsisdean]

Well Matty,

If you can do that with lava rock, I'll buy the ticket.

[palmislandRandy]

Well done, Matty. Very proffessional looking job. Have fun filling it up.

Randy

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Looks great Matt and reminds me of Jack wall and his great collection !

[MattyB]

Jeff,

I already have a rainforest area and water here is at a premium. They are raising the rates again in a month. Plus, I don't want tall stuff up by the hosue due to the fire hazard and I don't want to block my view. In my area if you have trees by the house (like Bob's next door) the fire department will let your house burn and try and save other houses.

DeanO,

I'm not that good at stacking rocks that's why I chose these Keystone bricks. I think I've got about 300 hours of labor into this wall so let's see.....if I worked 8 hour days, never taking a day off I could have you a wall in 38 days.

[sur4z]

Got a permit??

[MattyB]

Heck no! We're in Spring Valley! I could build a factory and wouldn't need a permit.

[KPL]

Matt, I love the uniformity of your rock wall. It's really beautiful and the curves are extremely soothing to ones eyes. I'm sure lots of work went into that project! Here in Hawaii you see lots of lava rocks used for rock walls. It's beautiful also, but very different.

Congratulation on the completion of that portion thus far!

Karolyn

[MattyB]

Thanks for the kind words Karolyn! It's much harder to work with natural rock. I've done a few small walls with the native rock around my place and they didn't come out very good. With these bricks, once I got the base course leveled, the rest was just stacking and backfilling.

[amazondk]

Nice wall Matt. I have been thinking about making terraces at my country place. But, that is a long way off. I am sure it create a great landscape when done.

dk

[palmmermaid]

Matty,

Great job on the wall! I know how much work that is especially with the hard soil out there. We built just a low wall so I could have a raised herb gardden and it was hard. But you are right - get that first course in right and the rest is easy - or at least easier!

Your idea of succulents sounds great. Can't wait to see it.

And I love the curves - no straight lines in nature.

[Walter John]

The walls have ears

[Jeff in Costa Rica]

Excellent job Matt! Looks so much better than the rock cage walls they use around here...

[Ken Johnson]

When we build walls here they become fences.

[sur4z]

When we build walls here they become fences.

...and high fences make good neighbors!!

[Moose]

You give good wall ...

[ariscott]

When you are running out of wall to build, there is always more to build over here...

Regards, Ari

[Fouquieria]

Great job matty. I too am out of breath just looking at it.

Heck no! We're in Spring Valley! I could build a factory and wouldn't need a permit.

I've just recently learned the 6500 square foot mansion above us has illegally been mde into four separate living quarters. My next door neighbor has a 2400 square foot home with an illegal 1900 square foot addition immediately below and another illegal 700 square foot studio apartment below the garage. Oh yeah, and we've had three separate meth drug raids within two blocks this summer and a guy who lives on the street above me was caught after he stole an ATM machine. Spring Valley.

[LJG]

Great job matty. I too am out of breath just looking at it.

Heck no! We're in Spring Valley! I could build a factory and wouldn't need a permit.

I've just recently learned the 6500 square foot mansion above us has illegally been mde into four separate living quarters. My next door neighbor has a 2400 square foot home with an illegal 1900 square foot addition immediately below and another illegal 700 square foot studio apartment below the garage. Oh yeah, and we've had three separate meth drug raids within two blocks this summer and a guy who lives on the street above me was caught after he stole an ATM machine. Spring Valley.

This is what happens when you let guys like Matt move into your neighborhood.

[BS Man about Palms]

Yup.