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Moving a retaining wall?

kingmoochr

kingmoochr

WHARRGARBL
Joined
Jun 1, 2008
Location
Pacifica
Moto(s)
KTM200EXC
Name
Greg
We have a 18" retaining wall at the back of our yard that is essentially for landscaping. It's only keeping up the fence, and the neighbors yard elevation is level with ours at that point, so it's not holding anything up but some dirt. Is it possible to just dig out and move it back to reclaim some of our yard? We'd probably leave 18-24" for the fence and maybe some plants. I was thinking I'd just tamp it down and compact it, then I can dig it out with hopefully little movement at all? Tips from any experienced/pro landscapers? Is this a non-starter? There already isn't some wall or dirt behind our shed almost to the fence line. I was thinking I'd do it in segments to avoid removing all 50' at once. Will be building it back up properly with paver base and drain gravel.
 
How far back are you wanting to move the retaining wall from its current position?

I have helped out in installing a retaining wall to basically terrace a sloped back yard to make it mostly flat with a 3.5' tall retaining wall. We dug a big trench about 2' from the back fence, built the wall in the trench (like you describe), leaving about 6" or so of space behind the new retaining wall, then filled in behind the wall with some of gravel for drainage and some of the dirt we dug out of the trench. Then had a big at dig out and remove a lot of the remaining sloping dirt.
 
Hell yes I'd move that without a second thought.

Please note I am not a structural engineer, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.


Edit to add: I doubt I'd even worry about tamping it down prior to the new retaining wall being installed/built. Just dig it out and put the blocks where you want them. :dunno
 
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You can stack the blocks in the shape of a BBQ.or pizza oven..
 
kingmoochr said:
Here are some random shots from my gallery

https://imgur.com/a/WwXzuyI
Click to expand...
I have the same bricks (or whatever you call those) in my backyard.

As long as you can get a new base for them that is flat and compacted, you just move them and stack them in the new place. I had someone else put mine in and they spent a lot of time with strings and levels and stuff getting the base right, then just slapped them all into place. And even if you goof it up, it's easy enough to fix.

Go for it.
 
is that even a real retaining wall, more like a elevated planter boxes to me, all its doing is holding soil no, or you saying if that comes off your entire yard falls forward those 2'
 
FXCLM5 said:
is that even a real retaining wall, more like a elevated planter boxes to me, all its doing is holding soil no, or you saying if that comes off your entire yard falls forward those 2'
Click to expand...
Yeah it's not really retaining much other than garden, but the neighbors garden is the same elevation. My only real concern is messing up part of the fence that cost $20k. That and the neighbor opposite is a GIGANTIC pain in the ass.
 
I’d you want to be safe with the fence leave a 45 degree slope from the current elevation of the dirt at the fence to your yard below the wall. Don’t cut the dirt down and repack. Leave the original dirt and scrape. That will likely work fine and if you mount a few 1x’s from the fence back to grade you can watch if they compress. String works too except it slacks.
Good luck with your project.
 
FXCLM5 said:
Is that even a real retaining wall, more like a elevated planter boxes to me, all it's doing is holding soil no, or you saying if that comes off your entire yard falls forward those 2'
Click to expand...
What is it that you think a retaining wall does? They hold soil back. :laughing
 
Though I prefer the kind that hold soil and plants, I like the block construction exactly because you can always reset them unlike pouring concrete only to watch it tilt and crack. Seems pretty doable to me.
 
ScottRNelson said:
What is it that you think a retaining wall does? They hold soil back. :laughing
Click to expand...

Like FX said, that's a glorified planter box not a retaining 'wall'. :laughing



budman said:
I’d you want to be safe with the fence leave a 45 degree slope from the current elevation of the dirt at the fence to your yard below the wall. Don’t cut the dirt down and repack. Leave the original dirt and scrape. That will likely work fine and if you mount a few 1x’s from the fence back to grade you can watch if they compress. String works too except it slacks.
Good luck with your project.
Click to expand...

He wants to leave some of the 'planter box', so no slope. Pretty much just wants a smaller rectangle in front of the fence.


I'd say just dig it out to where you want the bricks to be, and start laying them out. You won't be disturbing the soil right at the fence.
It's a small project and the dirt won't come crashing down in the middle of the project while you flatten the base area unless there's a sudden downpour of rain. :dunno
Backfill the removed dirt onto the new smaller raised area, compact until your shoulders scream, and call it good.
 
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what is happening here? is this new fence attached tonold fence because PITA neighbors planters wouldnt afford a real.post hole?

however you reset the blocks, dont encase the fence in dirt and darkness. it'll rot quickly

IGUmvVc_d.webp


i would leave minimum 18" minimum undisturbed dirt between the fence post holes and the new wall location, which might mean the back of the top block (i assume they step back and hook together on the back side) needs to be ~24" from the fence line to allow some compacting.

also, what is now the raised bed dirt has likely been disturbed en mass in the recent past so it's not really all that well compacted. even if it's been there 10 years it's still looser than the soil farther down. this makes a difference for those fence posts. if the installer went 24" down to bury the posts and went off the existing grade that's somewhat loose for the first 12" vs the last (been there since it was an orchard or whatever) 12" futzing with it is maybe not the best idea.
 
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Ooohh and get yourself one of those fruit grabber stick thingies.
 
auntiebling said:
what is happening here? is this new fence attached tonold fence because PITA neighbors planters wouldnt afford a real.post hole?

however you reset the blocks, dont encase the fence in dirt and darkness. it'll rot quickly

IGUmvVc_d.webp


i would leave minimum 18" minimum undisturbed dirt between the fence post holes and the new wall location, which might mean the back of the top block (i assume they step back and hook together on the back side) needs to be ~24" from the fence line to allow some compacting.

also, what is now the raised bed dirt has likely been disturbed en mass in the recent past so it's not really all that well compacted. even if it's been there 10 years it's still looser than the soil farther down. this makes a difference for those fence posts. if the installer went 24" down to bury the posts and went off the existing grade that's somewhat loose for the first 12" vs the last (been there since it was an orchard or whatever) 12" futzing with it is maybe not the best idea.
Click to expand...
In progress photo of the new fence. That corner post remains, but the old fence is gone and was replaced with metal posts and concrete footers. The base layer is dubious, per the neighbor there's concrete(?) level with my yard. That 5 feet has no wall, it's behind the shed on the left. There were larger trees planted in the raised area at one time, so I may encounter some roots. Would you say 18" from the back of the stone, or 18" plus the drain gravel to the back of the stone?

Another question, what's the best way to handle the opposite side where the dirt would be against the fence? Should I brick it up to the fence slant?
 
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18" undisturbed, so if you want drain gravel all the way to the top, 18" + drain gravel

steel posts is good news. at least those don't rot off as fast. pacifica salt air though might hose you eventually.

your goal, my goal, for fences is to never have to replace them again. it's a stupid goal because it's impossible they always fail but.... a wood fence the enemy is moisture right at the line where the post meets the ground and there is oxygen available. to combat that i'd pinch the sides of your planter in to make an airgap between the planter and the fence that keeps the dirt away from the fence, and don't let dirt pile up against the back wall/fence. you'll have to clean leaves and junk out from time to time
 
auntiebling said:
18" undisturbed, so if you want drain gravel all the way to the top, 18" + drain gravel

steel posts is good news. at least those don't rot off as fast. pacifica salt air though might hose you eventually.

your goal, my goal, for fences is to never have to replace them again. it's a stupid goal because it's impossible they always fail but.... a wood fence the enemy is moisture right at the line where the post meets the ground and there is oxygen available. to combat that i'd pinch the sides of your planter in to make an airgap between the planter and the fence that keeps the dirt away from the fence, and don't let dirt pile up against the back wall/fence. you'll have to clean leaves and junk out from time to time
Click to expand...

I got at least 17 years on my big fence and its doing pretty good.

There is an obvious thing that quickie fences from HD and quickie fence companies get exactly wrong: you MUST provide airflow in the panels so the posts aren't constantly getting torqued. My solution was alternating wider one-bys with about a tree-inch gap on the street and neighbor facing side, then a narrower one on the inside to block the gap for the visual, they are gapped apart by the width of the post (attached by horizontal 2x4s top and bottom.. It's very windy where I live and most solid fences wave and lean shortly after their initial construction. Not mine. Wind goes right through it. There is probably some further physics benefit I don't understand but they never wave, even in the harshest wind.

I used concrete piers with wood posts and so far, the redwood is working but once again, not having to constantly torque helps keep them from cracking. They will eventually shrink but haven't loosened up thus far. And I take care not to get dirt piled against the bases.
 
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