Landscape designers are getting excited about natural stone retaning walls. But, this is hardly surprising considering the fact that the natural stone retaning walls provide practical and aesthetic solutions to some of the most complex landscape designing issues.
Stone is slowly getting prominence as a building material of choice for many architects and landscape artists. Apart from using natural stone retaning walls in gardens, the latest rage in landscaping is witnessing the use of natural stone for koi ponds too.
Retaning walls were the brainwave of a homeowner plagued by the problems of erosion and movement of soil in his sloping garden. Natural stone retaning walls are stabilizing structures made from stone that not only solved these dual problems but also make for some pleasant structural diversions in your garden.
Retaning walls are made from a diverse range of materials like concrete, brick, tiles, adobe and timber, but natural stone retaning walls find favor amongst decorators and homeowners alike due to the very natural look they sport and thus blend in with the natural environs of the garden. And with precast wall stones in several colors now available, it is all the more easy to embark upon a project to build natural stone retaning walls around the garden. These walls also allow natural drainage of water, thereby taking the pressure off the walls.
You can build natural stone retaning walls in your garden to create an inviting den for yourself or a private eating area perhaps. You can have your treasured Japanese rock garden enclosed within natural stone retaning walls or shield the pool area from peeping Toms.
If your locality is prone to frequent flooding, natural stone retaning walls will protect your garden and house, to a large extent from getting washed away.
Building stone walls is not just about rolling up your shirtsleeves and starting to dig the ground. Before you embark on your natural stone retaning walls building project, you need to be very sure about the costs involved, the height of the wall you need, ground water and drainage considerations and soil traits. And for these you would need to consult a professional.
Building natural stone retaning walls involves working with heavy materials and equipment. So flex your muscles by all means, but do hire a professional because he will be the person to help you out with his jackhammer when you hit a rock while digging around the yard.
However, rules of thumb regarding building natural stone retaning walls stress one point. A gently curving wall is more stable and looks appealing and high walls need additional reinforcement in terms of columns and jogs. You also need to have some drainage area behind the walls.
Another critical area that needs to be weighed upon before starting on a mission to beautify your garden with natural stone retaning walls is the type of stone to be used. The blue and red tinted Chilton limestone looks alluring but has the dubious distinction of contracting imperfections from splitting. You can however consider the Fond Du Lac limestone which is white, has a uniform shape and will thus make for easy construction. But remember that though limestone costs less than granite, it is not a very heavy stone.
Granite is heavier than limestone and splits more accurately. It is ideal for large walls. There is just no ‘one-size-fits-all’ theory when it comes to natural stone retaning walls. So it may well be that a soft rock like shale suffices your requirement.