How Retaining Walls Can Protect Your Home In Anchorage AK

If you’re a homeowner, and you’re looking for the ultimate protection for your home, there is a variety of retaining wall applications and hot garden trends that you can incorporate into your landscape design for maximum protection and pleasing aesthetics.

When it comes to retaining wall protection and retaining wall companies in Anchorage, Alaska, Faltz Landscaping is one of the premier landscape companies in the area that specializes in residential and commercial retaining wall projects.

What Are Retaining Walls?

Retaining walls can be constructed with a variety of materials like steel, stones, pavers, blocks, wood, reinforced soil, and concrete. They also come in a wide range of colors and textures that make your property unique, and they provide superior protection. They can also help to retain soil that’s in danger of collapse and provide a more natural shape to your property.

Basic Retaining Wall Design

Retaining wall type and design selection can be impacted by several factors. There are a lot of homeowners who don’t realize the scale of a retaining wall project. It’s not as easy as performing some minor earthwork and starting construction an hour later. There are a lot of variables that landscape companies must consider before construction commences for a safe and solid installation. The main factors that most homeowners face include:

  • Required wall height
  • Ground water conditions
  • Soil characteristics
  • Length of construction
  • Building permits
  • Total cost

Some other factors might include material availability, site accessibility, building codes, aesthetics, and unexpected expenses for ground utilities that may be in the way. You may have to pay licensed technicians to have any utilities rerouted or your retaining wall may need to be moved. It’s always best to get together with your landscaping contractor and discuss all of these factors before you start.

Retaining Wall Ideas

It’s important to remember, retaining walls are load-bearing structures first, and cosmetic ground-scapes second. Additionally, retaining walls over four-feet are required to be approved by a licensed and qualified engineer. They also are subject to meeting local building codes, and permits should be acquired before construction begins.

This is where retaining wall companies like Faltz Landscaping can help you by assisting with the building permits. They can also inform you of the proper procedures for backfill compaction and soil preparation as mandated by local building codes in Anchorage.

Here are five garden trends and retaining wall ideas to consider that will protect your home and add cosmetic property value.

  • Poured Low Retaining Wall With Embeds

These great retaining walls have a low profile, and they can be used around swimming pools, patios, and various landscaping. Raw materials like stone, rocks, and seashells can be embedded to provide a free-form organic design. Sections of the wall can be polished and protruding stones can be left natural for a truly unique look.

Additionally, the top of the wall can also have a ribbon of glass aggregates installed, which makes a striking statement.

  • Hillside Terracing With Concrete Retaining Walls

This is one of the hottest ground-scaping trends in Anchorage, especially for those who have a natural slope in their backyard. Pleasing wall curves with multi level stairs can turn an ordinary slope into a work of ground-scaping art. Flowerbeds and pockets can be installed to provide a variety of different gardens, and wrought iron handrails can be installed on top of the walls. The walls can also be textured and painted to match existing exteriors.

  • Layered Concrete Retaining Wall

This is a unique retaining wall that has a rustic and medieval appearance. To get the layered look, a lighter shade of gray concrete is poured into the forms to the desired height, then it’s sprinkled with rocks, stones, and other natural debris. Then a layer of darker concrete is poured on top until the forms are filled to the top. The alternating process is repeated until the desired height of the wall is reached.

  • Steel Retaining Walls

Galvanized and corrugated steel retaining walls can be used for a variety of applications like gardens, privacy panels, livestock protection, landscape dividers, and soil retainers. Corrugated steel is lightweight, strong, and rustproof, and it’s one of the most popular garden trends being incorporated into landscapes and homes throughout Alaska. It can be framed with different construction materials like stained timber that provides an elegant look.

Additionally, it’s very durable and offers lots of staying power that can be recycled at the end of its lifecycle, making it a more sustainable building material.

  • Stone Crete Retaining Walls

Stone Crete retaining walls are poured-in-place concrete walls that are decorative and mirror the look of masonry or stonework. They create a staggered and deep relief stone retaining wall that’s available in a variety of colors and textures. They can be utilized for stairway walls, subdivision entry walls, sound barriers or wherever a gorgeous deep relief stone retaining wall is desired. This technique minimizes the cost of masonry work, and it provides the aesthetic and structural integrity of the concrete.

The construction method for Stone Crete walls involves the installation of the forms, placing form liners of your desired texture inside the forms, pouring plain or colored concrete, and removing the forms. Additionally, Stone Crete can be stained a variety of colors to look like real masonry or stone.

Contacting a Professional Retaining Wall Contractor

Not only is it possible to have an aesthetically pleasing retaining wall, but it’s also possible to have maximum retaining wall protection at the same time. If you want the latest in retaining wall design for home protection with a variety of applications, consider contacting Faltz Landscaping for professional retaining wall installations that protect your home and transform your landscape.