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The free standing wall and column ideas are not new to the landscape field, although in the past they have typically been very costly undertakings. These applications have usually been constructed by highly skilled masons.
Construction may have required a frost footing or other considerations, and often used expensive natural stone. Now, concrete products take on a much more natural appearance and are easier to install. Products like the Anchor Highland Stone retaining wall and free standing wall systems allow landscapers to add these attractive, natural looking, and highly functional elements into their designs for a fraction of the cost of the mortared in place walls and columns. ?EUR??,,????'??I design in some sort of free standing wall or column configuration on 25 to 35 percent of my projects?EUR??,,????'?? says Craig Frick of Superior Lawn and Landscape in Chaska, Minn. ?EUR??,,????'??They help to add a natural separation from public and private space.?EUR??,,????'??
The construction process for free standing walls and columns differ little from a typical segmental retaining wall installation. Start with the design layout, excavate your trench, and add the leveling pad aggregate as needed. The construction of the base course is identical to a retaining wall. Install one unit at a time and level front to back and side to side. This step is critical to the final look of the wall. Stacking additional courses on top of the base course varies from system to system. Gluing the top two courses with a construction grade adhesive is recommended. Simply stack the units on top of each other maintaining a vertical plumb. Most of these applications are used for seating around a patio or courtyard application and therefore are not usually taller than 24 inches. Some systems can be built as high as 36 inches.
Adding columns at the ends or even within these walls is a common way to add a finishing touch. Columns can be integrated into the free standing walls or can be built as stand alone units. Either way they can make great accents for light sconces or as a base for arbors and pergolas. When the columns or pilasters are integrated into the wall system, they become a structural element and aid in strengthening the wall. Columns can go as high as six feet and add a nice finished look many landscape designs are looking for.
A typical 24 inch free standing wall with two four foot columns can be installed in less than half a day with two crew members. This is a significant labor savings over a similar structure made out of natural stone or brick. ?EUR??,,????'??A straight wall application doesn?EUR??,,????'???t get any easier.?EUR??,,????'?? says Frick ?EUR??,,????'??Curves throw in more of a challenge with additional cutting or splitting, but the final result is well worth it.?EUR??,,????'??
Another option that adds great visual appeal is constructing an elevated or terrace patio. This technique can coordinate the look of segmental retaining walls and pavers into a dramatic finished appearance. A 15-foot by10-foot patio elevated 18 inches can be installed for approximately the same initial price as a cedar deck, but when you figure in the maintenance and durability advantages of concrete it becomes clear there is a cost advantage with concrete over the long term.
There is also design flexibility with the concrete systems that would add significant costs to wood decks like a radius or flared step design. A flexible system has multiple pieces for flexible curves, solid tops for adhering pavers or caps easily, and patented rear lips for quick alignment and installation.
Terrace patio designs are truly only limited by imagination and budget. This is where clear communication between the contractor and homeowner is key. Size, height, and step placement are a few of the design considerations to talk through thoroughly.
Installation has some key considerations as well. Being near the foundation of the house can be problematic if the soil is not fully settled. With new construction, waiting at least a year before construction will help. A jumping jack compactor should be run near the foundation regardless of age to further compact the subsoil. Lahren starts with a geotextile fabric under the base gravel to add additional protection against settling. The rest of the walls are built with standard wall techniques.
The steps should be installed with dummy blocks on 6 inches of aggregate. This method of leveling base block units over the entire step area and burying them insures a solid foundation beneath the steps. Landscape fabric behind the block will reduce the chances of gravel leaching through the face of the wall. ?EUR??,,????'??Adding geotextile every couple of courses aids in compaction of the gravel?EUR??,,????'?? says Lahren. ?EUR??,,????'??We have patios built like this over seven years old and they haven?EUR??,,????'???t moved. We may have over engineered our patios, but with warranty issues early on, we found with these steps we have had far fewer call backs.?EUR??,,????'?? Another consideration to prepare for is migrating paver sand. Lahren solved this problem by using expandable foam in the top row pies between the blocks. This seals the joints and keeps the paver sand in place.
With the walls and steps completed, you now have a standard paver patio installation to complete. Using clay or concrete pavers will finish off your terrace and can tie in with a ground level patio to give your customer a two level entertaining area.
Utilizing your creative talents combined with versatile products can help you stand out in the crowd. Your reputation can start to build as a company or designer that can create a truly unique look for each customer. Getting away from the cookie cutter mentality will start getting you the higher end jobs and allow you to charge more for your work. And don?EUR??,,????'???t forget the photos. The more photos of these sorts of jobs in your portfolio, the easier they are to sell.
6: Inches, the magic number when creating a leveling pad for a free standing wall. The leveling pad should extend a minimum of six inches in front and six inches behind the stone. In addition, the pad should be a minimum of six inches deep.
10: Feet, the interval that design elements should be placed in the free standing wall to increase the stability of the wall.
Source: Pavestone
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