Little off topic but can not find anything on the web about this topic-
I am on a condo board in Coastal south carolina.
We have two big old oak trees in parking lot- present soil berms around trees are 6×6 inch posts set on end around the trees- berm is about 10 x 12 ft square areas and about 4 ft high. Since the posts ends face up they get rained on and in last 15 years have rotted out on ends and also they lean out due to soil pressure on them (both looks issues).
We plan to pull the posts out, and fill post hole area with rock to ground level, then lay 6×6 logs horizontally (like lincoln logs) , lapping the corners and screwing the corners with vertical galv lag screws.
– what size lag screws?
– do we need any weep holes around bottom to let water out (like a few 1 inch holes?)
– local “real” lumber yard (not Lowes etc) says they sell #1 timber for this. Is that a good choice.
– any web sites discuss heavy timber tree berms?
Thanks
Edited 2/24/2005 8:24 am ET by wain
Replies
McFeely's has some long screws for landscaping timbers:
http://www.mcfeelys.com/subcat.asp?subcat=20.1.12.12
Hey Wain- sounds like a fun project. Istart my timberwork with a 3-6" base of crushed clean stone. Bury the first course 1/2 way or more, keep it level and step it up if the grade requires it, and anchor it down with 2' rebar(1/2"). Then you just go up, overlapping and weaving your joints together like you said. I like to step each course in ~1-1.5".I spike each course with 3/8 x 10" galv spikes, after predrilling. Lags seem extraneous to me. I also tack down(toe in) the timbers with 10-12d galv before drilling to keep all in place.
Once its all up, I staple geotextile fabric to the inside, backfil w/ more crushed stone and finish grade.
I use #2 timbers, readily available, and reasonably priced. Watch out tho- I bought a bundle of #2 from lowes, cracked them open, and found a mill tag calling them #3. You should be able to get 10 and 12' lengths easily- they're a beast to hump around.
Keep in mind - anything longer than 12-16" you would probably need to sink some deadmen.
I do my cutting with a 16" Makita saw but a sharp chainsaw will work as well.
Happy timbering!
Stash
Or a modular drystack / stone/ brick retaining wall with ivy or other cascading ground cover growing over it from the tree bed. And then it's a lifetime solution instead of the every 15 year solution. Drystack would be cheapest if you choose basic modules, stone the most expensive and brick in the middle. Might even be competitive with those timbers.
Sticking those timber ends up certainly didn't help, but I wouldn't expect the next set of timbers to last much longer. And then certainly won't look that good for more than a few years. Coastal South Carolina is seriously wet and humid. Wood is not the landscaping material I would choose.
Whatever you do , I would step the wall out a foot so I could backfill with gravel and filter cloth with a drain pipe at the foot of the wall penetrating to daylight.
Send us a picture of those trees. I bet a masonry wall of some kind would be just elegant. ELEGANT = FUNCTIONAL + BEAUTIFUL.
MERC.
step the wall out a foot so I could backfill with gravel and filter cloth
All good ideas, the block will "lean in" too, to help prevent the current "upset." The only tricky part will be that I'll just bet that these trees are on/in parking islands.
That will make for a couple of tough issues. First, will be working around an active root system. Oaks can be very sensitive to root damage, particularly near the surface. The other issue is that there's not much room "behind" the removed wall to "do things right." Like good drains, good backfill, geotex fabric and the like.
I also agree: We need pics, give us pics!Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
will try to get pix.
whats the need for drains?
seems it would soak down into the earth or leak out the "seams in the beams"??
seems it would soak down into the earth or leak out the "seams in the beams"??
That theory didn't work out the first time through, why would it work now? Hydrostatic pressure is quite a force and a worthy opponent. You need good drainage behind anything and it really only takes 4-6" gravel and filter cloth to do it. But any dirt sitting directly in contact with your wall is going to have it's way. I've got about 200' of brick retaining wall that I'm working on now and I backfill with 12" gravel wrapped in filter cloth upto 8" from top of wall. I'll have 10 yards of gravel behing these walls when it's all done. Pipe at the bottom, daylighted at the lowest point. Gonna be around a long time.
I understand the not being able to dig back in for fear of killing the trees. That's why I suggested stepping out, if you have the room. Otherwise, might as well just plan on redoing it every 15 years or so.
I would do everything I can to get drainage behind those walls no matter what they are made of.
MERC
Wain, where are you? I have relates in several SC cities.
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
seems it would soak down into the earth or leak out the "seams in the beams"??
Excepting when the irrigation system is putting water in to keep the tree alive. So, the soil arounf the tree will be damper than not. That adds weight to the dirt. When soil wants to move down a hill, because the hill is too steep (the magical "angle of repose"), it does so in a circular motion. The "scoop" of dirt is often defined by its moisture content. That's whats bearing against your timbers.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Here are the pix.
They really fill the screen - you may have to scroll right and left
tou might want to learn how to resize...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
I tried
could not find any on my tool bar, the pix were taken by someone else and sent to me by e mail
does that affect it?
No. Irfanview. It's free. It's easy. Then you can be nice to those of us out in the sticks.PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
http://www.irfanview.com
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!