Hi Folks,
I’m just a do-it-yourselfer who is building two little retaining wall planters on either side of my front steps. My problem is that my yard is sloped but I want both walls to be level with each other when complete. The walls will not come past the stairs. I’m looking for an effective way to level both sides to one another, even though one side is significantly lower than the other. I’m attaching a photo to help illustrate what I’m talking about with the front of my house.
Thanks,
Tyler
Replies
REZ!!!!!
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!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
How is this?
View Image
Mike
Small wheel turn by the fire and rod, big wheel turn by the grace of god.
Edited 7/3/2009 9:05 pm by ruffmike
thanks...
3MB and I still would have been waiting...
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!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
1. is it possible to get that pic down into the 1/200MB range... many won't be able to open it...
2. stake on the far right..
3. stake on the far left...
4 using a water level mark yur grades and elevations...
5. don'r know what a water level is??? go to the top left of the screen and open the search function...
A. enter water level
B. if you can select any other information by using the hit or miss method ... go for it...
C. open found links till you get what you want...
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!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Looks to me I would use the porch for reference, measure down the same on each side.
Mike
Small wheel turn by the fire and rod, big wheel turn by the grace of god.
Find where you want the top of the planters to be.
Figure out what block you want to build it with.
Mark out down the wall how many blocks it will take.
That should get you down to the top of your footing.
Figure out how deep you want your footing.
I think starting at the top and working down is the way to go plan wise.
Then just reverse and build up.
The top of your planters should be parallel with the top of your porch. Even if the level is off a little on the porch you want them to match.
Will Rogers
you need the circler front steps, you know wide at bottom normal at top. then about five feet from house, have a two foot retaining wall with bushes and flowers then another flower bed below ityou could use those stackable retaining wall blocks that dont need a footer, so what if they heave its a flower bed
Edited 7/3/2009 9:11 pm by brownbagg
here....
http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=120924.1
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!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
As was previously mentioned, your porch looks level, measure down from it.
Also, finished retaining wall height should look same from steps.
Figure what you want for a finished retaining wall height and mark this on one side of your step's foundation. Extend level line from this mark, back toward the porch foundation.
Measure from this extended porch foundation line, up to the underside of visible 4 inch wide porch edge "banding" and record this measurement. Consider how long you want retaining wall to be. At other end of porch, measure down from porch edge banding the same distance as earlier recorded and make a mark. Now, chalk a line between these 2 points on the porch foundation wall.
For second retaining wall layout, go to the opposite end of the porch, and measure down from porch edge banding at desired locations and again place your marks. Chalk line on this side as well. Check line height closest to steps by extending a level line out from porch foundation mark, back to the step foundation. This new mark should be same height in relationship to steps as was your first , earlier mark when laying out the first retaining wall.
Decide how far out you want to extend planter from porch foundation. On step foundation, mark a vertical line down off the original horizontal line, signifying the outside corner of your planter. Drive a stake in the ground just in front of this vertical foundation line. Top of stake should be even with top of original horizontal (height) line. Measure out distance from porch foundation to this stake and record the measurement. Measure out from opposite corner of porch foundation same distance and drive another stake. Use carpenter's level to make sure this stake is same height as the chalk mark on porch foundation.
Now run a stringline between stakes. Pull string line very taut. You can check for level using a mason's string level, or using a water level. Mason's string level should suffice.
Do same on other side of porch steps. These string lines are your guides for your walls finished height. Walk back away from house and visibly "sight" both stringlines. If they look good, so will your wall. If something looks visibly wrong, go back and check your layout.
Good luck.
Davo
Thanks everyone. Measuring down is a beautifully simple solution that had eluded me. String lines and a mason's level are all ready to go.Thanks for the tips.TylerP.S. Sorry about the file size. I hadn't thought about that either.
"Sorry about the file size. I hadn't thought about that either."Go Level and sin no more, my son
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