Lock-Load Retaining Wall Project.
Well the time has come. We live on a very steep slope. The owner(s) before had the place looking nice at one time, but by the time we bought it, it had fallen in to some disrepair. My goal has been to start low and work my way up to the hill, end up at the house and remodel that too.
The previous owners had used rail road ties for retaining walls which I am sure did the job at the time, and I am also sure were done by hand due to the topography. In doing so, they were back filled with dirt and no drain rock was used. Time, surcharge, and hydrostatic pressure has taken its toll on the ties not to mention they are not environmentally friendly for a lake; so we are opting to replace.
Initially I was going to do the job myself and bought my BX to start the project but was severely delayed due to other things in life, so it was postponed.
This thread was from a couple of years ago which is the very beginning of this story:
http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18670
I was initially going to use Allan Block for the project, however, switched to a new style Which is becoming very popular where I live.
http://www.lock-load.com/
The Lock load system is an incredibly strong wall. From what I am told, it along with #10 geo grid which we are also using makes it was one of the stronger systems walls on the market and it is a commercial grade system. Some of the benefits besides strength is the cost. You get a lot of wall for the money. Each panel is 32” wide and 16 inches tall. 1 panel and counterfort is around $28. Another benefit is the fact that step back is only 3” per row. Builder love these for the small lots sizes around here, where every square foot counts.
Some draw backs to this system that I found so far is that is has tendency to look a bit industrial, the panels while only 3” thick at the max are very heavy, and each panel has to be individually set. These do not stack like an Allan Block type of system and that makes the install longer and labor intensive. One could do this on his own, but this is not a really good DIY choice. After watching a few of these get installed I will say one needs a talent to get them right.
I will try to update this post as I go, and plan to use short unedited cell phone videos clips as opposed to pictures to showcase the project. They will not be great as I simply do not have the time or ability to make them better. Furthermore, in more than one of these it never failed that once I started filming, I would get interrupted as there was little in the way of “observation time.” #Hammerdown.
Day1.- The Before
https://youtu.be/SRPOdnT6GL8
Here I have already removed the deck area, and removed the walls with my U25. I am now hauling out the old ties with the BX. It is steeper than it looks and very difficult to do holding a phone.
https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=PZLC_XW76Sg
https://youtu.be/eVFEnVTkN8M
Here the first course was set and clear crushed rocks is being compacted. Not much time for filming as we were all hustling.
https://youtu.be/KdYVADn_3No
https://youtu.be/vQFHGTzicfQ
Here the upper wall being built.
https://youtu.be/SZw30_78lxg
https://youtu.be/H1sAt-mqk9s
Not quite show ready, but mostly complete.
https://youtu.be/lamNjUIiVp4
Well the time has come. We live on a very steep slope. The owner(s) before had the place looking nice at one time, but by the time we bought it, it had fallen in to some disrepair. My goal has been to start low and work my way up to the hill, end up at the house and remodel that too.
The previous owners had used rail road ties for retaining walls which I am sure did the job at the time, and I am also sure were done by hand due to the topography. In doing so, they were back filled with dirt and no drain rock was used. Time, surcharge, and hydrostatic pressure has taken its toll on the ties not to mention they are not environmentally friendly for a lake; so we are opting to replace.
Initially I was going to do the job myself and bought my BX to start the project but was severely delayed due to other things in life, so it was postponed.
This thread was from a couple of years ago which is the very beginning of this story:
http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18670
I was initially going to use Allan Block for the project, however, switched to a new style Which is becoming very popular where I live.
http://www.lock-load.com/
The Lock load system is an incredibly strong wall. From what I am told, it along with #10 geo grid which we are also using makes it was one of the stronger systems walls on the market and it is a commercial grade system. Some of the benefits besides strength is the cost. You get a lot of wall for the money. Each panel is 32” wide and 16 inches tall. 1 panel and counterfort is around $28. Another benefit is the fact that step back is only 3” per row. Builder love these for the small lots sizes around here, where every square foot counts.
Some draw backs to this system that I found so far is that is has tendency to look a bit industrial, the panels while only 3” thick at the max are very heavy, and each panel has to be individually set. These do not stack like an Allan Block type of system and that makes the install longer and labor intensive. One could do this on his own, but this is not a really good DIY choice. After watching a few of these get installed I will say one needs a talent to get them right.
I will try to update this post as I go, and plan to use short unedited cell phone videos clips as opposed to pictures to showcase the project. They will not be great as I simply do not have the time or ability to make them better. Furthermore, in more than one of these it never failed that once I started filming, I would get interrupted as there was little in the way of “observation time.” #Hammerdown.
Day1.- The Before
https://youtu.be/SRPOdnT6GL8
Here I have already removed the deck area, and removed the walls with my U25. I am now hauling out the old ties with the BX. It is steeper than it looks and very difficult to do holding a phone.
https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=PZLC_XW76Sg
https://youtu.be/eVFEnVTkN8M
Here the first course was set and clear crushed rocks is being compacted. Not much time for filming as we were all hustling.
https://youtu.be/KdYVADn_3No
https://youtu.be/vQFHGTzicfQ
Here the upper wall being built.
https://youtu.be/SZw30_78lxg
https://youtu.be/H1sAt-mqk9s
Not quite show ready, but mostly complete.
https://youtu.be/lamNjUIiVp4
