From This Old House.
In this video, a homeowner’s house had a garden that sloped away, being a sore spot. With the help of mason Mark McCullough and landscape contractor Jenn Nawada, the three built a retaining wall to fix the grade.
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While the yard sloping away from a home is great for the foundation, but it can create landscaping issues. Severely sloped grades make garden beds look sloppy and bare, especially if there’s a downspout nearby. When a homeowner struggled with her sloped garden, she called mason Mark McCullough and landscape contractor Jenn Nawada for the solution: a garden retaining wall.
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Where to find it?
Wall blocks provided by Unilock [https://unilock.com/]
Wall Blocks: Unilock’s Concord Wall Smooth [https://bit.ly/4i6mYAC]
811 “Call Before You Dig” [https://call811.com/Start-Here] was contacted before any work was done.
Jenn used a long tape measure [homedepot.sjv.io/MABeWP] to figure out the dimensions of the new wall. Then spray paint [https://homedepot.sjv.io/75eAPQ] was used to mark where to dig for the footing of the wall.
Mark used a mini excavator [homedepot.sjv.io/xL5dok] to regrade the garden bed and dig for the wall footing. The machine was used to make the work go by quicker, but shovels [https://homedepot.sjv.io/MmW4Bq] can also be used. Wheelbarrows [https://homedepot.sjv.io/0ZaWz3] were used to move dirt. Mark dug about 8 inches for the wall footing, but instructions for wall prep may differ based on the wall material manufacturer.
Hand tampers [homedepot.sjv.io/jeydan] or a compactor [https://homedepot.sjv.io/RGnVE7] can be used to compact the dirt down. About 6-8 inches of clear gravel [https://bit.ly/4jmvD2U] was added for the wall base. Then a heavy-duty metal rake [https://homedepot.sjv.io/APKNxo] was used to spread it out.
Mark used two stakes [https://homedepot.sjv.io/qzm2kO] to mark the two corners of the wall. The stakes were used to make sure the wall would be square to the foundation. Then he used string [https://homedepot.sjv.io/RG07W9] from stake to stake to represent the face of the wall. He used a line level [https://homedepot.sjv.io/POVGgM] to make sure the string was perfectly level. Then placed two benchmark blocks by each stake, using a torpedo level [homedepot.sjv.io/o4Ld6e] to make sure they were completely level. He then added a block every 6 feet, using a 6 foot level [https://homedepot.sjv.io/qzm2NO] and mallet [https://homedepot.sjv.io/ba426x] to shift the blocks into place.
Heavy duty construction adhesive [https://homedepot.sjv.io/6ydZME] was used on the corner and cap pieces of the wall.
For the drainage portion of the wall, Mark and Jenn used a 4” perforated pipe [https://homedepot.sjv.io/aOARXW] wrapped in drainage filter fabric [https://homedepot.sjv.io/kOMg3n]. And downspout adapters [https://homedepot.sjv.io/POVGdM] to connect the pipe to the downspouts.
Jenn planted:
Green Mountain Boxwoods [https://homedepot.sjv.io/jeydAb]
Delaware Valley White Azaleas [https://homedepot.sjv.io/Dyexz5]
Little Quickfire Hydrangeas [https://homedepot.sjv.io/WydoLJ]
Cunningham’s White Rhododendron [https://bit.ly/4i3S1gs]
Oakleaf Hydrangea [https://homedepot.sjv.io/LKmkGV]
About This Old House TV: This Old House is America’s first and most trusted home improvement show. Each season, we renovate two different historic homes—one step at a time—featuring quality craftsmanship and the latest in modern technology. We demystify home improvement and provide ideas and information so, whether you are doing it yourself or hiring out contractors, you’ll know the right way to do things or the questions to ask. Our experts including general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Jenn Nawada, master carpenter Norm Abram, and host Kevin O’Connor give you the tools you need to protect and preserve your greatest investment—your home.
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How to Build a Garden Retaining Wall | Ask This Old House
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