Nice job. All looks structurally solid but would point out one item for anyone attempting this. You want water to go into the French drain but in reality, most will pass it by and saturate the ground below the round stone. Using an open 3/4” clear stone under the footing is the “best practice” as it allows water behind the wall to migrate our and not saturate that lower beam. Also 3/4” clear as backfill is a “stable” drainage backfill because of its angular shape. It will reduce movement over time where the rounds will promote movement.
I have done some woodworks in the past but this woodwork plan ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxZF0EMnrujZvqHhGkxiz559uIABJWR9TG helps me do much in a far lesser time than i used to do i have already built several projects with this plan and i intend to do many more soon. Thank you so much!
I've done both rail road ties and stone retaining walls. It's a lot of work but the sense of accomplishment I feel and the money I saved is all well worth it. My last project would have cost 20k easily and I did it with a little help from my kids and wife for $2400.
You have just answered my question. I got an estimate of 22k for a concrete retaining wall. and was wanting to do something like this. Wonder how long it will last. As long as you maintain the up keep?
@@gloriabush9499 My project which was a 2 tiered rounded wall, a 9 step staircase with 4 landing pads, and a curved walkway is now 8 years old. This will be the first year I have to add some polysand to a few spots and level one of the landing pads. If you do it right it will last!
Two little helpful hints: 1. Grind a point on the ground end of your rebar, it will drive through rocks easier. 2. If you coming in contact of solid rock...use a ground rod driving attachment on a hammer drill and the rebar will drive much easier and will also vibrate/compact the material around the rebar as it drives into the ground...
One final tiny tip (literally), Pre drill the ground contact 6x6s BEFORE you put them in the ground. If they are going to be 6" in from the end anyway, then there is no reason to drill through them and have your wood bit hit the rocks below, damaging it.
First of all nice job, well done with all the effort and planning. A few important comments. Unless you are building a reinforced concrete wall with inner and outer toe-beams, as a matter of principle, it is better to have the wooden wall sloping back by about 10° to 15°also going any higher than 4ft it is best to have dead heads every 3ft and staggered on every layer of long beams. As your raised level even though backfilled with drainage stone, always put in a strong plastic water barrier against your house wall, regardless of whether it is brick, concrete, and certainly if it is wood. If the backfill drainage stone is not compacted for the height of each dead-head stabilizer during the backfill, spaces or cavities will gradually occur beneath the dead-head anchors leading to further subsidence or weakening effect of the anchor dead-heads. This may sound like nit-picking, but when creating retaining walls these details are important in the short and long term.
Video was pretty cringe. Besides what mind manual pointed out, Even a rookie should know to space out seams. at least 2-3' from ends. this guy just throws deads 6“ from an end or between two timbers. Deads also too undersized to do anything meaningful here. Where I'm from walls over 3' need engineer and permits.
Good job but a few notes: 1) I would recommend to never use rounded rocks for any backfill or base of any wall as they will roll around and move. 2) the timber’s need to be stepped back into the hillside. This means you should technically be able to look down the wall and see a set back usually a 1/4” per timber. 3) depending on your location be careful using so much fabric as if you are in an area with a lot of silt it can clog up drain pipes with socks, fabric, etc. Remember you want to always create a free flowing wall for water. 4) make sure the drainage pipe is always touching the wall and not sitting away from the wall. Ex. If the corner where the drainage pipe wasn’t touching then daylight the pipe out and then install a new drain, or use T’s or elbows. 5) never hide your drainage pipe where you can’t see it. Reason being is if the wall is failing the main indicator is typically a lot of water coming out of the pipes if it’s going to fail due to hydrostatic pressure. 6) for the deadman you typically want them to extend the same amount as the height of your wall. So if you have a 4 foot wall you want a 4 foot deadman. Happy wall building!
Is that 1/4" offset needed even with the dead man and being anchored? Does it matter how tall the wall is? I'm planning on building a 2 1/2'-3' retaining wall in the desert. I like the look of the vertical wall.
ALWAYS use round rock for drainage. Crushed rock doesn't have the void spacing to allow drainage. There's no need for batter on this wall. It's not tall enough and using the deadmans eliminates the need. Granted they're no where near long enough, but at least he's trying.
@@dennisdickey5659 I’ve built various vertical walls without any step back here in the Midwest. Good base, proper drainage and adequate deadman’s provide a strong wall. Like Eddie pointed out, the rule of thumb for backfill rock: bigger the rock faster the water flow; smaller the rock slower the water flow.
I liked hiw you talked about the importance of the deadheads early on, and then showed why they are so important. I didnt realize this when i prwviously thought about retaining walla like this, great video!
This is a good how to video. I was typing that you need to tell people to locate all utilities before spiking and right when I was finished you said to call 811 so I had to erase and start over. Good job
Really nice job here. It's all the detail work that no one will ever see but you that makes a job done right. That wall is not going anywhere. Thanks for sharing.
Good Job. What you refer to as dead heads we call Tie Backs but same thing. On some really high walls we put crosses on the back of the Tie Backs but that is only for walls over 6 feet. I really like those screws as it makes life a whole lot easier then the hassles of rebar. Cheers
Bravo! Unless you have tackled a project like this ,you can’t appreciate your hard work. Great job ! You saved thousands and it’s done 100 correct . A sub would have cut hundreds of corners . It’s not their back yard so they could care less. Good job
This project is overwhelming!! I read your comment to another subscriber about how you learned to do this. The time you take to research everything and then accept the amount of labor to make this project a reality is incredible. I learned something today: deadheads! Amazing finished project, Brent.
Great job. I drill pilot holes and use 3/8 galvinized leg bolts and counter sink washers on my walls. On the top row it gives it more of an industrial look.. its a bit more work and u have to treat the holes like you did your post ends. I also use a grinder and cut a V on the bottom of the rebar to help drive it easier.. I like the project it looks great!
Obviously a good-looking feature for sure. But I'm wondering if a wall with sleepers into vertical H-section galvanised steel posts would've been much quicker with far less materials.
As an Aussie Landscaper - we use Geo Cloth or Geo fabric to hold back soil - I'd also strongly recommend not only compacting the base layer gravel but also stabilising it with a small amount of cement this binds the whole lot together, helps repel any long term moisture damage and creates a far stronger base in which to build upon. Dead man is a great idea - but also consider using a "Batter" or an angled finish to the face of the wall back into itself, this adds stability and support (though in some instances it does not look that crash). All in all great job mate!
I've never heard them called dead heads. Usually they are called dead mans. Overall great job! I will say where it meets the house will be the most likely to fail. Looks like you did a good job to install dead mans in that corner.
Yeah it’s dead man. id say loose the fabric too. The fabric ends up getting clogged and becomes impermeable. A couple feet of 3/4 clean gravel with no fabric.
Instead of hamering those ros in, grab a drill, put it on hammer setting, and put the rebar into the chuck. Believe it or not, this saves a lot of time as the drill will get that rebar in easier and smoother than the hammer will!
That was an awesome informational video, now I have confidence to build a small retaining wall, I never heard of the dead head boards and that is an awesome idea, never heard of them because I am not a landscaper , retired police officer 😊
How do you get the first line level against the ground? You mentioned don't stress about levelling the compaction as you'll do that when you put them down. But what do you use for that?
Great effort and nice project. Seems a bit expensive way to retain only 4'-0" maximum high soil. The pressure treated wood may not last as long as one might think. Masonry or stone retaining wall might be long term options.
I agree but the drainage he installed will help to extend the structural integrity of the timber. Precast concrete or stone(dry or mortared) should be the first choice.
This was an incredibly detailed DIY video which I am using as my template for my project. My question is that I see most builds using 8-foot 6x6’s. I am building a wall 18 feet long and wanted to know if I could stagger 10 foot 6x6’s with an 8’ 6x6 instead of using 3 8’ beams across each level. I didn’t know if there was a specific reason 8’ beams were standard. The total height would be 33 inches, 1 base layer, 5 layers on top of it, total of 6 layers.
Hello, You did a wonderful display of workmanship and skillfulness on this build and I hope you would be kind enough to answer those few questions: 1- The metal spike/peg that went 3' deep to anchor the timer to the ground, wouldn't you be worried about that rusting out over time? Metal + moisture + time = Rust? 2- If we're comparing the same build to a stone retaining wall, would timber be more cost-effective, and if so, by how much? 3- What would be the longevity expected from this wall compared to stone/cement build? I'm really looking to do my own retaining wall and I already know hiring a professional is going to cost thousands and having watched a few vids, it looks more than doable but there's always questions to be asked. Of course there's engineering involved in this and absolutely no cutting corners or cheaping out and but the results are definitely worth it. Many thanks again! :)
Liked all except the flex pipe. In our area due to the type of clay & soil movement, I insist on solid pipe, no matter the size of project. But, its a small run and yoh know your soils..so Im sure its a good solution. Also there is an iron method that some Pros use to attach the soil fabric pieces together instead of duct tape.. but.. Nice job. Thnx for your content.
The beauty of video editing. Seven days of work done to a 24 min video haha. But hopefully this gives others important a times and the confidence to take it on themselves.
As always, great work Brent! Love how thorough your videos are - thanks for helping all of us have the courage to tackle the projects that seem impossible. Your videos are lifesavers!
Thank you for the video. I'm planning a 4ft wall on my property and all your info will certainly help since I've never done this before. I also would like to thank the people with other suggestions in their comments. Could you tell me what the black "cloth" product that you used behind the wall to protect it is exactly? Appreciate it : )
First time I recall seeing deadheads was with the retaining walls around the beach houses on the outer banks in NC. And I thought, why haven't I used these before!
Very nice look. Was wondering about access from the upper level of the yard to the lower level and the 4 ft drop off from the upper level deck. Are you planning to add some kind of rail and a set of stairs to the upper level deck?
Great execution of this retaining wall and a well-done video of the process. After all that work I don't understand why you used subpar soil to top it off.
Finally a retaining wall video that explains how to do it, from A to Z. :) -- I've been looking at building a retaining wall myself, and I think this video gave me the info I needed!
@@benstaehr9595 thanks for the info, besides the aesthetics (wood vs block), is there anything wrong with this video's info? reading about segmental blocks, the steps appear to be somewhat similar
@@pachecolljk his drainage is less effective than it should be. If you're building something tall, it's important to get your deadmans the right length. I wouldn't use 1 foot segments in the large wall. It's not how we would do it, but it's not terrible. It'll last for a good while
@@pachecolljk -He used the wrong type of fabric -He didn't use the right type of drainage rock (should always be crushed stone) -I would never use lumber for a retaining wall unless it was only temporary -He didn't offset his wall back into the dirt. The wall will always want to move forward. Putting each layer back a little will help with that
Lots of incorrect information in this, but given the situation this particular wall was built in, it's probably not critical. In no particular order: 1. Wood retaining walls are not allowed in many places because of their relative weakness susceptibility to rot. 2. Ground contact woods are not designed for retaining walls, they are just designed to be in contact with the ground. 3. Landscaping fabric of any kind will clog and actually increase the static pressure on a wall as moisture levels increase within. 4. The height of a retaining wall is measured to the bottom of a footing, not the exposed or wall material height. This may seem nitpicky, but an inspector will make you tear out an improperly permitted wall. Most 4ft- walls don't require inspection. This wall would require inspection since it's actually 5ft in height. Not a huge deal so long as no one rats you out. 5. NEVER use rounded stone in a retaining wall. It has not structural stability. Drainage material behind a wall should be compacted just like the footing. Angular, crushed, stone allows compaction and thus becomes part of the wall. The stone used here will just move freely, effectively weakening the wall. 6. DeadMEN should not be stacked like that, and they should be at a minimum length the se height as the wall. By stacking these, it actually lessens the amount of downward force put onto them. 7. TimberLOK screws are not made for retaining walls, and they should not be used in them (for binding the rows together). They are used to bind timbers together when building decks and other structures. Rebar or steel spikes (extra large nails effectively) should be used. Screws have significantly less shear strength, which is greatly needed in this case. 8. A drainage pipe like what he used is a good type. But, the low end needs to see daylight and tying the ends is a very bad idea. Generally you want both ends accessible. The top end for flushing it or inspecting it, and the low end for inspecting occasionally. Tying the ends has the same effect as using landscaping fabric, it will clog and become useless. I don't mean to rag on you, but retaining walls are a lot of work to do right. There is a ton of misinformation on them out there. Retaining walls are put under massive forces, which is why many block manufacturers (like what you can get from HD) put out extremely detailed guides on how to do them right.
Yup, when I saw the Timberloks I knew this guy had no idea what he was doing. The sheer strength on a timberlok is not even close to comparable to rebar. Also, when he tied the drainage sock around the end of the pipe I sitting here thinking, “so you want any debris to get clogged and block your flow? Lastly, I think the deadheads we’re going to be okay until it cut to the end and showed how many he put and how close together they were, effectively causing them to be useless. Bad video and would never recommend anyone do a retaining wall like this.
@@gsaexperience8578 I've never built a retaining wall and I'm collecting info so I can begin one, and I spotted these problems while watching. Good to see your validation in the comments.
@@SIE44TAR the guy made a mistake thinking timberloks are okay for retaining walls but they are not. He mistook landscape Timbers (like planter box etc.. for retaining wall I think. They are not even close to the same
All of the timber retaining walls that I have built whether using railroad tie or landscape tie have been fastened using 3/8" thick by 12" or 10" long galvanized nails. Any wall over 36" in height should be built as a "full crib", not just "deadmen".
The finished product looks beautiful. Do you deadman at each corner? If a wall has a lot of jogs how frequently do you place a deadman? Last question, if building on top of granite rock how would you recommend getting that rebar into place? I was thinking hammer drill so far, epoxy the rebar in place, then measure and drill a hole in the 6x6 and place directly over the epoxied rebar.
Loved watching, I was glad to see you taking all the correct steps for building that retaining wall, overlapping all the joints is a definite "MUST DO" and I was surprised to see you do it, most DIYer's miss or leave out the very important MUST DO's in their builds.. Most of what you did many would think is overkill, but as a master carpenter of over 45 years of experience, you are dead on correct.. A good tip to use if you build another is to grind the end of your rebar to a point, it will more easily go through the compacted stone and become a more solid anker point.. The dead heads was another good point for you to make, I have seen in my life literally thousands of retaining walls fail, simply because the did not add a deadhead or another type of anchoring to the backside of it.. This video was a delight to watch a UA-camr do something completely the way it should be done.. Thank you for sharing..
We make our deadman’s in a T shape which in theory they would not be able to move as much as just a straight piece. It’s really something though trying to hold back earth it’s constantly moving with freeze thaw cycles and it will push these retaining walls around in time no matter what precautions are taken.
What an awesome project! Just a logistics question: is it cheaper to rent the skid loader for a week (even when there are days you don't use it) or rent for 2 days, return and re-rent again?
If you can work around it with a 2 say rental it would be cheaper then the full week but we used this thing everyday. Some days where more useful then others :) thanks for watching and asking Di.
It depends on what you value your time at. It's not just about cost, its also inconvenience. If you have it, you can use it. As soon as it's loaded up, that option disappears.
![How to Build A TIMBER Retaining Wall [What's Behind the Wall?]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/p6UbjD8wMrA/mqdefault.jpg)
![How to Build A TIMBER Retaining Wall [What's Behind the Wall?]](/img/tr.png)
Nice job. All looks structurally solid but would point out one item for anyone attempting this. You want water to go into the French drain but in reality, most will pass it by and saturate the ground below the round stone. Using an open 3/4” clear stone under the footing is the “best practice” as it allows water behind the wall to migrate our and not saturate that lower beam. Also 3/4” clear as backfill is a “stable” drainage backfill because of its angular shape. It will reduce movement over time where the rounds will promote movement.
I have done some woodworks in the past but this woodwork plan ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxZF0EMnrujZvqHhGkxiz559uIABJWR9TG helps me do much in a far lesser time than i used to do i have already built several projects with this plan and i intend to do many more soon. Thank you so much!
I've done both rail road ties and stone retaining walls. It's a lot of work but the sense of accomplishment I feel and the money I saved is all well worth it. My last project would have cost 20k easily and I did it with a little help from my kids and wife for $2400.
You have just answered my question. I got an estimate of 22k for a concrete retaining wall. and was wanting to do something like this. Wonder how long it will last. As long as you maintain the up keep?
@@gloriabush9499 My project which was a 2 tiered rounded wall, a 9 step staircase with 4 landing pads, and a curved walkway is now 8 years old. This will be the first year I have to add some polysand to a few spots and level one of the landing pads. If you do it right it will last!
Two little helpful hints:
1. Grind a point on the ground end of your rebar, it will drive through rocks easier.
2. If you coming in contact of solid rock...use a ground rod driving attachment on a hammer drill and the rebar will drive much easier and will also vibrate/compact the material around the rebar as it drives into the ground...
This is the way.
you can also use a t-post driver to take up a lot of the work and a sledge for the last little bit.
One final tiny tip (literally), Pre drill the ground contact 6x6s BEFORE you put them in the ground. If they are going to be 6" in from the end anyway, then there is no reason to drill through them and have your wood bit hit the rocks below, damaging it.
X2 on pointy rebar. I like to cut the rebar at 45 degree to get stake end. It's much quicker than grinding.
@@iamleidig You mean you do a 45* cut on two sides? If only one side, I'd be worried about drift.
First of all nice job, well done with all the effort and planning. A few important comments. Unless you are building a reinforced concrete wall with inner and outer toe-beams, as a matter of principle, it is better to have the wooden wall sloping back by about 10° to 15°also going any higher than 4ft it is best to have dead heads every 3ft and staggered on every layer of long beams. As your raised level even though backfilled with drainage stone, always put in a strong plastic water barrier against your house wall, regardless of whether it is brick, concrete, and certainly if it is wood. If the backfill drainage stone is not compacted for the height of each dead-head stabilizer during the backfill, spaces or cavities will gradually occur beneath the dead-head anchors leading to further subsidence or weakening effect of the anchor dead-heads. This may sound like nit-picking, but when creating retaining walls these details are important in the short and long term.
Video was pretty cringe. Besides what mind manual pointed out, Even a rookie should know to space out seams. at least 2-3' from ends. this guy just throws deads 6“ from an end or between two timbers. Deads also too undersized to do anything meaningful here. Where I'm from walls over 3' need engineer and permits.
Yuh
@@user-lv3th9pe7uwhere I come from if you don’t have anything positive to say we keep it to ourselves.
Good job but a few notes:
1) I would recommend to never use rounded rocks for any backfill or base of any wall as they will roll around and move.
2) the timber’s need to be stepped back into the hillside. This means you should technically be able to look down the wall and see a set back usually a 1/4” per timber.
3) depending on your location be careful using so much fabric as if you are in an area with a lot of silt it can clog up drain pipes with socks, fabric, etc. Remember you want to always create a free flowing wall for water.
4) make sure the drainage pipe is always touching the wall and not sitting away from the wall. Ex. If the corner where the drainage pipe wasn’t touching then daylight the pipe out and then install a new drain, or use T’s or elbows.
5) never hide your drainage pipe where you can’t see it. Reason being is if the wall is failing the main indicator is typically a lot of water coming out of the pipes if it’s going to fail due to hydrostatic pressure.
6) for the deadman you typically want them to extend the same amount as the height of your wall. So if you have a 4 foot wall you want a 4 foot deadman.
Happy wall building!
Is that 1/4" offset needed even with the dead man and being anchored? Does it matter how tall the wall is? I'm planning on building a 2 1/2'-3' retaining wall in the desert. I like the look of the vertical wall.
@@dennisdickey5659 i would always recommend to put a step back
Thanks Eddie. Excellent remarks!!
ALWAYS use round rock for drainage. Crushed rock doesn't have the void spacing to allow drainage. There's no need for batter on this wall. It's not tall enough and using the deadmans eliminates the need. Granted they're no where near long enough, but at least he's trying.
@@dennisdickey5659 I’ve built various vertical walls without any step back here in the Midwest. Good base, proper drainage and adequate deadman’s provide a strong wall.
Like Eddie pointed out, the rule of thumb for backfill rock: bigger the rock faster the water flow; smaller the rock slower the water flow.
Ok. You have just convinced me to hire a professional. This will take me forever even with the rental tools.
Thank you! This has been the most informative timber retaining wall video I've seen. And the most professional. Thank you!!
No....this isn't correctly done...but good filming
One tip. Look into ground rod bit for a hammer drill. Makes driving rebar like spreading soft butter on a slice of toast.
Excellent advice on sealing the cut ends with wood preservative! I would say 2/3 of the contractors around here miss that important step.
One suggestion: Might want to set back each timber 1/4". With all those deadheads probably don't need to worry too much about the setback.
Good dedication to important details! This project was done much better than likely 90%+ of all commercially done projects of this kind.
I filled up my retaining wall with beer bottles. Very strong, draining, free and keeps your wall dry! After 3 years no sinking in either.
OMG I was not expecting to hear Pata Pata. What a fun surprise!
I liked hiw you talked about the importance of the deadheads early on, and then showed why they are so important. I didnt realize this when i prwviously thought about retaining walla like this, great video!
Taking the homeowner special to the next level!
I'm an interior trim carpenter & that was a nice looking wall. Subbed
This is a good how to video. I was typing that you need to tell people to locate all utilities before spiking and right when I was finished you said to call 811 so I had to erase and start over. Good job
Man, that retaining wall looks amazing. The way the deadheads were implemented, was pretty amazing and will serve that wall nice, stable and strong.
Wrong...his dead men are not installed correctly. ..not deep enough into the depth of wall
@@dustinhuffman574 time will only tell.
Really nice job here. It's all the detail work that no one will ever see but you that makes a job done right. That wall is not going anywhere. Thanks for sharing.
Crazy thinking. ..if in a sub zero weather. ..this will blow out
Good Job. What you refer to as dead heads we call Tie Backs but same thing. On some really high walls we put crosses on the back of the Tie Backs but that is only for walls over 6 feet. I really like those screws as it makes life a whole lot easier then the hassles of rebar. Cheers
Out of all the retaining wall videos I like this one the most. It’s very “DIYable”
Bravo! Unless you have tackled a project like this ,you can’t appreciate your hard work. Great job ! You saved thousands and it’s done 100 correct . A sub would have cut hundreds of corners . It’s not their back yard so they could care less. Good job
Your child going to learn so much, just by watching you.
I hope so Martha :) thanks so much for watching.
You're the Man!
Thanks so much for all the support Leah. Good feeling to have this one behind me :)
I was going to hire someone to do this but now I want to drive the mini excavator. Thanks a lot!
Call Check Before You Dig!
When you call to have utilities marked, realize that they only mark public utilities. Any irrigation or other private services are on you.
Man, I'm impressed. That's 10 out of 10 for me.
Beautiful wall. I love the way you did your deadheads.
This project is overwhelming!! I read your comment to another subscriber about how you learned to do this. The time you take to research everything and then accept the amount of labor to make this project a reality is incredible. I learned something today: deadheads! Amazing finished project, Brent.
will never do this myself, but it was an enjoyment for watching and listening to this very well presented project
Great job.
I drill pilot holes and use 3/8 galvinized leg bolts and counter sink washers on my walls.
On the top row it gives it more of an industrial look.. its a bit more work and u have to treat the holes like you did your post ends.
I also use a grinder and cut a V on the bottom of the rebar to help drive it easier..
I like the project it looks great!
Obviously a good-looking feature for sure. But I'm wondering if a wall with sleepers into vertical H-section galvanised steel posts would've been much quicker with far less materials.
I was thinking why not posts ?
A properly built timber wall with tie-backs and deadman will require the same amount of timber behind the wall as there is in the wall itself.
As an Aussie Landscaper - we use Geo Cloth or Geo fabric to hold back soil - I'd also strongly recommend not only compacting the base layer gravel but also stabilising it with a small amount of cement this binds the whole lot together, helps repel any long term moisture damage and creates a far stronger base in which to build upon. Dead man is a great idea - but also consider using a "Batter" or an angled finish to the face of the wall back into itself, this adds stability and support (though in some instances it does not look that crash). All in all great job mate!
what are you doing here? Fellow aussie here too lol
Righteous job brother!!!! As a long-time builder of concrete crib retaining walls...you did a great job!
I've never heard them called dead heads. Usually they are called dead mans. Overall great job! I will say where it meets the house will be the most likely to fail. Looks like you did a good job to install dead mans in that corner.
Yeah it’s dead man. id say loose the fabric too. The fabric ends up getting clogged and becomes impermeable. A couple feet of 3/4 clean gravel with no fabric.
Maybe he's a grateful dead fan.....
Its also not a backhoe or excavator he’s using… so??
I call them chicken heads 😂
Damn that’s an ugly looking wall. Should have been clad with a finishing material not left like that .
Instead of hamering those ros in, grab a drill, put it on hammer setting, and put the rebar into the chuck. Believe it or not, this saves a lot of time as the drill will get that rebar in easier and smoother than the hammer will!
That was an awesome informational video, now I have confidence to build a small retaining wall, I never heard of the dead head boards and that is an awesome idea, never heard of them because I am not a landscaper , retired police officer 😊
How do you get the first line level against the ground? You mentioned don't stress about levelling the compaction as you'll do that when you put them down. But what do you use for that?
Thank you so much for doing everything from the how to, the list, even the apparel. I am now doing this project at my house. Again thanks.
Great effort and nice project. Seems a bit expensive way to retain only 4'-0" maximum high soil. The pressure treated wood may not last as long as one might think. Masonry or stone retaining wall might be long term options.
Yeah. It will rot pretty quickly.
I agree but the drainage he installed will help to extend the structural integrity of the timber. Precast concrete or stone(dry or mortared) should be the first choice.
Your husband is probably so proud of you! Great Job.
He thinks it’s great but my wife is WAY more supportive….. lol!
LOL
ROFL!!!
Steve is obviously jealous
This was an incredibly detailed DIY video which I am using as my template for my project.
My question is that I see most builds using 8-foot 6x6’s.
I am building a wall 18 feet long and wanted to know if I could stagger 10 foot 6x6’s with an 8’ 6x6 instead of using 3 8’ beams across each level. I didn’t know if there was a specific reason 8’ beams were standard.
The total height would be 33 inches, 1 base layer, 5 layers on top of it, total of 6 layers.
It looks great but honestly liked it before also. Looked like a perfect place to plant a small garden.
Hello,
You did a wonderful display of workmanship and skillfulness on this build and I hope you would be kind enough to answer those few questions:
1- The metal spike/peg that went 3' deep to anchor the timer to the ground, wouldn't you be worried about that rusting out over time? Metal + moisture + time = Rust?
2- If we're comparing the same build to a stone retaining wall, would timber be more cost-effective, and if so, by how much?
3- What would be the longevity expected from this wall compared to stone/cement build?
I'm really looking to do my own retaining wall and I already know hiring a professional is going to cost thousands and having watched a few vids, it looks more than doable but there's always questions to be asked. Of course there's engineering involved in this and absolutely no cutting corners or cheaping out and but the results are definitely worth it.
Many thanks again! :)
Cool way to do a retaining wall very different to the ones I build everyday
Nice job. Some landscaping lights would’ve been a consideration… for anyone undertaking a similar project
Liked all except the flex pipe.
In our area due to the type of clay & soil movement, I insist on solid pipe, no matter the size of project.
But, its a small run and yoh know your soils..so Im sure its a good solution.
Also there is an iron method that some Pros use to attach the soil fabric pieces together instead of duct tape.. but..
Nice job. Thnx for your content.
You should also treat the rebar holes to water proof like you did the cut ends. Just a thought. You did well.
I like the Miriam Makeba Patapata tune at the end, great work mate n some nice guidance for us too
You make it look so easy.
The beauty of video editing. Seven days of work done to a 24 min video haha. But hopefully this gives others important a times and the confidence to take it on themselves.
Looks great I now have my plan for my backyard thank you for the idea
As always, great work Brent! Love how thorough your videos are - thanks for helping all of us have the courage to tackle the projects that seem impossible. Your videos are lifesavers!
Beautiful back-breaking work.
You made this challenging project accessible.
Great job! Just curious...were you planning to build stairs from the deck down to the lower level?
Extremely good video. I extremely like the way you extremely describe everything extremely effortlessly. Extremely.
Oh my gosh. He rocks my world! Inspiring and educational.
Looks great, Ide of put two drains in the wall as extra ,the gutter / roof water is all going into the wall .👍
I feel building one of these. Great work.
This wooden retaining wall last 6 years?
When it is new, look nice.
I considered this but wood prices are astronomical. Stone it is. Good job man.
I love how his drainage shoots right onto the neighbors property.
Love it. We have a retaining wall ready to fall
I've seen 100+ similar videos. This by far was the best. Wow! Keep it up and you'll have 1M subscribers by 2023.
yesssssssssss another byot episode
Thank you for the video. I'm planning a 4ft wall on my property and all your info will certainly help since I've never done this before. I also would like to thank the people with other suggestions in their comments. Could you tell me what the black "cloth" product that you used behind the wall to protect it is exactly? Appreciate it : )
First time I recall seeing deadheads was with the retaining walls around the beach houses on the outer banks in NC. And I thought, why haven't I used these before!
Nice wall and very nice video production/instructions.
Great Work!!!.... needs stairs that connect to that upper deck
Very nice look. Was wondering about access from the upper level of the yard to the lower level and the 4 ft drop off from the upper level deck. Are you planning to add some kind of rail and a set of stairs to the upper level deck?
I would have added the stairs next to the house, so u wouldn’t have to go through the house to get to the lower level.
Great execution of this retaining wall and a well-done video of the process. After all that work I don't understand why you used subpar soil to top it off.
I learned more about building walls in this video than I did in my entire civil engineering degree
I think its called a deadman? Nice work.
Finally, a UA-cam video of merit. Well done. Great structurally sound work 🎉
It's amazing what you can achieve by taking the time and effort to do this, so well done and what a great inspiration! Cheers
Finally a retaining wall video that explains how to do it, from A to Z. :) -- I've been looking at building a retaining wall myself, and I think this video gave me the info I needed!
Yeah, don't follow this video to build a wall. Go buy some segmental blocks and follow the manufacturers instructions.
@@benstaehr9595 thanks for the info, besides the aesthetics (wood vs block), is there anything wrong with this video's info? reading about segmental blocks, the steps appear to be somewhat similar
@@pachecolljk his drainage is less effective than it should be. If you're building something tall, it's important to get your deadmans the right length. I wouldn't use 1 foot segments in the large wall. It's not how we would do it, but it's not terrible. It'll last for a good while
@@pachecolljk
-He used the wrong type of fabric
-He didn't use the right type of drainage rock (should always be crushed stone)
-I would never use lumber for a retaining wall unless it was only temporary
-He didn't offset his wall back into the dirt. The wall will always want to move forward. Putting each layer back a little will help with that
You used the improper stone in drainage field. Use 3/4-1” clean angular so it compacts. Back of this wall will settle
Probably a good idea to tar the base timber. Pressure treated wood won't last below ground. The membrane will just hold water and cause rott.
Wish I knew where/who I could get to do a retaining wall for me. This is a project that I think is beyond my ability and strength to take on myself.
Lots of incorrect information in this, but given the situation this particular wall was built in, it's probably not critical.
In no particular order:
1. Wood retaining walls are not allowed in many places because of their relative weakness susceptibility to rot.
2. Ground contact woods are not designed for retaining walls, they are just designed to be in contact with the ground.
3. Landscaping fabric of any kind will clog and actually increase the static pressure on a wall as moisture levels increase within.
4. The height of a retaining wall is measured to the bottom of a footing, not the exposed or wall material height. This may seem nitpicky, but an inspector will make you tear out an improperly permitted wall. Most 4ft- walls don't require inspection. This wall would require inspection since it's actually 5ft in height. Not a huge deal so long as no one rats you out.
5. NEVER use rounded stone in a retaining wall. It has not structural stability. Drainage material behind a wall should be compacted just like the footing. Angular, crushed, stone allows compaction and thus becomes part of the wall. The stone used here will just move freely, effectively weakening the wall.
6. DeadMEN should not be stacked like that, and they should be at a minimum length the se height as the wall. By stacking these, it actually lessens the amount of downward force put onto them.
7. TimberLOK screws are not made for retaining walls, and they should not be used in them (for binding the rows together). They are used to bind timbers together when building decks and other structures. Rebar or steel spikes (extra large nails effectively) should be used. Screws have significantly less shear strength, which is greatly needed in this case.
8. A drainage pipe like what he used is a good type. But, the low end needs to see daylight and tying the ends is a very bad idea. Generally you want both ends accessible. The top end for flushing it or inspecting it, and the low end for inspecting occasionally. Tying the ends has the same effect as using landscaping fabric, it will clog and become useless.
I don't mean to rag on you, but retaining walls are a lot of work to do right. There is a ton of misinformation on them out there. Retaining walls are put under massive forces, which is why many block manufacturers (like what you can get from HD) put out extremely detailed guides on how to do them right.
Yup, when I saw the Timberloks I knew this guy had no idea what he was doing. The sheer strength on a timberlok is not even close to comparable to rebar. Also, when he tied the drainage sock around the end of the pipe I sitting here thinking, “so you want any debris to get clogged and block your flow? Lastly, I think the deadheads we’re going to be okay until it cut to the end and showed how many he put and how close together they were, effectively causing them to be useless. Bad video and would never recommend anyone do a retaining wall like this.
@@gsaexperience8578 I've never built a retaining wall and I'm collecting info so I can begin one, and I spotted these problems while watching. Good to see your validation in the comments.
@@SIE44TAR the guy made a mistake thinking timberloks are okay for retaining walls but they are not. He mistook landscape Timbers (like planter box etc.. for retaining wall I think. They are not even close to the same
All of the timber retaining walls that I have built whether using railroad tie or landscape tie have been fastened using 3/8" thick by 12" or 10" long galvanized nails. Any wall over 36" in height should be built as a "full crib", not just "deadmen".
3:22 What a massive wall ready to crush anything or anyone.
Well Done.... Very Well Done!
Thanks so much for the kind works and all the support.
Nice job - Informative and from start to finish - I am going to ...well, my idea is still under construction, so it's TBD.
A beautiful job. I am keeping this video on file. Job well done.
WOW dude your an artist and a legend. That looks amazing and all the extra stuff you did, i wouldn't had even thought of if i had done it myself.
Looks great. I would have added steps from the deck with the same timber as the wall
The finished product looks beautiful. Do you deadman at each corner? If a wall has a lot of jogs how frequently do you place a deadman? Last question, if building on top of granite rock how would you recommend getting that rebar into place? I was thinking hammer drill so far, epoxy the rebar in place, then measure and drill a hole in the 6x6 and place directly over the epoxied rebar.
Beautifully done
Loved watching, I was glad to see you taking all the correct steps for building that retaining wall, overlapping all the joints is a definite "MUST DO" and I was surprised to see you do it, most DIYer's miss or leave out the very important MUST DO's in their builds.. Most of what you did many would think is overkill, but as a master carpenter of over 45 years of experience, you are dead on correct.. A good tip to use if you build another is to grind the end of your rebar to a point, it will more easily go through the compacted stone and become a more solid anker point.. The dead heads was another good point for you to make, I have seen in my life literally thousands of retaining walls fail, simply because the did not add a deadhead or another type of anchoring to the backside of it.. This video was a delight to watch a UA-camr do something completely the way it should be done.. Thank you for sharing..
Love your video. I greatly appreciate all the detail you have provided. You are good. Thank you.
Love it, love it, love it. Great job
We make our deadman’s in a T shape which in theory they would not be able to move as much as just a straight piece. It’s really something though trying to hold back earth it’s constantly moving with freeze thaw cycles and it will push these retaining walls around in time no matter what precautions are taken.
Nice work. In Texas, we call the perpendicular timbers “ Dead men”.
I like Sugar Magnolia and Trucking, are they good deadheads.
Great job Brent!!👍👍
Thanks so much for watching and the continued support Bryan.
@@BYOTools You are welcome Brent!
normally don't like wood as a retaining wall, but this is really thoroughly professionally done! Very nice!
Fantastyczny film instruktażowy Brawo .Pozdrawiam z Polski
Jarek
imho the moisture barrier should be done on both sides of the gravel ditch behind the wall.
looks real nice. So nice to see quality work.
What an awesome project! Just a logistics question: is it cheaper to rent the skid loader for a week (even when there are days you don't use it) or rent for 2 days, return and re-rent again?
If you can work around it with a 2 say rental it would be cheaper then the full week but we used this thing everyday. Some days where more useful then others :) thanks for watching and asking Di.
It depends on what you value your time at. It's not just about cost, its also inconvenience. If you have it, you can use it. As soon as it's loaded up, that option disappears.