First, a retaining wall is a structure that holds back, or “retains,” lateral faces of dirt, water, or other materials. Retaining walls are used to prevent erosion or collapse of higher level ground onto a certain building, structure, or general area. The earth that is retained is often referred to as backfill. The word backfill is also used as a verb to describe placing more dirt behind a retaining wall to make the ground more level.

Retaining walls can be the answer if you are blessed (or cursed) to a contoured lot. They can turn a steep slope into a terraced yard, creating a stair step effect instead of a slope.

Retaining walls can be constructed from many different materials using many different techniques. There are several factors that influence which choice will be the best choice for each situation, including cost, height of the wall, soil characteristics, and ground water conditions.

Generally, most municipalities require that any retaining wall over four feet in height be engineered or approved by a licensed engineer. It is important to check local building codes before starting any retaining wall projects, even if it is below four feet tall. After all, retaining walls should be structurally sound before there is any thought of aesthetic appeal. The retaining wall must be able to stand up to the pressure exerted by the backfill, also called lateral earth pressure. This lateral earth pressure is a majority of the force that the retaining wall will need to bear. Lateral earth pressure is determined by studying the weight of the soil unit, slope of the soil, soil type (for plasticity and adhesion purposes with clay soil types), and ground water levels. Engineers do many calculations with these factors to determine what design to implement with the wall. To homeowners and contractors that do not want to go through engineering steps, it is generally a good rule to overdo it. Many structural methods to build retaining walls with withhold earth, at least temporarily, with a height up to four feet, are adequate, which is why most local building codes require engineering if the wall will be over four feet tall.

However, even methods that may seem adequate for retaining earth can fail if they are not built properly. Many times, it is elements below grade that can make (or break) a retaining wall. Problems including bowing, slanting, or cracking are evidence of retaining wall failure because it was not successful in retaining the dirt. Cutting costs with a bad contractor, insufficient materials, or neglecting the below grade elements can turn out to be more expensive over time if replacement or repair is necessary often or if collapse of earth causes damage to nearby structures. For example, erosion can cause foundation issues if dirt erodes from under the foundation. This is just one example how a retaining wall failure can cause expensive problems aside from the cost to repair or replace the retaining wall.

Another aspect that is often neglected or underestimated that can cause failure of a retaining wall is drainage. Inadequate drainage of retaining walls can mean that water is trapped behind the wall, adding to the weight that the wall must hold back. Usually weep holes and/or drainage pipes are used to flush rain water and ground water from behind the wall. It is important that the drainage system, whatever it be, have a filter barrier to keep dirt from clogging the drain or weep hole.

Options for Retaining Wall Materials

· Railroad Crossties – Railroad crossties, also shortened to railroad ties, can be used as a retaining wall material; however, as with most every retaining wall material, it must be installed correctly in order to be a solution. For example, most railroad tie retaining walls will need a substantial footer to tie the crossties to in order to keep the bottom from sliding out. Also, there needs to be perpendicular members placed into the ground behind the wall to keep the wall from overturning. These members, called deadmen, should be at least 1.5 times as long as the wall is high and should be placed at minimum every 6 feet or so. Because railroad ties are wood (even though they are treated most of the time), there is a risk that they may rot over time or be subject to termite infestation, which can lead to a weak wall likely to bulge or break. And, even though there are areas for water to slowly seep though, it is still a good idea to have a filtered drain or weep holes designed into the wall.

· Treated Wood – Treated wood retaining walls offer many of the same risks as retaining walls because over time it is susceptible to rot and termite infestation. It is a labor intensive construction, but it is usually lightweight and decently strong if built correctly. It is recommended to build a concrete footer to attach the wall to in order to keep it from shifting. Construction usually requires a clear area to be backfilled after the wall is built, so it is not always the best material to use if you are replacing an existing retaining wall. This wall still needs weep holes or drains designed into the wall. Standing water behind the wood will only increase risk of rot.

· Concrete – Concrete is a great material to use for retaining walls. Of course, there is a right and a wrong way to build a concrete retaining wall, which makes choosing your contractor a big job. There are many different designs that can lead to a successful concrete retaining wall, but one thing is for sure: there needs to be a footer beneath the wall to ensure success. Concrete is one of the most durable man-made products known to man. Most concrete poured today is engineered to last for over 50 years. Plus, concrete offers many decorative options as well. Aside from a plain, white concrete retaining wall, you can also pour a colored concrete retaining wall, stain a retaining wall after it has cured, pour into a patterned form, apply a vertical stamp material and pattern after poured, etc. Sealing the concrete wall can lead to an easy-to-maintain surface that rinses free of most dirt and grime.

· Blocks or Paver Stones – Engineered blocks that stack together to make a wall must be as simple as building with Legos, right? Nope. These retaining walls should also have a significant footer in order to support not only the weight of the dirt but also the weight of the wall. These blocks can be a unique look, but it may even be necessary to place a concrete retaining wall behind the blocks if there immense lateral earth pressure. In such a case, the concrete would be the structural element, using the blocks as a visual feature.

· Rock or Brick – One of the favorite looks for a retaining wall is natural stone or brick. These materials usually look more permanent and traditionally classy. However, just as we have seen with the other materials, it is necessary to have a concrete footer below grade to carry the weight and ensure success of the retaining wall. Like architectural blocks or paver systems, it may be necessary to back a masonry retaining wall with a concrete retaining wall for structural support.

Eco-friendly, green, recycled, renewable, environmentally friendly, sustainable, bio-degradable and energy efficient are all key words used more and more often these days. This is a positive movement that has grown internationally and is well marketed. We all want to contribute to saving the planet and doing our part to keep our earth clean and free of chemicals and pollutants. There are now many organizations that are set up to help us do just that. Let’s take a look at what this means and how a wood deck such as Ipe can be eco-friendly.

First what is eco-friendly mean? If we don’t google it, I would say it means friendly to our environment, no chemicals no harmful out-gassing and uses only raw materials. The wikipedia definition states it is product that inflicts little or no harm to the environment. This is a very grey area. Now lets apply this to decking. There are several products available; pressure treated, composite and hardwood decks.

Composite decking is the least environmentally friendly product. Let me state that this product is marketed as green but let’s examine a few things first. The decking is man made from plastic or composite that has been recycled. Testing performed on the recycled plastic (High Density Polyethylene ) has confirmed that the recycling process loses some of its original tensile strength and the recycled product does not readily biodegrade in the landfills. The fact that this plastic is made of petroleum also escapes the corporations that tote its environmental benefits. Petroleum is costly and sometimes environmentally damaging. The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill is one example of the damages transportation of petroleum has caused. Now going back to the loss of tensile strength, how does that affect the life of the deck once installed in an external environment? What happens when plastic is exposed to heat over a long period of time? Again google one of the composite company names to expose warping, staining, flaking, molding, fungus and other complaints and lawsuits. If you are replacing your deck in less than 10 years time is it really environmentally friendly or if you have to apply chemicals to it to prevent mold and fungus? Do a little homework and you will realize wood is the only eco-friendly decking resource.

Wood is a renewable, recyclable and totally biodegradable product. This product is a primary producer in that it only requires its natural habitat to develop and grow. The sun, water and soil along with the seed produced from another tree is all required to make this raw product. Wood uses less energy to process than steel, concrete, plastic and aluminum. It is used for insulation  and has low thermal diffusivity (measure of how quickly a material can absorb heat from its surroundings). The only downside is wood made of certain species of wood will not be as dense and strong as others and would require some type of treatment to be useable outdoors. The new technology now available has opened doors to allow other wood to be available that has otherwise been un-accessible.

Pressure treated decking has been the most commonly used lumber. This lumber is in-expensive, readily accessible and easy to install. The chemicals used to treat lumber, has helped its resistance to insects, decay and mold/fungus. The only problem is the chemicals used to pressure treat the lumber has been chromated copper arsenate, a toxic chemical used until about 2003 and now other chemicals are used such as copper azone but no current information has been supplied as to whether it is any less hazardous also CCA is still being used in certain industrial and marine applications.

Ipe decking is made from a hardwood with origins in South America, Central America and parts of the Caribbean. This hardwood is one of the strongest densest woods available. The janka hardness for Ipe is 3680 compared to the California redwood at 420. The fire spread is rated the same as concrete and steel. Naturally resistant to mold, fungus, decay and insects, Ipe requires no chemicals. The lifetime of the wood without a UV inhibitor is 40 plus years and with the inhibitor over 100 years. Ipe has a slip co-efficiency above the requirement for commercial applications for restaurants and hotels. This is the deck you will get to enjoy without all the maintenance. FSC certified Ipe is also available for the most discriminating clients and projects. The Forest Stewardship Council will certify that your lumber comes from a responsibly managed forest. Now that is as eco-friendly as it gets.

Chloe Madeiras is a contributing writer for Advantage Trim & Lumber Co. Ipe Decking

Many people are driven by a desire to create their own homes. They want to own properties that they can be proud of and do all that it take to achieve this objective. A lot of efforts and initiatives are involved in the entire process. It is quite natural that as future owners of these properties, they would want to protect them from all the vagaries of nature. The quality of building materials take on added significance in this context. The building materials, fittings, and fixtures need to conform to the highest standards to guarantee total value for money. The aluminium downpipes for one fit the bill in both these areas and are much in demand.

For people who are not aware, a definition of downpipes is in order. Downpipes are special pipes that are used to bring rainwater to ground level from gutters. These can be installed – either at front or at the back of a property – and the best ones often add to the look of a property rather than being an eyesore.

There are different types of aluminium downpipes that are currently available; some are round in shape while others are square. In round aluminium downpipes, one can find angles, pipe brackets, projection offsets, rainwater shoes and pipe connectors. The angles, pipe brackets, and rainwater shoes are available in square shape as well. Each of these products comes with specific usage; the downpipe angles – to take a case in point – are used to change the course that a downpipe is taking.

There are many companies that are specialising in the fabrication and installation of aluminium gutters, soffits, and downpipes and are catering to the increasing demand from both individual as well as commercial users. Many of these companies are also offering personalised services, incorporating the styles and colour options as specified by customers and clients.

The manufacturing and installation capabilities of some of these providers are “best” in the industry. The focus is always on saving the costs of the clients and ensuring that the aluminium downpipes and gutters are performing to their optimum capacities.  

There are quite a few well established providers of aluminium fabricated rainwater products and gutter systems and many of these providers now come with full fledged web sites that make accessing them easy and hassle free. The quality of the products purchased from a reputed site is comparable to the best in the industry. The cost advantages of procuring aluminium gutters, aluminium soffits, and aluminium downpipes from an online provider of repute cannot be ignored as well. Many of these providers also feature special offers on downpipes and gutters, which make them highly popular.

To know more about how to purchase the best quality aluminium downpipes and gutters, one can visit aluminiumfabricationproducts. With this exposure, the next time you are thinking about procuring the best downpipes and gutters, you would know where to look.

Justin is a well known author who writes on topics like aluminium downpipes, downpipes, aluminium gutters & many more industry related topics.

Have you paid attention to your kitchen lately? It may be time to change for the better. Remodeling the kitchen can be a fun and exciting experience when looking to improve the overall feel of your home. Replacing the old looks of the kitchen and appliances for a newer more modern look can make a dramatic difference. Whether catering for guests or preparing the usual family dinner, the kitchen is a place where people come together and enjoy each other’s company. It may well be known as one of the most important rooms in a home. A kitchen that is both functional and comfortable is now the norm. A remodeled kitchen can provide a home with the feel of modern design and can improve the homeowner’s perspective of the home. Such an important room should have a design that is comfortable and provides easy movement throughout. Because the kitchen is known as the heart of the home, it should also be the best decorated and perfectly equipped room in the house.

Kitchen remodeling  is inarguably one of the best ways you can accomplish all of that as well as dramatically increasing the value of your home. Even if you aren’t thinking of putting your home on the market soon, looking toward the future marketability of your home is always a wise decision. Kitchen remodeling is a sound investment because it allows you to enjoy the benefits today while being assured of your homes marketability tomorrow. Whether looking to remodel or if you’re contemplating a kitchen addition, CA Addition Contractor will help you create the kitchen you always wanted.

We provide you with quality services for all your home remodeling needs! To get a FREE estimate Give us a call at: 1-800-372-4080 Or Visit our website for more information: http://www.caadditioncontractor.com/kitchen_addition.html

Staring at a plain concrete wall is flat out boring. This is mostly the reason why people go for decorative concrete and coating. With a wall, floor, patio, or driveway that has unique formations, colors, and textures, we get to appreciate just how much creative people are. To be able to turn a plain wall or floor into a beautiful work of art is a great addition to the industrial coating industry. Decorative concrete coating has certainly become very popular in modern age.

There are many forms and technique in the application of decorative concrete. By definition, this involves the use of concrete in things that are not really up to its naturally functional elements. It involves the modification and recreation of cement structures with a decorative idea and transforming the structure into great concrete designs.

Concrete coating is also essential in the process of decorative concrete. As with the many forms of the process, there are also many forms or techniques with the coating. Decorative concrete coating has especially become more demanding with the need for aesthetics at minimum cost. Modifications to an existing cement structure is, after all, less expensive than requiring new construction .

A favorite coating technique is acid staining the concrete. After the acid stain is applied, we will have a concrete design with color and patterns or swirls that makes the concrete look like marble. Other popular techniques in the coating include the use of concrete dyes, water-based stain, general overlays and stamped overlays, epoxy coat, polish, engraving, and reflector enhancer. Most of these involve color and texture, which adds to the decorative value of the concrete.

Why do people go for decorative concrete rather than making a new structure with decorative stones? The answer is in the costs incurred. Slate, tiles, and marbles make great designs and are hot on the market but they are very expensive. That’s why many people choose to buy cement instead, and make use of the different coating processes to create the look of natural stone.

The most common form of decorative concrete today is concrete stamping. This involves making the cement look like any natural product. This is especially fitting in making natural stone patios. The process for this requires certain dyes to be mixed into the product, and then laid down like regular cement. A pattern is then stamped into the wet material, and you’ll have a beautiful result when it dries.

Decorative concrete coating is especially needed when we are opting to have our floor or walls resurfaced. Instead of breaking up and replacing a floor with cracks and fading patches, resurfacing is recommended. In decorative concrete resurfacing, we apply a thin layer of fresh cement and cover the cracks and flaws, also adding color and engraved patterns and texture.

There are also other ways in which decorative concrete coating can be done. Whatever process and however way you want to do it, the main advantage of turning to decorative coating is the fact that it is beauty and durability at minimum cost.

Slate tiles are basically organic in nature which is unique to look at, and come in a wide variety of colours that are available in market. They are also having a fantastic texture that actually suits the home interiors which gives a distinctive appeal to the consumers.

Slate tiles are much more durable and require less maintenance. Due to their dark color, the dirt and dust that remains during the course of the day on them can be easily hidden. However, before installing them, one must either know the procedure, or hire professionals to do the same. Also, if an individual is planning for slate tile flooring, the area can be of heavy traffic and it must be chosen accordingly, as one of the most important steps before installing slate tiles flooring is the fact that they need to be polished well, and therefore become very slippery in nature. Hence, some kind of matting should be provided in case one feels that the floors are getting a bit too slippery.

Another thing to be considered is the thickness variations that occur between each tile. One must make it a point to check the overall spacing of the flooring and to ensure that it must fit to the spacing provided. Slate tiles are durable,  strong and easy to resist water and maintain. Even when there are any accidental spills, the same can be easily moped off. Also, it really feels cool and soothing when one walks on the slate tiles barefooted.

There are many such designs and colours of Slate Tiles that are available in the market. They are decorative, durable, and resistant with everlasting beauty.

The thickness variation of these tiles may vary from tile to tile. For the installation, one must always consult to the professional as they can suggest well about the thickness, color, its natural slip resistance etc. Slate tiles flooring can be used in residential as well as commercial interiors or exteriors for its versatility and aesthetic value.

The slate tile is also having some productive uses like the ease to install, and the varied workability, decorative color variation and natural slip resistance that make it a great choice to look good in the interiors.

Jason Colling is a renowned writer, who has written articles on various interior designing techniques related to floor decor. His articles focus on various uses of porcelain tiles , slate tiles , kitchen tiles and tile adhesive, slate tiles and adhesives.