What is the Actual Purpose of a Retaining Wall?

Retaining walls are one of the most underrated features in residential and commercial landscaping projects. Often considered a purely decorative element, these structures serve a wide range of functions that highly benefit your outdoor space.

This blog is here to put an end to that common misconception. Our specialists will walk you through the purpose of a retaining wall, what it is, and how it works, so you can understand the great benefits they provide to your Dedham, MA, property besides landscape design.

The Definition of a Retaining Wall

Let’s start with the basics: what is a retaining wall? It’s a structure specifically designed to withstand lateral earth pressure from soil or water. In that sense, this construction holds back earth and prevents it from shifting or eroding.

For that reason, it’s the go-to solution when dealing with uneven terrain, making steep slopes a much more manageable area, and creating usable land while improving the overall look of a garden. Due to the wide variety of retaining wall materials —which include concrete blocks, stone, brick, or timber— homeowners and business owners can let their imaginations run free when choosing designs.

The 6 Purposes of Retaining Walls

1. Enhance Visual Appeal

Moreover, these walls come in a variety of designs and materials, allowing you to customize them to fit your conditions, needs, and vision. When seamlessly integrated with your home’s existing architecture, they can be a huge aid in raising property value if you ever plan to sell.

2. Improve Drainage in the Area

Okay, so what are retaining walls used for, besides visual appeal? Well, if you’re dealing with drainage issues, a retaining wall is the perfect solution. Most retaining wall systems come with drainage pipes or gravel backfill, which help redirect water away from your home’s foundation and your landscape.

This is especially important in areas with substantial rainfall, like Dedham, MA. Building a retaining wall will not only reduce the risk of water damage and prevent soil from becoming unstable, but also ensure your garden doesn’t drown during the rainy season.

3. Create Functional Slopes

Both homeowners and landscapers will agree that a steep or sloped yard isn’t easy to maintain or use. This is actually one of the best retaining wall uses: they let you shape these slopes into practical spaces.

And there are many ways to take advantage of this benefit. You can create terracing, carve out flat spots for pathways to improve access, include seating areas, and more, all this while keeping the rest of the slop in place.

4. Convert a Slope into Flat Ground

Ideally, most properties should come with perfectly level ground. But the reality is different, and many homeowners and business owners are left wondering what to do with their sloped terrain. Retaining walls help—quite a lot, actually.

By installing retaining walls on your property, you’re transforming an unusable space into a level platform. This allows you to create additional structures or features, such as patios, decks, playgrounds, and parking lots, and even extend your own home or building.

5. Prevent Soil Erosion

Soil erosion is a huge threat to the integrity of your landscape. Especially here in Massachusetts, where we get heavy rains, melting snow, and strong winds—all of which can wash away or loosen topsoil. But with a retaining wall, you don’t have to worry about that. A sturdy structure will keep the soil contained and stable, preserving your garden over time, no matter how unpredictable the weather can be.

6. Separate Land from Water

Do you have property near a lake, pond, sea, or other bodies of water? A retaining wall is an incredible protective barrier. From the many types of walls available, a seawall has the specific purpose of keeping water away from your property.

Therefore, seawalls stop water from intruding into your land, manage water flow, prevent flooding, and provide clear division between your yard and the water’s edge. You can also include stairs in the construction to improve accessibility to the shoreline or turn it into a dock for boats.

How Do Retaining Walls Work?

• Proper footing: This is to support the wall’s weight and prevent settling.
  
• Drainage solutions: Often in the form of perforated pipes or weep holes to allow water to escape.
  
• Reinforcements: Steel bars or geogrids are fundamental in larger or taller walls for extra stability.