Benefits of Retaining Walls

If your yard has sharp gradient changes, then you might want to consider a retaining wall. Apart from providing essential structural support to the soil, a retaining wall, when thoughtfully designed, can be a great attractive feature to any backyard. There are a plethora of additional benefits that make having a retaining wall an integral part of any hardscaping project. With that, let’s discover what benefits a retaining wall offers. A Retaining Wall Adds A Functional Space While mounds and hills can be attractive features, they also require a lot of space. By using a combination of retaining walls, you can create a terrace, which provides your yard with more functional space. Terracing can also give the landscape an attractive and imposing facade, which you can use to showcase special features such as gardens, patios, and other outdoor living spaces. Aesthetics Installing a retaining wall offers more than just functionality. Depending on the material used and the height, it can be an attractive and bold structure. There is something to be said about the contrast of a stone or concrete structure against a natural landscape–it can work wonders for outdoor living spaces. A retaining wall also doubles as a seating wall if set to the right height. With a wide array of materials and styles available, you can make your retaining wall flow efficiently with any other features you might have in your living space. A Retaining Wall Helps Prevent Soil Erosion Erosion, be it by water or wind, is prevalent in any landscape. For this reason, one or more retaining walls are important, particularly if you don’t have a lot of trees in your outdoor living spaces. Apart from providing the required support to your soil, a retaining wall can reduce sharper gradients, preventing surface runoff. This curtails the flow of water over the ground, reducing erosion. Retaining walls can also be a great form of flood control. Drainage pipes and channels can be integrated into your retaining wall construction, further providing protection against floods. Sinkhole Prevention Since a retaining wall helps manage water runoff, it can also help prevent sinkholes. Sinkholes typically appear when sufficient water forms underneath the surface, weakening it to the point of it not being able to sustain weight. As stated earlier, a retaining wall stops erosion, both overground and underground. When left unrepaired and unmanaged, sinkholes can become dangerous, particularly if something or someone falls into them. Structural Support With a retaining wall, your outdoor space has something to keep your soil in place. This is especially important for yards with hills where the wall can act as an effective barrier against landslides. This feature makes a retaining wall an important safety feature for your yard, ensuring not only your well-being but the well-being of your home and other features around it. Furthermore, there are a plethora of retaining wall designs and options, depending on the amount of support required. Need A Retaining Wall in Austin? If your landscape could benefit from a retaining wall, then Southern Love Landscaping is the team to call. As one of the top outdoor living space contractors in Cedar Park and the surrounding area, we have a wide array of landscaping solutions for you to choose from. A Retaining Wall Can Be Used To Create Tiered Landscapes Having a tiered landscape covered by artificial turf offers both functional and aesthetic value to your property. In terms of functionality, a tiered landscape lets you leverage any naturally occurring mounds and hills, putting them to use. For aesthetics, a tiered landscape offers numerous decorative values. For example, you can stagger and combine landscaping decor, features, and plants, that otherwise wouldn't be possible without a retaining wall. Conclusion A retaining wall can be the perfect addition to any outdoor living space. Not only does it offer an aesthetic appeal, but it can also provide structural integrity to your soil and property. With so many materials available for use today, you no longer have to worry about a functional wall negating any aesthetic features your outdoor space might have. Let Southern Love transform your outdoor living space into a place you look forward to.