How Long Do Retaining Walls Last?

A retaining wall is essentially one that holds back soil and has the ability to sustain the pressure created by the soil and water. This is different from other types of walls since there are several other factors to consider. There are various applications for this type of wall including preventing erosion on the hillside, creating an outdoor living space or changing the landscape in your property especially when the ground is sloppy. A retaining wall in construction can be built from many different types of materials like limestone, sandstone, etc. and is usually built after taking the aesthetic component into consideration. The appearance of the wall is of greater importance if built within a private property, garden, school, or office. This article describes various factors affecting the longevity of the wall and answers the basic question “How long does the retaining wall last?”

Key Factors Affecting the Durability of a Retaining Wall 

The life of a wall will depend on various factors like the environment of the location, the type of elements it is exposed to, the material used to construct it and many more. Listed here are the main factors that affect the longevity of a retaining wall:

• Retaining walls made from timber tend to have a life expectancy of 20 to 30 years. Some of the factors that affect it include termites and damage due to water. Besides this, if it is installed in regions that are prone to bushfires, it is likely to be burned during a fire.
• Concrete retaining walls are stronger and more durable since they are not affected by some of the common issues of insects, water damage or extreme weather conditions. It comes down to the quality of the construction; they can last for 50 to 100 years.
• Brick masonry walls also tend to last 50 to 100 years, since they too are strong and not affected by various elements like a timber wall is. 
• Routine maintenance that would mainly involve close inspections and minor work can help increase the life of a wall.
• Soil saturation in water results in an increase in the pressure on the walls and is one of the reasons for a retaining wall to be damaged. 
• A good foundation is key to ensuring the wall built is strong as is knowing how much load the wall is expected to take.
• Limestone is a natural stone that is a highly versatile building material. In fact, besides being used to build a wall it is also used for several other purposes both indoors and outdoors. It is easy to build a retaining wall and it is also highly appealing, besides which it is also very strong and durable with little need for maintenance. This type of wall is affordable, and not affected by the common factors insects,  water damage etc. In fact, it is the ideal material to use in regions that are prone to bushfires too. This type of retaining wall can last for generations to come without being damaged.

Finding the Right Professionals to Build a Sustainable Retaining Wall

Limestone is available in abundance in Perth. It is considered one of the most important materials for building and construction in Australia including for retaining walls. A retaining wall built from limestone is very effective when it comes to preventing soil erosion.

TRWC – The Retaining Wall Company is an expert when it comes to the construction of panel and post retaining walls in Perth. We are located in Western Australia and getting in touch with us is as simple as using the phone or the well-designed inquiry form on our website.

We provide Strong Lock retaining walls which happen to be one of the strongest retaining walls available in Australia. The walls we build are strong, long-lasting and also aesthetically appealing.

In fact, a high percentage of the top builders in Perth prefer to take advantage of Strong Lock retaining walls. It is simple to get a rough estimate of the cost of your wall using the feature on our website to calculate the cost of the material.

The limestone wall construction is sustainable and long-lasting. The fact that it is not affected by extreme weather conditions including fire, storms and rain works to its advantage as well.

It is ideal for various applications like building a retaining wall with the aim to transform the landscape in a private residence, school or office. It is also ideal to prevent soil erosion and can last for a very long time. The Retaining Wall Company are people to contact for the construction of post and panel retaining walls & DIY modular wall panels.