Trained landscape architect
Retaining walls in Kernersville, NC
Retaining walls for Kernersville slopes in block, concrete or natural stone, with drainage behind to stop washout.
Free written estimate before work starts
- Trained landscape architect.
- Since 2000 in business.
What a retaining wall fixes
- Stops erosionThe wall holds the soil heavy rain would wash downhill, so the bank stops creeping into the lawn, beds and drive.
- Controls runoffDrainage behind and below the wall gathers water and sends it away from the house and the soggy low spots.
- Makes level groundA slope you could not use becomes a terrace for a patio, a garden or a lawn that is easy to mow.
- Protects what sits aboveA wall below a driveway or a patio holds the soil that supports it.
Block, concrete or natural stone walls
| Wall type | Best for | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete block | Best for: Most home walls, from a low bed edge to a wall that holds a real slope | What to know: Interlocking blocks made to hold soil, with many colors and textures and little upkeep. |
| Poured concrete | Best for: Taller walls and walls under heavy loads | What to know: Reinforced with steel for the most strength, with a clean, plain face. |
| Natural stone | Best for: Garden terraces, bed walls and seat walls | What to know: Each stone is different, so the wall looks at home in a planted yard. Best kept to decorative heights. |
| Tiered walls | Best for: Slopes too steep for one wall | What to know: Two or more shorter walls split the load and leave a level bed or terrace between them. |
Walls we have built
Why walls fail in Piedmont clay
Most walls that fail were beaten by water, not by weight. Piedmont red clay drains slowly, so rain that soaks in behind a wall stays there and pushes. Clean drainage stone behind the wall and a perforated pipe with an outlet give that water a way out, and that is what keeps a wall standing straight for the long run.
Height changes the job. A low bed wall or seat wall is a garden project; a taller wall, or one holding up a driveway or a building, can need an engineered design and a permit. Check with the Town of Kernersville and your HOA before work is scheduled, and share what they tell you so the plan accounts for it.
Total Lawn Care Triad has been in business since 2000. We build block, poured concrete, natural stone and tiered walls, and finish the grading around each one, with landscape installation for the beds above and below. Walls are one part of our hardscaping in Kernersville.
Excavation, base, wall, backfill and grade
Reading the slope
We look at the slope, the soil, where the water runs and what sits above and below, then recommend a wall type, height and layout.
Excavation and base
We dig the footing, lay and compact a gravel base, and set the first course level, because every course above it follows that first one.
Wall, drainage and backfill
Each course is set level and on line. Behind it go a perforated drain pipe with an outlet, clean gravel backfill and reinforcement grid where the wall needs it.
Grading and finish
We grade the soil above and below the wall, tie it into the beds and lawn, and clean up so the wall looks like it belongs there.
Retaining wall cost: height, length and drainage
Height moves a wall's cost more than anything, because a taller wall needs more base, drainage and reinforcement.
- Height and length
- A taller or longer wall takes more material, more digging and more reinforcement, and a tall wall can need an engineered design.
- Material
- Concrete block, poured concrete and natural stone differ in material cost and in how long each takes to build.
- Drainage
- How much water reaches the wall sets how much pipe, gravel and outlet work goes behind it.
- Digging and site prep
- Hard clay, roots, rock or brush to clear before the base goes in all add time.
- Access
- A wall the equipment can reach goes faster than one behind the house where block and gravel are moved by hand.
Permits, wall life and drainage
Do I need a permit for a retaining wall in Kernersville?
Height and load decide it. Taller walls, and walls below a driveway or a building, can need a permit and an engineered design. Check with the town and your HOA before work starts, and tell us what they require so the plan accounts for it.
How long does a retaining wall last?
A wall lasts as long as its base and drainage hold up. Most walls that fail lean or bulge because water built up behind them or the base settled, not because the block wore out. A compacted base, gravel backfill and a drain with a way out are what give a wall a long life.
What is the best material for a retaining wall?
For most home walls, interlocking concrete block is the practical choice: strong, made to hold soil and easy to keep up. Poured concrete suits the tallest and heaviest walls, and natural stone suits garden terraces and seat walls.
Can a retaining wall fix drainage problems?
Often, yes. The drain pipe and gravel behind the wall catch water that used to sheet across the slope and carry it to an outlet. It is a common reason to build one.
How long does installation take?
A short garden wall on open ground is quicker to build than a tall wall with drainage behind it. Length, height, the drainage work and how easily equipment can reach the site decide how long it takes, and we go over it with you at the estimate.
Get a site visit
Tell us about the job. We come out, look at it with you and put a price in writing. Nothing starts until you approve it.
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