Retaining walls are a structure that holds or retains soil behind it. You may have the need for a retaining wall to support the ground adjacent to a driveway, loading dock or other structure that could be at risk of soil erosion.
PSI works with commercial, industrial and residential clients in St. Louis, St. Charles and surrounding areas. We can accommodate an assortment of slopes at various grades and elevations. You can count on the PSI team to correct your issues on time and on budget.
A retaining wall may be the solution to:
- Control downhill soil erosion. If landscaping is at a slope, it can cause lateral pressure that may lead to the movement of soil downwards. A retaining wall will minimize this pressure.
- Retaining walls are visually appealing and allow for variations in landscaping options.
PSI has the resources and equipment to install, repair and maintain commercial, industrial and residential block retaining walls, such as:
- Demolition and hauling
- Tie wall disposal
- Note: Never install a new wall without removing the existing wooden wall. Over time, the wood will decay causing the backfill to collapse causing water to channel through the backfill. This will eventually cause severe damage to the new wall.
- Drainage systems
- Excavating
- Decorative block installation
- Natural stone placement and borders
- Power washing
- Sealing – We offer high-quality sealers to protect your investment. Talk to your PSI representative for his recommendations.
On a new installation, PSI takes the following industry standard steps to produce a strong, attractive and long-lasting retaining wall:
- Planning and Layout –Can help you map out where you want the wall to be installed, the length and height of the wall and any special features.
- Excavation–We will excavate for the levelling pad to the lines and grade of the plans. The trench for the levelling pad should be at least 2’ and deep enough to bury the first course below grade.
- Levelling Pad–An aggregate levelling pad will be installed made up of compactible base materials off ¾” minus rock with fines.
- Base Row–This is the most important step of the installation. We will make sure all blocks are levelled from front to back and side to side.
- Drainage System–Each project is unique. The grade on site will determine at what level to install drainpipes. We will recommend the drainage system you need.
- Additional Rows–We will fill cores and voids between blocks with ¾” clean drainage aggregate rock prior to laying the next course of blocks. Then, we will backfill with drainage aggregate rock directly behind blocks. Add soil fill behind the aggregate rock and compact before the next row of blocks.
- Reinforcement–We use geogrid synthetic reinforcement material and install the material per the manufacturer’s specifications. It acts as a dead man between the new block wall, aggregate rock and the backfill of soil.
- Capping–If the customer wants, we carefully glue each cap with high-strength concrete adhesive.
- Finish Grade–We protect the wall with a finished grade at the top and bottom using topsoil. We recommend installing sod or seed, fertilizer and straw to the graded area. If needed, we will create a swale to divert water away from the wall.
- Clean Up–Your wall will be brushed down and debris will be removed from the job site to your satisfaction.
To create a strong, attractive and long-lasting retaining wall, we recommend and use the following premium brands:
- Keystone Retaining Wall System
- Versa-Lok Retaining Wall System
- Anchor Retaining Wall System
PSI has Certified Technicians
PSI employs highly trained, OSHA Certified technicians who specialize in residential/commercial concrete projects. We are confident in their capabilities to perform the work accurately and on time.
Call us now for a free quote. Our customer satisfaction starts with our bidding process. In most cases the turnaround time for a bid takes three days or less from site visit to electronic bid in hand.
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Call us now at (636) 443-1349 for a free quote.