Retaining Walls

Archive for the ‘Retaining Walls’ Category

Brand New Steel Seawall Installed on Lake Neva in Oakland County, Michigan

Friday, August 24th, 2012

Seaside Seawalls has recently installed a brand new steel seawall, boardwalk, and retaining wall on Lake Neva which is located in the township of White Lake, Michigan. White Lake is a chartered township of the greater Oakland County, and has an estimated population of 30,019 residents. The township’s total area is approximately 37.2 square miles, of which 33.7 square miles is land and 3.5 square miles is water.

For this current project, we first had to demolish both the customer’s existing retaining wall as well as their seawall, since a portion of the wall had completely fallen over. However, during the demolition, there were a few challenges that we encountered. Right about where the step inlet was going to be installed, we found an 8’ x 5’ x 2’ chunk of cement with rerod (rerod is basically a reinforcing material, usually steel, that is used to help with the reinforcement and structuring of concrete or cement) all through it! Removing this large piece of buried cement and rerod posed a very unique challenge for our team, who attempted to extract it from 4 feet below the grade. However, we were able to get it out of there…finally! While we are still not sure why it was there or how it got there, it sure felt like we were pulling up a chunk of an old road!

After this labor-intensive demolition, which included the complete removal of the customer’s old retaining wall and seawall, we prepared to install a brand new steel seawall in place of the old, failing one. This residential customer also wished to have a new boardwalk and retaining wall installed on the waterfront property. Therefore after obtaining our DEQ Permit, we gathered the necessary equipment (specifically a skid-steer and an excavator) and materials we’d need to finish the job. The materials we used included steel for the seawall, treated lumber for the boardwalk and retaining wall, and riprap for the toe of the seawall to help keep it in place and prevent shoreline erosion. The estimated time to completion of this project was 5 days.

The steel seawall we built included 6 steps in it and a landing between half of the steps. This brand new steel seawall ended up being 140 feet in length, and 36 inches in height. After the seawall was constructed, we built a boardwalk and retaining wall out of treated lumber and attached them to the seawall. We used treated lumber (4 x 6 timber) to construct the retaining wall, which was tiered and installed around the perimeter of the boardwalk, ending up at a height of 9 inches. The boardwalk, which was also made from treated lumber, was 25 feet in length and 6 feet wide. As we typically do with our seawalls, riprap was placed at 100% of the water-ward toe of the wall, and the entire area of the seawall was backfilled, graded, top-soiled, and seeded.

Lake Neva is a relatively small lake, as it is only about 47 acres in size. The lake itself consists of several wide canals with residential homes on both sides. Lake Neva is a private, all-sports lake with no public access and no public beach. Those who reside on Lake Neva enjoy its sandy bottoms and frequently make use of the lake for water activities, such as pontoon boating.

The township of White Lake lies within the greater Oakland County of Michigan. Oakland County is said to have a population of approximately 1,202,362 residents and a total area of 908 square miles, of which 872.51 square miles is land, and 35.49 square miles is water.

At Seaside Seawalls, we stand by the work we do. That is just one of the reasons why we offer a 10 year guarantee on our seawalls! Unlike other construction companies, we do not cut corners at Seaside Seawalls. Each and every job is carefully considered and planned out before any construction efforts begin. We build our seawalls to withstand the ever-changing ground pressure due to the extreme weather conditions here in Michigan. Whether your latest project includes having a seawall, retaining wall, or boardwalk constructed (for a full list of the many other services we offer, check out our Services Page), our team of highly qualified and trained professionals possess the skills that are necessary to help you construct that attractive and functional waterfront property you’ve always dreamed of having! Please feel free to contact us today for your free estimate!

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Maintenance Tips for Retaining Walls

Saturday, June 25th, 2011

If you have a retaining wall on your property, it is important to inspect the wall at least four times a year. We suggest you conduct a comprehensive inspection at the end of each season. Regular inspection of the structure for any damage caused by the changing seasons could keep your maintenance costs down by allowing you to spot any early signs of trouble. Examine the wall for damaged or weak areas. Look for cracks or crumbling in the mortar or concrete wall. If you have a wooden wall, inspect the timber for signs of splitting, rotting or evidence of termite or carpenter ant infestation. Also, look for any signs of shifting or movement such as any signs of sliding down the slope. Take a mental note of the way the wall leans. Retaining walls should lean into the slope, not away from it. If you have additional structures that were built above the wall such as a shed or deck, make sure that the extra weight and pressure isn’t causing the wall to buckle or bow.

To help ensure that water drains properly around the wall, soil or back-fill dirt is placed around the wall during construction to help water drainage. Over time the back-fill behind and below the wall can become further compacted. Excessive settling can cause serious problems, because rainwater can work its way down through the low spots and the soil can become over-saturated and soft, causing the wall to become unstable. Seaside Seawalls uses steel sheet piling retaining walls. This is best for the above average in height Michigan terrain. It does a fantastic job withstanding the heavy backfill pressures and its elegant lines enrich the appearance of your property.

Stackable/segmented retaining walls or rock retaining walls are not only cost effective and lovely to look at, but are also a great way to feature your landscaping plants. But be aware, that plants that grow over or around your wall should be examined regularly as well. The plants can cause potential problems for the wall if the surrounding landscape is not properly maintained. Landscaping plants can protect the wall from erosion, so keeping them well maintained helps preserve the wall as well. Inspect the surrounding soil areas for any signs that the soil is wearing away. If you notice any bare spots, reseed those areas, or plant additional flowers or foliage to fill in the bare spaces. Keep your walls and landscapes clean of weeds. Even if you only spot a single plant, it’s important to get rid of it as soon as possible. One weed can quickly multiply into a many troublesome plants. Their roots grow deeply and can create costly problems for you. So simply pull out the unsightly weeds by hand as you see them, or treat the entire wall with a weed-killing lawn spray to ward off their growth.

If you have any questions, need advice, want a new retaining wall or want one of our experts to inspect your property, please contact Seaside Seawalls and we will be happy to discuss your options on which is the best solution for you.

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Redi-rock retaining wall systems

Saturday, May 29th, 2010

Our most rescent redi-rock retaining wall install went well. Basically, we didnt run into any major problems. There was alot of room to work, which always makes a difference. Installing these Michigan redi-rock retaining walls goes quite quickly after the installation of the first initial row. The first row takes time due to the fact that the block has to be about a foot into the ground, on top of a well compacted crushed concrete and gravel base. You just have to make sure that it is perfectly level with your laser level, then you get to throw them down like hot cakes. These retaining wall systems are also called redi-wall by some. Whatever you want to call these 2500 pound interlocking blocks, they are the way to go if your project requires heavy land retention or a taller wall.

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