wrote in message
oups.com...
Hope someone can tell me if I'm on the right track (or what to do to be
so)-

I want to level some ground on the far end of my driveway to use as
extra parking - it would involve adding fill to level a space about 12
x 16 feet. The most fill would be two feet worth at the far end along
the property line chain-link fence. I figure on building a retaining
wall along the fence line from standard concrete blocks, the base of
which would step down in one-course increments as the slope drops.

I was advised on a way to build the wall that involves dry-stacking the
blocks, driving rebar down into the grade thru the block cavities, then
filling the cavities with cement, which I would also use to cap off the
wall. I'm thinking of using gravel for footings, mostly so I could
drive the rebar through it. I reckon on sloping the grade down past the
end of the level area if I need to wheel anything down to the backyard.

So does this seem like a sound way to do it? I'm figuring on using
cement block rubble and dirt for the fill - that I'm getting from
pulling out a low retaining wall further up the driveway as old as the
house (55 years) and falling apart at its mortar joins (I'm cutting out
a sloped bank where the wall was). Hopefully the new wall will hold out
better than the old one.

VMacek

If the ground freezes in your area you will need to get below the frost line
with a footing. If not the constant movement will break up your block
concrete system. A better and easier way is to just use the interlocking
landscaping retaining wall blocks. They look nicer (stone looking face), no
mortar/concrete (interlock as they stack), no footing (they will move with
the ground).