On Thursday, January 15, 2015 at 11:16:41 AM UTC-5, Walter E. wrote:
I have a 2' tall retaining wall in my garden. It consists of 6x8 railroad
ties, set on edge. The rr-ties are laterally supported by treated 4x4 lumber
posts, imbedded about 1' into concrete supports poured into the soil on the
low side of the wall. there is no concrete footing for the RRties, they are
set on the soil.

All this is now 30 years old. The RR ties are still in good shape but the
treated 4x4 have rotted/broken-off at the base of the wall. Therefore, the
RR ties are slowly being pushed downhill, collapsing the wall.

If I could replace the 4x4 posts in their cast concrete bases, I could
easily re-align the RR ties. How can I replace the 4x4 posts, set in
concrete? Do I need to dig out the concrete base and re-pour new concrete
around a new post? That's hard work for an 85 year old.

Thanks for any help

Walter

--

www.rationality.net

If the old 4x4's have broken off at the cement line or can be cut off
there and covered up with some soil, mulch, whatever, then it's probably
easier to just put new 4x4's embedded in concrete in new locations.
That way you don't have to remove the concrete that's there. That
assumes that visually it's OK, ie that it won't look like hell because
the area of the wall where the old 4x4 were doesn't look different, etc.

Curious though how you're going to "easily" re-align the railroad ties.
If they've shifted, with dirt behind them, that typically isn't easy,
unless maybe you have a tractor to push it with.....