i am planning on building a retaining wall using 4x4 P\T lumber.
since some of the wood will be in contact with soil i'm thinking of
applying some roof cement to the wood that will be touching dirt to hold
the moisture at bay. yea or nay?
thanks, cj

cj wrote:
i am planning on building a retaining wall using 4x4 P\T lumber.
since some of the wood will be in contact with soil i'm thinking of
applying some roof cement to the wood that will be touching dirt to hold
the moisture at bay. yea or nay?
thanks, cj

Don't know about that, but....

I had a 5 to 6 foot high PT 4x4 retaining wall put in over 15 years ago
and it shows no signs of deteriorization yet.

The PT stock came with a "lifetime" guarantee about rotting out, but
there was language in the guarantee which said all cut off ends had to
be properly treated with anti-rot chemicals. I'm not sure if the guys I
hired followed through with that, but so far so good.

I'm also not sure if today's PT lumber is as well protected as the stuff
I got 15 years ago. I know there have been "safety changes" made in the
chemical penetrants since then.

Can someone enlighten us about that please?


Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10e12 furlongs per fortnight.

On 9/2/2010 6:13 PM, jeff_wisnia wrote:
cj wrote:
i am planning on building a retaining wall using 4x4 P\T lumber.
since some of the wood will be in contact with soil i'm thinking of
applying some roof cement to the wood that will be touching dirt to
hold the moisture at bay. yea or nay?
thanks, cj

Don't know about that, but....

I had a 5 to 6 foot high PT 4x4 retaining wall put in over 15 years ago
and it shows no signs of deteriorization yet.

The PT stock came with a "lifetime" guarantee about rotting out, but
there was language in the guarantee which said all cut off ends had to
be properly treated with anti-rot chemicals. I'm not sure if the guys I
hired followed through with that, but so far so good.

I'm also not sure if today's PT lumber is as well protected as the stuff
I got 15 years ago. I know there have been "safety changes" made in the
chemical penetrants since then.

Can someone enlighten us about that please?


Jeff


I don't think the new stuff will last nearly as long with soil contact.
I've got some in the ground for over 30 years with no problems but doubt
it with today's treatments. I suspect coating will help somewhat.

On Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:35:54 -0400, cj wrote:

i am planning on building a retaining wall using 4x4 P\T lumber.
since some of the wood will be in contact with soil i'm thinking of
applying some roof cement to the wood that will be touching dirt to hold
the moisture at bay. yea or nay?
thanks, cj

Best bet is to overdig, then line space behind the wall with filter
fabric and fill with crushed stone. If there will be a lot of water
behind the wall, you can put in perforated drain pipe below the stone,
and direct the water to daylight if you can.

That'll also help with freeze thaw cycles if that's an issue in your
area. Helps prevent the frozen ground from pushing the wall out.

HTH,

Paul F.

On Sep 2, 5:35*pm, cj wrote:
i am planning on building a retaining wall using 4x4 P\T lumber.
since some of the wood will be in contact with soil i'm thinking of
applying some roof cement to the wood that will be touching dirt to hold
the moisture at bay. yea or nay?
thanks, cj

Ahh your about to build your new perpetual project

The wall has moved time to rebuild

The wall is rotting time to rebuild

The wall looks kinda bad time to rebuild.

The wall............. and on and on and on

If the drop isnt to much your far better off to just slope the ground
and plant something.

Unless your going to build a wall with a proper footer excavated far
below grade, tons of gravel and drain lines behind the wall, using
lifetime type materials and spend a fortune doing all this. in which
case it might outlast you but a future owner will be rebuilding some
day....

the best wall is the one that was never built

on disadvantages to walls heres another one a kid just fell off the
wall were taking him to the ER, your homeowners insurance is good isnt
it?

if the kid had slipped down the slope in ground cover he would likely
be fine, perhaps some band aids?

the best wall is the one that was never built!

On Sep 2, 5:35*pm, cj wrote:
i am planning on building a retaining wall using 4x4 P\T lumber.
since some of the wood will be in contact with soil i'm thinking of
applying some roof cement to the wood that will be touching dirt to hold
the moisture at bay. yea or nay?
thanks, cj

If you can do it without cutting the ends it will last longer. I had
to rebuild one in our yard after about 15 years. Rotted. Mostly in
form the ends but a few pieces just rotted in general. Doesn't matter
what they use, complete penetration is hard to get.

In article
,
" wrote:


Walls are just projects that go on and on and on..........

Engineered walls don't. Why do people think that a house needs a
foundation but a wall in the yard doesn't? People throw wood or stone on
top of the dirt, and expect the dirt to stay put. That's nothing more
than anthropomorphism.

A lot of homes here are built on hillsides, and a properly engineered
and installed retaining wall the width of a city lot might run $50k or
more. Most of the stuff people call retaining walls are really just yard
ornaments. Those are the kind that like to sleepwalk.

On Sep 5, 1:38*pm, Smitty Two wrote:
In article
,

" wrote:

Walls are just projects that go on and on and on..........

Engineered walls don't. Why do people think that a house needs a
foundation but a wall in the yard doesn't? People throw wood or stone on
top of the dirt, and expect the dirt to stay put. That's nothing more
than anthropomorphism.

A lot of homes here are built on hillsides, and a properly engineered
and installed retaining wall the width of a city lot might run $50k or
more. Most of the stuff people call retaining walls are really just yard
ornaments. Those are the kind that like to sleepwalk.

and people build walls out of wood and other materials that dont hold
up.....

but a properly engineered and built wall would cost so much few could
afford it.

the best wall is one that was never built.

I have removed most of the walls here, and it looks better never
requires any maintence and costs nearly nothing

On 9/5/2010 4:27 PM, wrote:
On Sep 5, 1:38 pm, Smitty wrote:
In article
,

wrote:

Walls are just projects that go on and on and on..........

Engineered walls don't. Why do people think that a house needs a
foundation but a wall in the yard doesn't? People throw wood or stone on
top of the dirt, and expect the dirt to stay put. That's nothing more
than anthropomorphism.

A lot of homes here are built on hillsides, and a properly engineered
and installed retaining wall the width of a city lot might run $50k or
more. Most of the stuff people call retaining walls are really just yard
ornaments. Those are the kind that like to sleepwalk.

and people build walls out of wood and other materials that dont hold
up.....

but a properly engineered and built wall would cost so much few could
afford it.

the best wall is one that was never built.

I have removed most of the walls here, and it looks better never
requires any maintence and costs nearly nothing

Agree that proper grading is the best answer whenever possible. But it
ain't always possible, especially when working with an as-found fubar on
a small subdivision lot. If you have a driveway cut on a non-flat not,
you basically get to choose between a retaining wall or a PITA slope
that keeps eroding, and is impossible to to mow or keep ground cover on.
In cases like that, my preference is for one of those dry-stack
interlocking block walls with gravel and drainage behind. If it ever
does fall down, you can put it back together.

--
aem sends...