If you're currently trying to discern whether or not you could benefit from building a retaining wall, try answering the following questions:
1. Do you own a home or property situated on or near sloped, uneven ground?
2. Do you live in a particularly wet climate where flooding and soil erosion are prevalent?
3. Are you looking to add a touch of uniqueness and beauty to your yard and/or property?
If you've answered "yes" to any one of the questions above, it's time to consider installing one.
The Benefits of a Retaining Wall
Retaining walls have a number of uses as well as offer many practical advantages to the homeowner. Generally, the main purpose is to prevent the erosion of sloped earth that may threaten to shift and slide; thereby, potentially damaging or destroying your home or property. They are also particularly effective tools in climates with heavy precipitation, e.g., the Pacific Northwest. Not only will an effective one properly support sloping earth, but it will also act as an effective means of draining water runoff and reducing hydrostatic pressure. Furthermore, they provide a number of agricultural benefits. For warmer, dryer climates, a wall can delay seepage of water from land, and for wetter climates, properly drained walls can divert water from areas prone to flooding.
In addition to practical purposes, these structures maintain a certain aesthetic value as well. As such, adding one may increase the resale value of your home, while also enhancing your own enjoyment of your property. For example, a wall can be constructed in a series of steps or levels, granting you unrestricted creativity to include all kinds of plantings, flowers, or other elements that will add texture, color, and new life to each successive level. Not to mention, stepped retaining walls have proven to be a more effective form of erosion control.
Retaining Wall Options
Since these structures provide support for vertical grade changes, an effective one must be constructed in such a way as to accommodate and redistribute the lateral pressure caused by sloping. As a result, they vary in size and type, and often include materials like stone, brick, concrete, vinyl, steel, and pressure treated timber.
BUILDING A FENCE: 5 STEPS TO GETTING STARTED
When it comes to fences, it is all about form and function. Building a fence needs a lot more forethought than one may think. Consider the following steps to building a fence when getting started:
1.Know your property. Before marking your perimeter, make sure to know where it really is. Have a clear map of the property lines run before building anything. Check with the city to see if building permits are required or if power lines will be underfoot.
2.Choose the fence style. There are several different fence styles to choose from when thinking about what is best for your home. Do you want a simple barrier, something to accentuate the home, more privacy, noise control, etc.? The following are a few of the more popular styles to consider:
•Picket fence: a classic fence style that is usually shorter and uses narrow wood or vinyl boards.
•Cedar Solid Style or Vinyl Privacy fence: uses a board-on-board or board-and-post style that limits the amount of space between boards to protect a space from visibility.
•Semi-privacy Vinyl fence: additional space placed between boards allows more visibility.
•Cedar and Vinyl Lattice fences: an ornamental look with a crisscrossing pattern that often appears on the top of a good neighbor or privacy fence.
•Split Rail fencing: a reliable, classic style that gives a property a Western look. This is a great style of fence to install for the do-it-yourself person because of the affordability and ease of construction.
•Decorator fence: used to accent a home or area of a garden, this fence style alternates wide dog-eared boards and narrow flat boards.
•Good Neighbor fence: Popular with neighbors, this style fence appears the same from both sides, providing security while offering a feeling of spaciousness. Quality cedar boards alternate on either side of this fence. It is attractive on both sides and allows the wind to pass through, holding up very well in our northwest winters.
•Picture Frame fence: A decorative and popular fence, aesthetically pleasing to the eye, which both neighbors can enjoy. Picture Frame cedar boards are mounted side.
For the full article see Custom Fencing and Decking
1.Know your property. Before marking your perimeter, make sure to know where it really is. Have a clear map of the property lines run before building anything. Check with the city to see if building permits are required or if power lines will be underfoot.
2.Choose the fence style. There are several different fence styles to choose from when thinking about what is best for your home. Do you want a simple barrier, something to accentuate the home, more privacy, noise control, etc.? The following are a few of the more popular styles to consider:
•Picket fence: a classic fence style that is usually shorter and uses narrow wood or vinyl boards.
•Cedar Solid Style or Vinyl Privacy fence: uses a board-on-board or board-and-post style that limits the amount of space between boards to protect a space from visibility.
•Semi-privacy Vinyl fence: additional space placed between boards allows more visibility.
•Cedar and Vinyl Lattice fences: an ornamental look with a crisscrossing pattern that often appears on the top of a good neighbor or privacy fence.
•Split Rail fencing: a reliable, classic style that gives a property a Western look. This is a great style of fence to install for the do-it-yourself person because of the affordability and ease of construction.
•Decorator fence: used to accent a home or area of a garden, this fence style alternates wide dog-eared boards and narrow flat boards.
•Good Neighbor fence: Popular with neighbors, this style fence appears the same from both sides, providing security while offering a feeling of spaciousness. Quality cedar boards alternate on either side of this fence. It is attractive on both sides and allows the wind to pass through, holding up very well in our northwest winters.
•Picture Frame fence: A decorative and popular fence, aesthetically pleasing to the eye, which both neighbors can enjoy. Picture Frame cedar boards are mounted side.
For the full article see Custom Fencing and Decking
Pacific Northwest Fencing: Ten Reasons to Choose Cedar
Drizzly winter months, intense green foliage, and friendly folks are not the only signs that you are in the Pacific Northwest. The area is also the home to an abundance of cedar fences and decks.
The use of cedar in Northwest construction projects is more than popular - it's also practical. Assuming you have chosen real wood over one of the new lower maintenance choices, then cedar is the right material for your next deck or fence. Consider these 10 reasons I consider cedar a superior wood choice for Oregon and Washington homes.
1. Durability. Thanks to its tight, straight grain and small knots, cedar offers strong dimensional stability, meaning that it holds its shape and form better than other substances. Wood often shrinks as natural moisture in it evaporates. This can negatively impact a project in several ways, as drying wood will twist or crack. Some woods will not lay flat after they dry out. Thanks to its high dimensional stability, cedar is more likely to stay straight and flat as it dries.
2. Decay resistance. Cedar has long been celebrated for its longevity. A naturally occurring oil in cedar acts as a preservative. However, certain sealants and stains can also lock in cedar's rich original color, and protect it's cosmetic beauty.
3. Beauty. Cedar's tight grain patterns and interesting textures are enchanting in a cedar fence or cedar deck. Properly stained cedar has a warm, inviting quality not found in any other wood.
4. Insect Resistance. Did you know that oils found naturally in cedar repel bugs? This is why mothballs and shoetrees are often made from cedar. In fact, the use of cedar as a natural insecticide has a long historical legacy. Ancient Greeks revered local Mediterranean cedar for this reason; a section of The Iliad tells of a character fetching a precious item from a cedar chest. Homeowners and contractors alike appreciate cedar's resistance to termites and fungi.
5. Acceptance of stains. Cedar is an easy-going, laid-back kind of wood. It's happy to take nearly any stain you choose, making it easy to match a cedar deck or fence to your home. Experts recommend a natural oil based product for ease and longevity.
6. Aromatic properties. Cedar releases enchanting aromas as it ages, adding to its overall charm. Aromatherapists tell us that cedar calms the nerves and stimulates circulation. Cedar's olfactory power is even touted in the bible; King Solomon's palace was supposedly built with cedar, since its fragrance was thought to bring people closer to God.
7. Cedar is easy to work with. Unlike some especially hard tropical woods like Ipe, cedar is easy to work with from a construction point of view. Many tropical woods are so hard that holes must be pre-drilled. In contrast, cedar is lightweight and easy to saw, nail, and drill.
8. Regional Significance. Cedar is one of the most common trees in Pacific Northwest forests, and is often found growing among Douglas Fir and Hemlock. Native people of the Northwest used Cedar for everything from medicine to sacred ceremonies to housing.
9. It's Natural and Safe. You'll be living with your deck or fence for years, so you'll want to be sure that the material it's made of is safe. From a human health standpoint, cedar is healthy. Other decking materials, like pressure-treated lumber, often contain nasty chemicals. Anyone who's gotten a sliver from pressure-treated wood will tell you that it's better to get a sliver from natural wood, like cedar. (Splinters from pressure-treated wood often become infected, due to toxic substances in the chemical treatment.)
10. Environmental Impact. Cedar is an environmentally friendly choice with it being one of the few natural renewable resources. Not only are many woods products renewable, but they are also recyclable and biodegradable. Because cedar grows intermitted among stands of more common and densely grown and harvested species, cedar is generally reclaimed as a byproduct of timber operations, by smaller organizations who specialize in its milling.
A cedar fence or deck will provide you with a beautiful, long-lasting, natural finish to your Northwest yard. Consider your options but be sure you understand why so many fencing experts recommend cedar for outdoor builds.
~Colleen Welch, 2009
The use of cedar in Northwest construction projects is more than popular - it's also practical. Assuming you have chosen real wood over one of the new lower maintenance choices, then cedar is the right material for your next deck or fence. Consider these 10 reasons I consider cedar a superior wood choice for Oregon and Washington homes.
1. Durability. Thanks to its tight, straight grain and small knots, cedar offers strong dimensional stability, meaning that it holds its shape and form better than other substances. Wood often shrinks as natural moisture in it evaporates. This can negatively impact a project in several ways, as drying wood will twist or crack. Some woods will not lay flat after they dry out. Thanks to its high dimensional stability, cedar is more likely to stay straight and flat as it dries.
2. Decay resistance. Cedar has long been celebrated for its longevity. A naturally occurring oil in cedar acts as a preservative. However, certain sealants and stains can also lock in cedar's rich original color, and protect it's cosmetic beauty.
3. Beauty. Cedar's tight grain patterns and interesting textures are enchanting in a cedar fence or cedar deck. Properly stained cedar has a warm, inviting quality not found in any other wood.
4. Insect Resistance. Did you know that oils found naturally in cedar repel bugs? This is why mothballs and shoetrees are often made from cedar. In fact, the use of cedar as a natural insecticide has a long historical legacy. Ancient Greeks revered local Mediterranean cedar for this reason; a section of The Iliad tells of a character fetching a precious item from a cedar chest. Homeowners and contractors alike appreciate cedar's resistance to termites and fungi.
5. Acceptance of stains. Cedar is an easy-going, laid-back kind of wood. It's happy to take nearly any stain you choose, making it easy to match a cedar deck or fence to your home. Experts recommend a natural oil based product for ease and longevity.
6. Aromatic properties. Cedar releases enchanting aromas as it ages, adding to its overall charm. Aromatherapists tell us that cedar calms the nerves and stimulates circulation. Cedar's olfactory power is even touted in the bible; King Solomon's palace was supposedly built with cedar, since its fragrance was thought to bring people closer to God.
7. Cedar is easy to work with. Unlike some especially hard tropical woods like Ipe, cedar is easy to work with from a construction point of view. Many tropical woods are so hard that holes must be pre-drilled. In contrast, cedar is lightweight and easy to saw, nail, and drill.
8. Regional Significance. Cedar is one of the most common trees in Pacific Northwest forests, and is often found growing among Douglas Fir and Hemlock. Native people of the Northwest used Cedar for everything from medicine to sacred ceremonies to housing.
9. It's Natural and Safe. You'll be living with your deck or fence for years, so you'll want to be sure that the material it's made of is safe. From a human health standpoint, cedar is healthy. Other decking materials, like pressure-treated lumber, often contain nasty chemicals. Anyone who's gotten a sliver from pressure-treated wood will tell you that it's better to get a sliver from natural wood, like cedar. (Splinters from pressure-treated wood often become infected, due to toxic substances in the chemical treatment.)
10. Environmental Impact. Cedar is an environmentally friendly choice with it being one of the few natural renewable resources. Not only are many woods products renewable, but they are also recyclable and biodegradable. Because cedar grows intermitted among stands of more common and densely grown and harvested species, cedar is generally reclaimed as a byproduct of timber operations, by smaller organizations who specialize in its milling.
A cedar fence or deck will provide you with a beautiful, long-lasting, natural finish to your Northwest yard. Consider your options but be sure you understand why so many fencing experts recommend cedar for outdoor builds.
~Colleen Welch, 2009
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