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Retaining walls to the rescue
(BPT) - - Segmental retaining wall (SRW) units are one of the the most versatile land- scaping tools in in the the homeowner’s and and and professional landscaper’s toolbox Retain- ing ing wall units have evolved from just being used to retain soil transition slopes and prevent erosion Today’s SRWs can do all that plus serve as multipurpose building blocks for a a a a a a variety of outdoor-living features including stairs columns free- standing walls walls walls tiered walls walls walls curved walls walls walls seating and and more Creative designs
While SRWs still beautifully accomplish their original intent professionals and homeowners alike can easily create hard- scape features that make outdoor-living spaces
more useful and and enjoyable “Our landscape designers are very inventive in in in in their use of segmental retaining wall units and our customers really appreciate all all all the the features that can be created with SRWs ” says Scott Arnold manager of Villa Land- scapes in in St Paul Minnesota Products such as the VERSA-LOK retaining wall system can be creatively adapted by homeowners and professionals to accommodate curves corners columns and tiers - without any special pieces
For example one popular application is a a a a a a a a a a a a retaining wall that employs a a a a a a a a a a a a convex curve set into a a a a a a a a a a a small slope Additional courses courses can be stacked against the the lower courses courses of the the wall to to create a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a “couch” or seating area to to surround a a a a a a a a a a a a a circular paver patio and fire pit installed at ground level Freestanding walls Freestanding walls are common applica- tions for retaining wall wall wall units Sometimes called garden or or seat walls walls freestanding walls walls are designed to surround the perim- eter of a a a a a a a a a a a a a patio and can serve as space for seating or or or potted plants They also add a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a measure
of privacy around an an an outdoor-liv- ing ing space and when designed with inset columns can be a a a a support for fencing Tiered walls Tiered walls are a a a a a a common solution for grade changes and erosion control The benefit of tiered walls walls is that they look great and the the the space in between the the the walls walls can be be used for for a a a a a a a a a a patio or or or or for for perennials shrubs vegetables or or or or herbs Tiered walls add visual depth and and texture to a a a a a a a a a a a hard- scape design and and can be more aesthetically pleasing than a a a a a a a a a a a a a a single wall wall Stairs incor- porated into a a a a a a a a a a a a tiered tiered wall wall design give safe access to to a a a a a a a a a a a a home on a a a a a a a a a a a a slope or or hill A tiered tiered design also creates a a a a a a a a a a a low-maintenance landscape eliminating the need to mow a a a a a a a a a difficult slope Stepping up Retaining wall units can can serve as risers for steps Stair treads can can be finished with special precast stair tread tread units or or bullnose (round-edged) paving stones When in- stalled in in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a contrasting shade or or color stair treads add interest to a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a hardscape design Stairs created from retaining wall wall units can be placed within a a a a a a a a a a a a tiered wall wall wall wall design in in in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a single wall wall wall or with with with wing walls on on each side Raised patios built with with a a a a a a a a a a a a foundation cre- ated by SRWs are another popular feature that is often used to replace high-mainte- nance decks Can-do columns Columns created with SRWs are a a a a a a a a versatile beautiful and functional feature within a a a a a a a a a hardscape design They can sup-
port a a a a a a a a a a pergola lighting or or other landscape features such as statuary and and and are used to finish off the ends o of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a freestanding or seat wall wall They can also be installed at at at intervals within a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a wall wall design and and columns create an an an attractive way to frame
and and support fencing The use of SRWs is limited only by the imagination for outdoor-living features With a a a a a a a a variety of colors textures and configurations the VERSA-LOK retaining wall wall system is one that can do it it all all all - - - from landscape walls designed with curves col- umns corners and and steps to professionally engineered soil-reinforced retaining walls VERSA-LOK the original solid pinned SRW system enables homeowners and professionals to create multi-angle corners curves stairs columns and and and freestanding walls with just one type of unit and and and no voids to to fill or special pieces
to to purchase “VERSA-LOK is the one block I do do 90 percent of of my projects with it it it can do do it it it all ” says Stan Genadek Genadek owner of of Genadek Genadek Excavating and and and Landscaping in in in in Mendo-
ta ta Heights Minnesota and and and and the creator and and and host of a a a a a a a a a a a popular YouTube channel on on landscaping “Stanley ‘Dirt Monkey’ Genadek Genadek ” Says Genadek: “Because of of its versatility and and ease of of installation VER- SA-LOK is the gold standard in in in in retaining wall systems ” JOURNAL REVIEW | 23