I need some advice on replacing a large retaining wall (about 5 feet high and 55 feet long) in my backyard. It currently consists of railroad ties, but due to recent rain, the soil has shifted, and the wall is starting to fail. Since this wall faces my neighbor's yard and I won't see it, I'm looking for the most budget-friendly solution to stabilize it, without fancy aesthetics. Any suggestions?
1 Answer
You might consider using unopened bags of cement. Just lay them down, and remember to water them a couple of times a day. Just know this is more for function than looks!
That could be one way to do it, but building a wall from cement bags might not be cheap overall—expect around $2250 for about 450 bags at $5 each. Plus, there’s a lot of work involved in placing and soaking them. If the wall settles, it might be hard to fix later. I’d lean towards rebuilding the railroad tie wall instead. You can replace any bad ties, maybe buy them for about $28 each. Try drilling them together with rebar and stepping them back into the hillside for support. Good luck!