4 Benefits of a Retaining Wall for Your McFarland, WI, Property

When the scene out of the window shows huge gullies of water rushing down the hill in your McFarland, WI, yard, you know it is time to find a solution—especially if it happens every time a storm hits. There are several ways to remedy the run-off issue, and the obvious answer offers an effective and long-lasting solution: have a retaining wall constructed on your landscape. The benefits of installing one can transform your property.

Function of a Retaining Wall

While your varied terrain may be causing you problems at the moment, the fact is a landscape with some variation can be much more interesting. And a retaining wall helps you highlight your landscape’s attributes. A retaining wall takes your landscape’s habit of compiling dirt, mud, and debris during bad weather by holding the earth back behind the wall. The amount of support the wall provides can vary, but its function is to always to keep the soil permanently in place.

In most retaining wall designs and installations, built-in drainpipes are used to better contain the water and prevent built-up pressure that could dislodge stones. The surface run-off is channeled into the drains, and some of the water naturally soaks into the terracing of the wall.

Related: A Retaining Wall Can Set Your Home Apart

Prevents Erosion and Damage

Wind and rain can be harsh on the landscape, but they do not have to cause portions of the property to wash away with each storm. A retaining wall reduces the speed that the water travels, and thus reduces erosion and the resulting mess that gets left behind after a weather event. Designed to slow the water and allow some of it to seep into the sections of the retaining wall, the wall can virtually eliminate the need for another drainage method.

Adds Usable Space in the Landscape

Many homeowners do not realize how much more functional space a retaining wall can create. Since gushing water is no longer an issue, you can have a patio to adjoin your home. Your children can have a swing set and sand box for playing in the yard. You might even plant that vegetable garden you have always wanted because it won’t be a mudhole. And you no longer have to worry about repair costs from rain damage.

Brings Visual Interest

A retaining wall can be a gorgeous focal point of the yard. There are so many natural stones and interlocking blocks in all shades of tan, gray, and white that no two walls have to look the same. You can choose a different stone or tile for a contrasting band that creates a wholly unique retaining wall.

Add to the aesthetic by adding lights. This will extend the wall’s use until well into the night, which can be fun for large gatherings. And the illuminated wall looks beautiful after dark.

Related: Landscape Lighting – Security, Performance and Style

Offers Unexpected Functionality

Another consideration is whether you can add to the retaining wall’s functionality. Built to the right height, it could provide additional outdoor seating. With coping on top, it could become a comfortable seating wall. And, planned correctly, the retaining wall can help to define specific areas of the terrain, such as an outdoor kitchen area or a relaxing seating spot.