Retaining & Landscape Walls

The construction of durable, long-lasting retaining walls is one of the more challenging aspects of any landscape project. Failed or stressed retaining walls are a common sight in the landscape. Anyone can build a retaining wall… but it takes some expertise and skill to build a wall that and won’t tip, buckle or heave under pressure.

Genus Loci knows what it takes to construct a retaining wall to last a lifetime. In collaboration with our engineering associates, Genus Loci designs and builds attractive, structurally sound and cost-effective walls for any site, soil or situation. We understand there is much more to a retaining wall than meets the eye, and are very meticulous when it comes to factors ranging from base preparations and geogrid installations to backdrains and backfilling.

Depending on the client’s preferences, site constraints, and budgets, we can design and build retaining walls from many different materials, as outlined below:

Dry-laid Fieldstone Walls: 

Gravity walls constructed of small stone pieces without mortar for a rustic appearance, and are suitable for walls up to approximately 1metre high;

Armour Stone:

Gravity walls constructed of large armour and/or cap stone chunks. There is no limitation of wall size so long as the geogrids, base, and backfill are properly engineered. Where there is good equipment access, armour stone is typically the most cost-effective construction material;

Granite Boulder Walls:

These can be used as an alternative to armour stone where a vertical wall is not required, and are ideal for near-water applications such as pond shorelines;

CMU Walls:

Concrete masonary unit (cmu) walls are gravity walls constructed of prefabricated concrete blocks, coloured and textured in a variety walls. With proper engineering and the use of geogrids, CMU walls can be built to any height. Genus Loci is a certified install of cmu wall stone manufactured by Unilock.

CIP Concrete Walls:

Cast-in-place concrete walls with spread footings are typically constructed where a sheer vertical drop is required, or to make an architectural statement (for instance, by making the wall an extension of an existing building). Concrete walls may be given a textured finish or faced with mortared natural stone, and are most cost-effective for 2+ metre high applications

Green Walls:

Green walls are an innovative new approach to soil retention where vertical walls are not required. Living plants are integrated into a structure composed of geogrid material, geotextile fabrics and soil to provide remarkable retention capability. A number of different green wall systems are now commercially available, and with proper engineering, can be safely built to any height.