Building a Retaining Wall Along an Existing Fence: a Wise Decision?

Is it possible to construct a retaining wall along with an existing fence?

To answer the question in a simple yes or no; Yes, you can construct a retaining wall against an existing fence. When it comes to your landscape, adding a fence to a retaining wall sums up security and privacy. 

Before moving ahead in the discussion, it will be highly beneficial to comprehend the keywords of the topic. 

WHAT IS A RETAINING WALL?

A retaining wall is a substantial, rigid layout that’s used to retain soil laterally. They’re designed to retain the soil back in ways it wouldn’t do on its own. They can be constructed out of wood, stone, blocks, or concrete. 

This question might arise after you have just finished building a fence or laying the plans for one. This might lead to another question: what should go above or on top of your wall? You can consider adding a retaining wall to the landscape. 

Despite having a simple yes or no answer, this decision will lead you toward the pros and cons of adding a retaining wall to your fence. Or one might wonder about the procedure of adding a retaining wall. We will discuss and disclose all the questions that you should consider before making a decision. 

SHOULD I?

This option should only be considered if your fence can support a retaining wall. Having them both will allow you to appreciate the look of the wall and enhance the safety provided by the wall as generally, fences do not provide much security. 

But, before weighing the pros and cons, you must make sure to analyze the structure of your wall. If you find that your fence cannot provide sufficient support to your retaining wall, it can be due to numerous reasons. For instance, your walls are too short or the material is not strong enough.

If your answer is yes, then you need to take another step and think about how you would like to build the retaining wall. 

HOW TO BUILD THE RETAINING WALL?

The most important thing to evaluate is the stability of the fence and how to secure the wall to the fence. The wall needs to be strong enough to support the fence and the fence needs to be securely attached to the wall. If either of these is lacking, the wall and/or fence could collapse.

Before making a decision, take a look at the numerous methods available to enhance your level of comfort and security. 

• Surface mounting: Here, you anchor the fence directly to the concrete using plates and anchor bolts. This method is a model for retaining walls that have already been built. To build a fence effectively, make sure to stay within the boundary of the brackets i.e 3-4 feet. 

• Face mounting: This will make you attach your fence to the sides of your retaining wall. Here, you will utilize side mounting plates and anchor bolts. This procedure can be more potent than surface mounting because you can attach more of the post.

• Embedding a fence: This is reasonable if you are constructing your retaining wall and fence simultaneously. This is a strong way to build a wall since you bury the posts deep inside. Although, this should be laid if you are constructing a new wall, doing it in an old wall isn’t unattainable. It will be harder and you are advised to do it with an iron fence that has slim posts. 

• Post-in system: This method interests using cantilevered anchoring slabs anchored underground, behind your wall. It is typically used when the wall can’t support the fence. Concrete or steel shafts are suppressed under the ground and anchored with footings behind the wall. From the side, they appear like a big L.

Now, on to the next major question. 

How High Should A WALL/FENCE Be?

To have an effective response, consider and understand the strength of your retaining wall and the fence design. Make sure to ensure Codes and HOA regulations while determining the height. 

You have the pleasure of playing with the height, but the height should not exceed 6 feet 6 inches. For instance, if there is a maximum fence height of 6 feet from grade, that could suggest 6 feet comprising both the wall and fence. The whole calculation relies on what side of the fence one is measuring the height from.

Is It Necessary To Build A Retaining Wall along A Fence?

Despite the discussion being a debate on a yes or no, there are certain cases where a fence on top of your retaining wall is a requirement. 

If there is a walkway, seating region, or another part of the yard that sits behind your retaining wall, it is highly beneficial to place a fence to prevent people or animals. 

CONCLUSION: 

“It is possible and effective to construct a retaining wall along with an existing fence”

But make sure to consider all the aspects of your fence structure before concluding. Adding a retaining wall can provide you with added safety, security, and privacy for your home.