Retaining Walls Made Right

Retaining walls generally perform a utilitarian function. These are often intended to create a solid partition between two levels of landscape, eliminating slopes and contours that can be difficult to manage and limit flat, usable space.

When the right materials and design are employed, a retaining wall can be an attractive element of any landscape.

Considerations for Designing the Best Retaining Wall

Whether replacing an existing or failing structure or creating a new one, a proper retaining wall begins with a solid design.

Usually, a retaining wall is holding back a vertical face of soil that can slide or cave in if not properly retained. The first and most crucial issue is strength and durability. Walls that are not strong enough to resist the lateral earth pressure behind the wall may eventually collapse or slide.

In many states, the design of a new stone or masonry retaining wall exceeding four feet should be reviewed by a licensed professional design engineer to assess the wall's long-term integrity. 

Other factors to be considered when constructing a retaining wall are:

• Required height of the wall
• Groundwater conditions and drainage
• Site accessibility
• Building codes
• Aesthetics

With the proper design and the best materials, a beautiful retaining wall not only optimizes the useable area but can be a long-lasting and beautiful accent to the landscape.

Belgard® Retaining Walls from ProCoat Systems

To add interest and beauty to your backyard landscape or to enhance the curb appeal of your property, an attractive, well designed retaining wall can make the difference. Belgarde, a world-class producer of pavers, retaining wall products, and other hardscape materials, produces the highest quality of freestanding and retaining wall blocks for home and business landscapes. Belgarde materials are stable, long lasting, and beautiful, available in a broad range of styles to complement surrounding structures and landscape features.

Belgarde offers a product selection of eleven different retaining wall block designs to match just about any setting. These sturdy options range from coarse to smooth surfaces in several different colors, shapes, and sizes.

To finish the job, Belgarde and ProCoat also provide the matching edges and caps.

Contact ProCoat Systems of Colorado and Utah

ProCoat Systems is a premier supplier of world-class coatings, hardscape materials, waterproofing, and air barrier systems. The company has been a supplier to the construction and remodeling industries in the Rocky Mountain region for nearly thirty-five years.

For more information regarding materials and construction of the highest quality retaining walls, contact ProCoat. The professionals at ProCoat will be pleased to help.

Phone ProCoat Systems at (303)-322-9009.

This post was originally published at http://www.procoatsystems.com/retaining-walls-made-right/

Stone Veneer… A Popular Retaining Wall Material

Retaining walls are practical additions to a property. While these usually serve a utilitarian purpose, they do not have to look and feel like the exterior of a prison. Interesting shapes, colors, and designs by adding natural stone veneer cladding can provide a beautiful and dramatic backdrop or partition to a nicely landscaped area.

Retaining walls compensate for sudden elevation changes by eliminating erosion and thereby adding usable terraced space to a landscape. Older retaining walls made from concrete may still be sturdy and serviceable but usually become stained and unattractive from years of service.

Sometimes owners ponder the choice between resurfacing an existing wall or removing it and building a new one. The choice is usually to rebuild with concrete or to create a new masonry stone wall. While whole stone can be more attractive than concrete if built correctly, the process is far more expensive and time-consuming.

The best option, in this case,  is to build a solid retaining wall with concrete, then clad the finished structure with high-quality natural stone veneer.

Resurfacing an Existing Retaining Wall

It is essential to ensure that an existing wall has maintained its strength and integrity before thinking about resurfacing with natural stone veneer. Cladding a concrete retaining wall with beautiful and stately natural stone veneer is an option that upgrades both the appearance of the wall and the overall appeal of your landscape.

Building a New Wall

If you have doubts about the stability or future of an existing retaining wall, you should replace it. After removing the current structure, building a new concrete wall is not complicated. Once the wall is in place and fully cured, adding a beautiful natural stone veneer is the perfect choice to upgrade your landscape.

What Natural Stone Veneer Styles are Available to Cover a Retaining Wall?

ProCoat Systems offers a wide range of high-quality natural stone veneers for exterior use. Easy to apply and affordable, installing stone veneer is far less labor intensive than working with whole stone.

Available natural stone veneer styles from ProCoat and their partner, Realstone Systems, include:

• Estate Stone  
• Ledgestone
• Shadowstone
• Thinstone
• Accentstone

The styles of stone veneer come in a variety of colors that include:

• Arctic White
• Chiseled Silver
• Alabaster
• Berkshire Buff
• Greystone Gold
• Terracotta
• Somerset Sage
• Bristol Black
• Charcoal
• Midnight Sky

Contact ProCoat Systems of Denver

ProCoat of Denver works with the world’s leading producers of natural and cultured stone veneers. Beautiful, and long-lasting, these materials add real beauty to your landscape.

If you have questions regarding these applications or more, call the representatives at ProCoat Systems at (303)-322-9009.

This post was originally published at http://www.procoatsystems.com/stone-veneer-popular-retaining-wall-material/

In Search of the Best Retaining Walls

When creating a dramatic ambiance in your outdoor living spaces, Belgard® retaining walls from ProCoat of Denver can create borders and define areas that maximize the natural appearance of your landscape. The Belgard Tandem® Wall System, available in three styles and textures to provide the elegant look of natural stone you desire. More versatile and cost-efficient than natural stone, the Belgard system can create curved or straight freestanding barriers, retaining walls, and surrounds and facings for outdoor grill areas. With the classic look of natural stone, stylish Belgard products can turn unattractive vertical posts into dramatic columns.

Take a close look at the Belgard’s Tandem Wall Systems to see how they might bring an exciting new identity to your residential or business outdoor areas.

Belgard’s Three Wall System Styles

Tandem Wall Systems are available in three unique and beautiful styles to match your preference and create a rich element to either cover an unsightly structure or wall. The styles are Laffit, Lamina, and Melville which may be applied to either curved or straight walls and surfaces.

Each of the styles has been tested and meet ASTM C-1372 standards for Segmental Retaining Wall Units pertaining to cultured stone products and aggregates for strength and durability.

Technical Specifications

Each style is available in three different unit sizes: small, medium, large. The dimensions and weights are:

●       Small: 7”H x 13 3/16”W x 2 5/8”D covering approximately 0.64 square feet with a weight of about 18 lbs.

●       Medium: 7”H x 15 7/8”W x 2 5/8” D covering approximately 0.77 square feet with a weight of 22 lbs.

●       Large: 7” H x 18.5”W x 2 5/8”D covering approximately 0.9 square feet with a weight of 25 lbs.

Cap pieces are designed to create an attractive top layer to the wall or facing that match the color, style and size of the wall systems.

Easy to Apply

With the lightweight properties of the Belgard Tandem Wall Systems, the installer has a much simpler and quicker job to create the ambiance you are seeking. Properly arranged and cutting and shaping are virtually eliminated as the project progresses. Within hours, home and business owners will see their building transformed into a new and more elegant looking property, inviting to friends and passers-by.

Contact ProStone of Denver for More Information

Learn more about the advantages or creating retaining walls and other interesting features around the home or business with Belgard Tandem Wall Systems. Let the ProCoat experts explain the benefits and demonstrate how the Belgard Systems will transform a home or business into a showcase.

Visit the ProCoat website or call 303.322.9009.

This post was originally published at http://www.procoatsystems.com/search-best-retaining-walls/

McNear Retaining Wall Blocks: Your Options

A well-constructed and attractive retaining wall can provide privacy or a defining barrier for contrasting elevations in your landscape. A retaining or dividing wall can be an interesting focal point for your property with the right design, construction, and materials.

Retaining or freestanding walls do not need to take on the tired look of standard concrete blocks. McNear Brick and Block products from ProCoat Systems provide a choice of many permanent colors and elegant styles.

About McNear Brick and Block,

Founded in 1868, ProCoat’s strategic partner, McNear, is the oldest brick-making company in the California and one of the most innovative in the nation. Not satisfied with their traditional products, McNear artisans have developed unique solutions for the most demanding jobs. Durable and aesthetically pleasing, these retaining wall systems maintain their beautiful appearance for decades. McNear's proprietary Versa-Lok® system ensures solid retention and resists the forces of even the harshest weather conditions.

Colors, Shapes, Sizes of Retaining Wall Blocks

McNear’s Versa-Lok retaining wall blocks are available in a selection of colors, styles, and textures. The custom color mixes are blended throughout each block during the manufacturing process. Infusing the color allows each block to retain the original color no matter how much damage the wall may endure.

The Corsican retaining wall block is produced with the same texture on each side to present the same look no matter what the visual perspective may be.

The sizes and shapes of each block allow for greater creativity in design. The following choices can be used throughout or mixed and matched to enhance the appearance of the wall or other surface:

Standard:  16” x 12” x 6”

●     Halves: 8” x 12” x 6” (One-half Standard unit)

●     Accent: 12” x 4” x 12”

●     Half Accent: 6” x 4” x 12” (One-half Accent unit)

●     Cobble 8” x 6” x 12”

●     Handy-Scape: 16” x 6” x 11”

For Caps and Footings, ProCoat and McNear offer:

●     Rectanguar Cap: 15 5/8” x 3 5/8” x 12”

●     A & B Caps: 14” x 3 5/8” x 12”

●     Square Foot Standard: 18” x 8” x 12”

●     Square Foot Corner: 9” x 8” x 17.5”

Sustainability

McNear wall blocks are made from 40% recycled materials. Not only does the process of recycling used material save the environment from even more raw material extraction, but a significant amount of energy is conserved by reducing the mining and transportation of the raw materials.

Contact ProCoat Systems

For more information and assistance with retaining wall design and McNear retaining wall blocks, visit the ProCoat website or phone the experts at 303.322.9009. 

This post was originally published at http://www.procoatsystems.com/mcnear-retaining-wall-blocks-options/