How much does it cost to build a railroad tie retaining wall?

Railroad tie retaining walls cost $25 to $30 per square foot. Because they’re soaked in creosote, they don’t rot the way untreated wood does. But it’s also toxic to humans, making it a less popular option.

Do railroad ties make good retaining walls?

And perhaps the easiest way to build such a wall is with used railroad crossties. As you know, ties are 6 x 8 feet x 8 inches (more or less) chunks of pine, redwood, or oak treated with wood preservatives (usually creosote but sometimes also pentachlorophenol).

How long will a railroad tie retaining wall last?

A railroad tie retaining wall can last up to 40 years in a dry climate, maybe only 15 in a wet one, depending how its treated. Stone retaining walls last forever – but they are a lot more expensive and difficult to construct.

Are railroad ties toxic?

If the railroad ties are old, creosote may ooze out, leeching the soil and killing plants, insects and small animals. The arsenic in the wood is toxic, making it a danger to plants and wildlife that have prolonged contact with it. CCA- treated railroad ties should be disposed of through municipal means.

What kind of retaining wall is railroad tie?

Railroad Tie Retaining Wall – If you want a rustic look to your retaining wall, consider building a railroad tie retaining wall. A railroad tie retaining wall is made up of rows (horizontal lines) of the treated wood. The links are maintained to the ground and the other with rebar spikes.

What can I use to build a retaining wall with tires?

A few courses of small tires can be pounded at the top of the wall for a sturdy railing. The weight of the tires and their ability to interlock with the tires below mean that no mortar or reinforcing steel is required. To finish the wall, stuff mud, tin cans and rocks into the voids between the tires.

What happens if you add Gravel to a railroad tie wall?

Take away or add gravel underneath the tie as needed until it is level in both directions. Having the wall out of plumb will also cause the wall to sag, bulge or fall faster.

What kind of rebar do you use to tie a retaining wall?

Tie the ends into the soil with 18-inch lengths of rebar. Lay out the second rank, and then tie the ends into the first rank with 16-inch lengths of rebar. At higher ranks, deadmen must be added every 8 feet.

What kind of railroad ties should I use to build a retaining wall?

With railroad ties you should use a 4 foot length of a tie that goes straight into the hillside and is also resting on the wall itself. This will give the wall added strength by making use of the power of the hillside to hold it in place. Not Using Rebar Through Ties

How do you make a retaining wall out of tires?

Lay the first row of tires side by side to form the base of the retaining wall. Fill the inside of each tire with rocks and dirt, and tamp the dirt down with a motorized ground tamper. Add more fill dirt as the dirt inside the tire compacts, filling and tamping each tire until the filled center is level with the surface of the tire.

What’s the proper way to build a retaining wall?

The proper construction of a tire retaining wall involves filling the tires with dirt thats compacted with a sledgehammer or a pneumatic tamper. We call this process pounding the tires. First, you place the tire on a level grade, then pound it, checking it for level. Always pound a tire in place.

What kind of tires are used for retaining walls?

The catalog includes design charts for retaining walls that utilize following products as the basic structural unit: (a) individual tires filled with gravel or low strength flowable fill, (b) bales of compressed tire, (c) compressed tire bales encapsulated in reinforced concrete.