How To Fix A Vintage Stone Retaining Wall That Has Started To Lean
If you have a vintage stone retaining wall in your backyard that has started to lean, then it is important that you take steps to make it vertical again. If you do not repair the retaining wall when it first starts to move, then you may find that it topples over during a storm or that you have to completely replace it because it has become too damaged to repair. The good news is that it is a fairly simple and straightforward process to fix your leaning stone retaining wall.
Follow these steps to repair your backyard's vintage retaining wall that is leaning:
Step 1: Take Digital Photos of Your Vintage Retaining Wall
If you would like to restore the integrity of your retaining wall yet keep its historic value and exact original look, then you need to take a bunch of digital photos of each of the damaged sections of the wall before you begin working. These photos will help you with the location for returning each stone that you remove during the repair work.
Step 2: Number Each Stone You Remove Using a Permanent Marking Pen
Again, if you want to remove the wall's stones and repair the wall so that it looks identical to how it historically did, then you will need to number each stone that you remove. Place a small number in an inconspicuous area of the stone. The numbers will allow you to know where each stone needs to be reinstalled. If you do not care about reinstalling each stone exactly where it came from, then you can skip this step and the previous one.
Step 3: Remove All of the Stones and Mortar from Any Damaged Sections of the Retaining Wall
Using a hammer and stone chisel, remove each stone from the damaged areas of the wall. Chip off any excess mortar and pile up the stones.
Step 4: Remove Excess Soil that is Putting Pressure on the Wall
Since soil pressing on the backside of the retaining wall is what caused it to lean, you need to remove any excess soil to prevent the fixed wall from leaning once again.
Step 5: Reinstall Each Stone in the Wall Using Fresh Mortar
Finally, using fresh mortar, reinstall each stone that you removed from your backyard's vintage retaining wall. If you numbered the stones and took photos, then you can use those as a map for where to place each stone. If you did not do so, then use the rest of the wall as your guide and try to match the stone pattern in the newly repaired parts of the wall to that of the rest of the old wall.
Contact a company like Rock Solid Services LLC to learn more.