Solution — "My retaining wall is letting water and soil pressure through"

Retaining Wall Waterproofing

A retaining wall is holding back more than just soil — it is holding back the water that is in the soil, and that water is pushing against the wall with a pressure that is far greater than the weight of the soil itself. When the wall is not properly drained and waterproofed, the water builds up behind it, and it will find a way through the wall, through the joints, and through the cracks. The result is a wall that is damp, a wall that is stained, and a wall that is slowly being pushed over by the pressure it was never designed to hold. The first step is to understand the wall. We need to know what the wall is made of, how it is built, what is behind it, and where the water is coming from. We also need to know whether the wall is a retaining wall in the true sense — a wall that is holding back soil — or a wall that is simply a facade that is being saturated by the water running down the slope behind it. The waterproofing of a retaining wall is a system, not a single product. The wall is waterproofed on the soil side with a membrane that is bonded to the wall and carried up to the top of the retained soil. The membrane is protected by a drainage board that carries the water down to a drainage pipe at the base of the wall, and the drainage pipe carries the water away to a safe discharge point. The water is removed from behind the wall, so the pressure is relieved, and the membrane is protected from the soil and the backfill. We also look at the drainage at the top of the wall. The water that runs off the slope above the wall has to be intercepted and carried away before it reaches the wall. We install a drainage channel at the top of the wall, and we make sure that the water is directed away from the wall, not down the face of it. The result is a retaining wall that is dry, a wall that is not being pushed by the water pressure, and a wall that will last. We document the system, we provide the specification, and we stand behind the work. If the wall is still wet, we will come back and find out why. The first thing we do is look at the wall. The wall is the structure that is the retaining, and the wall is the structure that is the water. We look at the wall, the face, and the base, and we find the cause of the problem. The face of the wall is the first thing we check. The face is the surface that is the wall, and the face is the surface that is the water. We check the face, the cracks, and the joints, and we find the path of the water. The base of the wall is the next thing we check. The base is the point that is the wall, and the base is the point that is the water. We check the base, the drainage, and the pipe, and we find the path of the water. The drainage of the wall is the next thing we check. The drainage is the system that is the wall, and the drainage is the system that is the water. We check the drainage, the gravel, and the pipe, and we find the path of the water. The result is a wall that is dry, a wall that is protected, and a wall that is strong. We find the path of the water, and we stop the water. The first thing we do is look at the wall. The wall is the structure that is the retaining, and the wall is the structure that is the water. We look at the wall, the face, and the base, and we find the cause of the problem. The face of the wall is the first thing we check. The face is the surface that is the wall, and the face is the surface that is the water. We check the face, the cracks, and the joints, and we find the path of the water. The base of the wall is the next thing we check. The base is the point that is the wall, and the base is the point that is the water. We check the base, the drainage, and the pipe, and we find the path of the water. The drainage of the wall is the next thing we check. The drainage is the system that is the wall, and the drainage is the system that is the water. We check the drainage, the gravel, and the pipe, and we find the path of the water. The result is a wall that is dry, a wall that is protected, and a wall that is strong. We find the path of the water, and we stop the water.