Planning for Installation

Landscapes with character don’t just happen. Today’s property owners are willing to invest in exceptional outdoor living areas and look to their landscape contractor and/or designer for ideas to create the perfect outdoor living environment.

Outdoor areas of any size or shape can be transformed with Anchor™ products. Colors, shapes, patterns and textures of Anchor products blend with the environment and create attractive, usable landscape features where steep hillsides, gentle slopes or simply ordinary space had been. No matter what the project, Anchor retaining wall systems and free-standing wall systems enhance landscapes and can increase property value.

According to an Anchor Wall Systems survey, 75 percent of consumers think retaining walls increase their property values as much as 15 percent.

Owners of commercial property often add purely aesthetic features to functional landscaping. Retaining walls are frequently necessary to develop buildable land space (e.g., eliminating a slope to create space for a building or parking).

Free-standing walls can be used for traffic separation or to create additional public seating. Landscaping is also used to create leisure and recreational space for hotels, schools and parks. A well-designed landscape also elevates the prestige of a commercial property.

Advance planning and careful layout at the job site help ensure a successful retaining wall project.

• Review the site plan to confirm lot lines, wall location, length and elevations.
• Confirm the location of underground utilities.
• Seek all necessary building permits.
• Plan drainage to avoid erosion or buildup of water behind the wall. Consider where the water will drain through the wall, where downspouts will expel and whether there’s an underground sprinkler. For walls greater than three feet in height, a perforated drain pipe is recommended at the base of the aggregate to quickly remove large amounts of water.
• Check the block delivered to ensure it is the correct color.
• Check the geosynthetic reinforcement to confirm that it’s the strength and weight specified in the engineering plans.
• Be sure to use the right tools. Hand tools include a shovel, 4-foot level, dead-blow hammer, 2- or 3-pound hammer, chisel, hand tamper, hydraulic splitter and string line. Power tools include a circular saw with a masonry blade and a compactor.
• Always wear protective eyewear.

• Building Materials
  Set out a storage area for the block, reinforcement, drainage and base materials to keep them protected from surrounding equipment and construction. Check the delivered materials carefully. Elevate the blocks on wooden pallets, and keep the reinforcement dry, covered and clean.

• Safety
  Remember, safety first! Follow the guidelines for worker and job site safety established by your state's Department of Labor. And take special precautions for OSHA requirements, which include maintaining safe slopes.