# Fake rock for retaining wall



## concretemasonry (Oct 10, 2006)

How much soil do you want to retain?

Plastic sounds like a poor solution if you want it to be permanent.

Dick


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## epeterson777 (May 29, 2008)

The wall will be about a 1 to 1.5 feet tall. So it'll be holding back a fair amount of dirt. My plan was cut fence posts in half and dig them in and attach plywood to the fence posts. Then I wanted to attach the fake rock directly to the plywood. So the wood would actually be doing the support. I would probably use some sort of real rock for the capstones.


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## Tscarborough (Mar 31, 2006)

Fake rock costs more than real rock, so your idea is based upon a faulty premise. And the "design" of a plywood retaining wall covered with fake rock would be doomed to certain and rapid failure.


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## epeterson777 (May 29, 2008)

How much does manufactured stone usually run? Mine needs to be about 25-30 feet long and a little over a foot tall. If I use those generic looking bricks that Home Depot sells it will cost me over $500. I live in Colorado so I could go buy real stone for cheaper than that, but real stone will leave a lot of gaps. I just like the clean look that fake manufactured stone has.


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## Tscarborough (Mar 31, 2006)

5-7 bucks a SqFt., and you will need to buy CMU to adhere them to, not some contraption of plywood.


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## epeterson777 (May 29, 2008)

Where can you buy it at?


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## Tscarborough (Mar 31, 2006)

What part of Colorado are you in?


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## epeterson777 (May 29, 2008)

NE Denver metro.


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## Tscarborough (Mar 31, 2006)

Visit Robinson Brick. They have fake stone/real stone and excellent brick and have a nice showroom.


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## epeterson777 (May 29, 2008)

Thanks for the info. I looked at there website and that is exactly the type of stuff that I like (the Robinson Rock). I'll have to head down there one of these days to price it out. 

I am also finishing my basement and the "thinrock" brochure they have is giving me some awesome ideas.


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## taty (Jun 4, 2008)

*wall*

I think it may work for foot high wall.
Just take care of digging 8-10 inches deeper and feet wider, put gravel bed underneaths and around bottom part, don't put wall vertically-lean it towards higher level and backfill it well with gravel. Plywood has to be moisture protected as well from other then concrete stones side.


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## Termite (Apr 13, 2008)

Plywood isn't something that should be incorporated into a retaining wall, or even a decorative non-structural wall. Wood, for that matter, isn't really a great long-term option at all. 

I think you're on the right track with CMU blocks and an applied rock face. Be sure that you place an appropriate footing with compacted AB3/road base or concrete, or your wall won't last long at all.


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## taty (Jun 4, 2008)

*rock over block*

Just found that my neighbors did something similar - but they used thin- veneer rock over the block wall. looks real!


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