# Can I use fallen pine trees to make a retaining wall



## ChuckF. (Aug 25, 2013)

How high a retaining wall do you require?


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## Yodaman (Mar 9, 2015)

What do figure the life span of a untreated pine log buried underground will be?


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## Mort (Nov 26, 2008)

They'll rot. I wouldn't do it.


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## Bluecougargirl (Sep 2, 2015)

Retaining wall would be less than three feet tall.
Is there a way to treat the tree trunks to prevent them from rotting?


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## Yodaman (Mar 9, 2015)

whatever is used on utility poles and RR ties works pretty well


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Bluecougargirl said:


> My backyard is filled with tall pine trees. I have about 10 that have fallen over, and just lay there dead. I want to build a retaining wall in my backyard. Is it possible to use these to make a retaining wall? I was thinking of using some cement in between each long log to glue them together.


Sure, do it. They'll eventually rot laying in the yard or as a retaining wall and will look much better as your retaining wall. Even PT lumber eventually rots. 

Cement for glue? , I don't think so. To make the visual side look similar to a log cabin you could ***** them with cement that may stay for awhile. To hold them together, vertical rebar through holes during construction is sometimes used.


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## craig11152 (Jun 20, 2015)

What will the wall be retaining? Is it a replacement or will you back-fill something? 
I'm with SeniorSitizen. go ahead as long as you know the life span will be somewhat limited. 
The question to ask yourself is how big of a headache would it be to replace it eventually?


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## Bluecougargirl (Sep 2, 2015)

Probably filling it in. How long do you guess it would take for the wood to rot enough for the wall to become unstable?


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## Yodaman (Mar 9, 2015)

Who could possible know what you ask? How big are the logs? What are you going to back fill with? Something that has drainage like stone or gravel or dirt or mulch that will hold water?


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## ron45 (Feb 25, 2014)

Do you plan to prepare the trees or use them as is.?


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## ChuckF. (Aug 25, 2013)

You should think of this as more of a fence than a retaining wall, unless you use some traditional method of holding it up, like deadmen. Between logs you could use a big, big bead of construction cement. To help it live longer, put heavy plastic behind the logs, stapled to the top log just above the dirt line, and make some kind of drainage system so water doesn't back up behind it. Cut the logs into workable lengths like 8' or so and lap the joints. Use rebar as #7 suggested to hold them up.


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