# Retaining wall rain question



## Joel Hardaker (May 11, 2014)

providing the trench you have dug and the foundation concrete you have laid has gone off (dried), if there is no surface water on the footings, then you can start laying you blocks.


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## Robpo (Mar 30, 2014)

Leonidsg said:


> Hello
> 
> This is probably a difficult question to answer but I was wondering how long after a rain I need to wait to build my base for a retaining wall. I live in omaha and the temperatures will be in the low 70s, hi 60s after it rains. Or is there a trick to telling if the ground is dry enough
> 
> Thank you Lenny


Yes there is a trick but we won't tell you :laughing:unless you tell us what material you using and how high and long the wall will be.


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## Leonidsg (Mar 3, 2014)

I am using 3/4 minus for my base paving layer and Retaining wall blocks with a lip on the back that weigh 30lbs each and I am stacking them 4-5 high. They are 6 inches tall so the wall will only be abot 2-2.5 feet tall.

Thank you


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## Daniel Holzman (Mar 10, 2009)

you are building a segmental block retaining wall. It makes no difference if the ground is wet or dry for preparing the crushed stone base for the wall, assuming the soil you are putting the base on is suitable. Suitable soils would be sand, gravel, silty sand, silty gravel, hard clay. Unsuitable soils would be organic, loose silt, weak clay.


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## Leonidsg (Mar 3, 2014)

The dirt is hard clay. Thank you very much for the help.

Lenny


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## Robpo (Mar 30, 2014)

Leonidsg said:


> I am using 3/4 minus for my base paving layer and Retaining wall blocks with a lip on the back that weigh 30lbs each and I am stacking them 4-5 high. They are 6 inches tall so the wall will only be abot 2-2.5 feet tall.
> 
> Thank you


After the ground is tamped if you take the round handle of a shovel and jab it into the ground and it doesn't sink in more than an inch it is dry enough.


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## scottishmason (May 28, 2014)

Daniel Holzman said:


> you are building a segmental block retaining wall. It makes no difference if the ground is wet or dry for preparing the crushed stone base for the wall, assuming the soil you are putting the base on is suitable. Suitable soils would be sand, gravel, silty sand, silty gravel, hard clay. Unsuitable soils would be organic, loose silt, weak clay.


If your soil produces water during compaction it can shrink when the water dries creating a possible dip in the finished wall. If it feels like jello when walking on it, its not dry enough. Give it a few days then go back to it. 

All stones try to get back to the ground no matter how you stack 'em.


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