The primary purpose of adding a retaining wall to your Novelty, OH, landscape would likely be to hold back soil. However, a retaining wall has so many other purposes such as adding a vivid touch to a garden and backyard, controlling water drainage, and even serving as a welcoming seating area. No matter the reason, every retaining wall needs to be built from reliable and eye-appealing materials. Most common ones are natural stone and concrete. Here are the factors and features you should consider so that you can decide which type of material would be best suited for your next landscape project.
Natural Stone Retaining Wall
Natural stone simply looks magnificent and comes in a variety of colors, textures, and shapes. The stones come together under professional installation to make the wall resemble something you may stumble upon in the woods—a well-structured yet natural looking wall that blends in with everything around you outdoors. You can combine different colors to create diversity or stick to similar colors to suggest a bit of orderliness. Due to its authentic look, natural stone is a great choice for rustic designs.
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Beyond the aesthetics, natural stone can be durable and hardy but only if installed correctly and carefully. The heft of the stones adds to the luxurious look this material can convey. When built properly, this type of a wall can easily last for decades, as a stable and gorgeous feature of any landscape. Because of their varied look, retaining walls made of natural stone are usually on the shorter end compared with other types of walls.
Concrete Retaining Wall
Pre-manufactured concrete units that resemble natural stone can provide more flexibility and durability while still providing the character you can achieve with natural stone as well as a seamless sense of naturalness for most landscapes. They are also versatile when installed by experienced professionals—these man-made, concrete units are known for being resistant to the elements, are designed to last for decades, and could have wider design possibilities under the guidance of expert installers.
With a combination with plants and colorful flowers, a concrete wall will look beautiful. It offers stability and can fit in great with Spanish-inspired home and landscape designs. These types of walls are also considered to be more affordable.
Making a Choice
Affordability and preference are usually the deciding factors when looking at natural stone or concrete. Some homeowners fall in love with the concept of natural stone while others may feel the difference between the two is barely noticeable to them. The prominence of where your next retaining wall project will reside may also be a factor you will need to consider.