Retaining Walls

Technical Data Sheet
Timber Garden Walls 8 (Retaining Walls up to 1 metre high)

Recommended Practice / February 2004
Issued by: Timber Queensland Limited
Introduction
Timber sleepers or round poles and logs can be used to create effective and relatively inexpensive garden edges, steps and walls to terrace sloping sites. This data sheet contains Timber Queenslands recommendations for the construction of timber garden walls up to 1 metre high. For retaining walls greater than 1 metre high refer to Technical Data Sheet 9.
Slope top of post Wales Grass or Mulch max 1:6 slope 100 mm Topsoil Backfill min 1:10 batter Excavation Slope 1:1 Geotextile max 1:6 slope Drainage Pipe Subgrade Embedment Depth Post Concrete 100 mm Gravel
Wall height
Building Approval and Certification

Local authorities generally do not require building approval or engineer certification for retaining walls up to 1 metre high. Walls (irrespective of height) closer than 1.5 metres to a building, and retaining walls greater than 1 metre high will generally require building approval and certification by an engineer.
Ground Conditions
The sizes and other recommendations in this data sheet assume that posts are embedded into firm natural ground (e.g. stiff clay, shale or dense sand), with a maximum ground slope of 1 in 6. Special design may be required for steeper slopes and poor subgrade soil conditions such as uncompacted fill.
Figure 1 - Typical Retaining Wall Construction

Note: The batter allows for the wall to have some lateral movement and still appear stable.
Materials
There is no Australian Standard or other grading requirement for landscaping timber. The quality of sawn sleepers and round logs can vary greatly between different suppliers. Timber sold for landscaping is likely to contain natural characteristics such as knots, gum veins, heart, insect damage, want, wane etc., and there could be some bow, cupping, twisting etc. Where a higher than normal appearance or performance is required, timber should be selected with limitations on the size and number of these characteristics.
Note: Structurally graded timber (e.g. F14 hardwood and F7 treated pine) will have prescribed limits for natural characteristics and will generally be higher quality than landscaping timbers.
Post holes shall have a 100 mm layer of course gravel installed prior to placing posts and backfilling with concrete.
Note: No-fines concrete is recommended for hardwood posts.
Walls up to 400 mm high may have concealed posts, with wales fixed to the outside of posts with hot dipped galvanised batten screws,coach screws or bolts. Walls above 400 mm shall have wales behind posts. Typical methods of positioning posts at ends and corners are shown on Figure 2.
Note: Wales may require temporary fixing to posts with wire ties, skew nails or batten screws.
Softwood logs and sleepers shall be preservative treated to hazard level H4 or better. Hardwood shall be durability Class 1 or 2. Hardwood containing sapwood shall be preservative treated to H4 or better.
The top of posts shall be cut with a slight slope to shed water and shall be sealed with a preservative emulsion. Drainage shall be provided behind walls exceeding 400 mm high to prevent additional loads due to the build up of ground water. A slotted polyethylene drainage pipe shall be provided at the base of the wall, discharging to a suitable outlet. To prevent backfill material from flowing through gaps in the wall and to assist in drainage, geotextile should be placed to the inside face of wales and between the drainage pipe and the backfill. Backfill shall be a free flowing material such as ashes, sand or gravel not clay. Backfill shall be installed no sooner than three days after concreting posts.
Retaining Walls (up to 1 m high)

Timber retaining walls up to one metre high can be constructed as shown in Figure 1. Member sizes and post embedment depths shall be as outlined in Tables 1 and 2 for preservative treated softwood and hardwood, respectively. Walls exceeding 400 mm high should have a 1 : 10 batter as shown.
Timber Queensland Technical Data Sheet 8 - Timber Garden Walls
Revised February 2004 - Page 1
Garden Edges
Single sleepers and rounds can be used to form garden edges. Garden edges can be self supporting or may require restraining at corners and ends. Typical corner and end restraints are shown in Figure 3. Alternatively, posts can be positioned as shown on Figure 2.
Hot dipped galvanised batten screws, bolts or coach screws
b) Butt Joint
a) Overlay (for sloping sites)
c) Mitre Joint
Note: Only suitable for walls up to 400 mm high
Optional concealed posts
Corner post arrangement Note: Wales may be fixed to posts with hot dipped galvanised nails, screws or bolts, or held with temporary wire ties until backfill is installed
Figure 3 Typical Methods of Restraining Garden Edges
Steps
Single sleepers can be used to form steps or to terrace gently sloping ground. Ends can be restrained by one of the methods shown in Figures 2 or 3. Alternatively, end restraint can be achieved by fixing to retaining walls as shown on Figure 4. Tread options include bricks, pavers, gravel, compacted earth, or timber sleepers on flat.
spacing to suit tread material (timber/pavers, etc)
Retained earth
a) Timber sleeper posts and wales

Maximum cantilever 1/8 post spacing
Slope top of posts
Note: Wales may be fixed to posts with hot dipped galvanised nails, screws or bolts, or held with temporary wire ties until back fill is installed Maximum cantilever 1/8 post spacing Round timber wales
SECTION VIEW
Batten screws or 100 x 4.8 hot dipped galvanised nails
b) Round timber posts and wales
Figure 2 - Positioning Posts at Ends and Corners

Figure 4 - Typical Sleeper Steps

Table 1 Preservative Treated Softwood

Member Refer Figure Sleeper Posts 5a Post Spacing Wall Height Size (b x d) Hole Dia. Depth Thickness (t) Hole Dia. Depth Post Dia. () Hole Dia. Depth Post Dia. () Hole Dia. Depth. Size (b x d) Thickness (t) Dia. () Dia. () Thickness (t) 400 600 1200 800 1000 N/A N/A N/A 125 300 750 180 300 1000 150 300 1000 400 600 1500 800 200 x75 450 650 90 300 650 175 300 800 150 300 800 1000 N/A N/A N/A 125 300 750 200 450 1000 175 450 1200 400 600 2400 800 N/A N/A N/A 125 300 900 200 450 1000 175 450 100 1000 N/A N/A N/A 2 X 125 450 950 225 450 1400 200 450 1400
150 x150 150 x 75 200 x 75 300 300 450 400 600 600 90 300 400 100 300 400 100 300 400 90 300 600 125 300 600 100 300 600 90 300 600 150 300 800 125 300 800
150 x 50 150 x 75 300 330 400 600 90 300 400 100 300 400 100 300 400 90 300 600 125 300 600 100 300 600
200 x100 200 x100 300 450 400 600 100 300 400 100 300 600 100 300 600 100 300 600 150 300 800 125 300 800
Slab Post
5b
Single Round Posts Double Round Posts Sleeper Wales Slab Wales Round Wales Split Wales ( round) Winged Split Wales
5c
5d 5e 5f 5g 5h 5i
150 x 50 150 x 50 200 x 50 200 x 50 90 75 75 100 90 75 75 100 90 75 100 100 90 75 125 100
150 x 50 150 x 50 90 75 75 100 90 75 100 100
200 x 50 200 x 75 90 75 125 100 90 75 N/A 100
200x100 200x100 200x100 200x100 90 100 N/A N/A 100 100 N/A N/A 100 100 N/A N/A 125 100 N/A N/A
Figure 5 - Post/Wale Arrangements

(5a) (5b) (5c)
(5d)
(5e)
(5f)
(5g)
(5h)
(5i)
Table 2 Hardwood (refer Figures 5a & 5e)

Member Posts Wall Height Size (b x d) Hole Dia. Depth Size (b x d) 600 400 Post Spacing 800 1200 1000
200 x 50 200 x 75 200 x 75 200 x100 300 300 300 300 400 600 800 1000 200 x 50 200 x 50 200 x 50 200 x 50 Post Spacing 1500
Wales
Posts
Size (b x d) Hole Dia. Depth Size (b x d)
200 x 50 200 x 75 200 x 75 200 x100 300 300 300 300 400 600 800 1200 200 x 50 200 x 50 200 x 50 200 x 50 Post Spacing 2400
Wales
Posts
Size (b x d) Hole Dia. Depth Size (b x d)
200 x 50 200 x 75 200 x 75 200 x100 300 300 300 300 600 800 1000 1400 200 x 50 200 x 50 200 x 50 200 x 50
Wales
Safe Working
Working with timber produces dust particles. Protection of the eyes, nose and mouth when sanding, sawing and planing is highly recommended. Refer to tool manufacturers for safe working recommendations for particular items of equipment.
Disposal of Offcuts and Waste

As with all treated timber, do not burn offcuts or sawdust. Preservative treated offcuts and sawdust should be disposed of by approved local authority methods.
500 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley Brisbane Queensland 4006 PO Box 2014, Fortitude Valley BC Qld 4006
ACN 092 686 756 ABN 50 092 686 756
Timber Queensland Limited
Phone: (07) 3254 1989

Fax: (07) 3254 1964 Website: www.timberqueensland.com.au Email: [email protected]
Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of advice given, Timber Queensland Limited cannot accept liability for loss or damage arising from the use of the information supplied.

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Technical Data Sheet

Timber Garden Walls 8 (Retaining Walls up to 1 metre high)

Building Approval and Certification

Figure 1 - Typical Retaining Wall Construction

Retaining Walls (up to 1 m high)

Timber Queensland Technical Data Sheet 8 - Timber Garden Walls

Revised February 2004 - Page 1

a) Overlay (for sloping sites)

Note: Only suitable for walls up to 400 mm high

Optional concealed posts

Figure 3 Typical Methods of Restraining Garden Edges

a) Timber sleeper posts and wales

Batten screws or 100 x 4.8 hot dipped galvanised nails

b) Round timber posts and wales

Figure 2 - Positioning Posts at Ends and Corners

Figure 4 - Typical Sleeper Steps

Table 1 Preservative Treated Softwood

150 x 50 150 x 50 90 75 75 100 90 75 100 100

200 x 50 200 x 75 90 75 125 100 90 75 N/A 100

Figure 5 - Post/Wale Arrangements

Timber Queensland Technical Data Sheet 8 - Timber Garden Walls

Revised February 2004 - Page 3

Table 2 Hardwood (refer Figures 5a & 5e)

Size (b x d) Hole Dia. Depth Size (b x d)

Size (b x d) Hole Dia. Depth Size (b x d)

Disposal of Offcuts and Waste

ACN 092 686 756 ABN 50 092 686 756

Timber Queensland Limited

Phone: (07) 3254 1989

Timber Queensland Technical Data Sheet 8 - Timber Garden Walls

Revised February 2004 - Page 4

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