Mike, I think you are one of the teachers I have found on the internet. You have a real gift in how you explain the material you present. Thanks for all the time you put into your YT videos.
When people ask me where i got my education i tell them I am a student of M.H.S.O.H.K. Thank you mike for your honesty and wisdom, It has been a help to me.
Mike. I can’t say enough how much I enjoy your craftsmanship. I’m Landscaper from New Jersey I do probably almost 50k sq ft of pavers a year. Now I’m a small guy I only had two guys at work with me. But when I’m working my earbuds in and I’m watching your videos because you keep me going brother. Thank you so much for all you do. I hope you keep on making videos
Mike, for what it is worth coming from someone with only basic masonry skills, I think you are a true master of your craft. You explain how to build proper retaining walls exactly as my squad learned many decades ago from an old WW2 engineer while I was in the army. Glad to see the craft is still known by some :) Take care, stay safe, and thanks for all these great and informative videos! They are a real treasure.
This video saved me a ton of work. Instead of a wall I just sloped the grade and added some big rocks at the bottom, all from my property in western NC. It looks great and my back feels fine.
You generally prefer when your back outlasts the results of the project you are working on, at least then you are around to advise or work on the fixups needed in twenty years time.
Thanks Mike, great info!! I purchased a lake house where the previous owner installed a gabion wall as a sea wall. Not only was it falling over but the chain link on the bottom rusted away and the rock was just pouring out at the bottom. I had to cut away as much fence as I could and create a rip rap sea wall. (much cursing involved) I lost about 6" height on the sea wall. I'm now trying to decide if I should tier the increased slope of my yard with small stone walls or use the slope as you suggested. Thanks again for the ideas.
Mike your video make me open my eye to observe the way different people do concrete work and block work and like you say there are many difference way. Thanks you for you time to point all this out.
Just loved this video Mike. I was thinking of replacing the railroad tie retaining wall in the back yard with stones. However, now after watching your video, I’m just going to slope the soil and not have a wall at all. Makes perfect sense. Thanks for sharing all your great wisdom. And I feel for those poor soldiers that died in the train wreck :-(
Hey Mike, You are a good man to listen to. I appreciate your faith that you express as well (the rock of our salvation as it were). Take care. I am a fan.
I was born in Sweden, my wife in China and my friend and colleague in Denmark. Here I am watching you talk about all 3 countries. What are the odds. Haha. Kudos to you and the way you teach.
For a placer goldmine, a retaining wall is perfectly alright, all the gold in the wash or vein will be extracted within ten years (and any additional work will have moved on) and the wall can be left to slump.
Thanks Mike a great video with awesome advice... thoroughly enjoyed the video once again and you are the best teacher out there. Always look forward to your videos.
We made retaining walls on our property (Finland), we had a lot of rock blasted loose since the bedrock was exposed in many places, the rock was some kind of slate and made for huge table like slabs. Had an earth mover tip them over to make a pretty long "backwards leaning" rock wall, there's gravel behind and below and french drains around the buildings and a drain that goes under the wall to a ditch. This was in 2014 so it's still pretty new, will be interesting to see how it fares up but so far it looks solid.
Mike, I completely agree. I'm always pointing out to my wife failing retaining walls that don't even serve a purpose. Sometimes I think it's landscapers over selling, or people feel it dresses up their property. I just think they are a headache unless absolutely required!
Yes! I have built several that are still sweet. 10 foot tall. We use a 6 ft wide footing with full height dead man walls 4 feet deep, every 10 feet. All wall poured concrete walls.
Hi Pacific, I worked on a lot of those in the union back in the 80s, and in a lot of instances like road work it makes sense, it is one of the reason I put the definition of precedent at the end of the video, thanks for the comment , mike
Down here in central Texas, we don't have to deal with ice expansion affecting the retaining walls, but what you did with your paper models still rings true.
Mike I used to use a product called Geo Mesh and a lot of 3/4 washed gravel and put a lot of drains or weep hole into retaining wall some of my walls 10 to 15 ft tall.Using these products and techniques had no problems on several types of retaining walls What I have seen is where people build wall straight up they look nice for awhile. Thanks for letting people know what they might be in for.
I worked for a landscaping company and we only built retaining walls out of railroad ties. So I can't speak about masonry walls. However, I remember it being important to build the wall so that it leans back against the hill. That way, when the soil behind the wall expands, the wall doesn't get pushed beyond vertical. A problem with many/most retaining walls is that they are built perfectly vertical. So when the ground heaves, the wall gets pushed beyond vertical and then its a matter of time before it falls.
The retaining walls I have seen that I like are usually made from large natural stones, no mortar and not very tall. I think they are beautiful and can last for centuries if done right. Lately in my area here (Kansas), I have seen a lot of retaining walls go up using huge limestone or sandstone "bricks" that are about two and a half feet long, 8 inches tall and maybe 18" wide. The walls are beautiful, but I wonder how long they will last. Anyway, great videos. Love your work Mr. Haduck.
You definitely want to have a really good bed of stones under and behind to handle the water flow and make extra sure that it’s got the ability to flow through and around. These guys that build up the wood ties without a couple foot or gravel behind them and throw a little 6” to a foot of stones behind a five foot high wall and definitely not aware of exactly how much force that our clay soil pushes against a wall.... a couple years and they are already going over.... lots of hacks! LMFFAO! ✋😊. You definitely have great quality videos and are a really good teacher!
Mike- Next time you are in Florida, check out Hillsborough State Park for some "precedent". According to the ranger there, the CCC, in the 1930s, put in walls along the river. They were made out of bags of concrete. A few have had to be repaired here and there but they still look great! I would love to know how these were done vs the one you showed from Florida.
Thanks for the informative and entertaining videos Mike. Love to learn how the old timers did it, keep up the great work! If only we had more hardworking, intelligent and thoughtful people with integrity like yourself in the world..
Pretty cool mike you were walking not far from my neighborhood. My parents live a few blocks from where you were at over near bunker hill in a stucco home that was previously owned and built by a local mason back in the day. It’s got a large beautiful 6ft high blue stone wall in the front and the back is got a nice sized patio that has a wall wrapped around it with a stone fireplace all still standing after all these years. Although my father did end up having the front wall redone a few years ago because the 6’ high corner next to the driveway was starting to pull away. Not sure if you knew the mason or not, I believe his name was Robert or John Dench. Sadly if my memory serves me right, he committed suicide in the home years before my parents ever purchased the place… but seems like he was good at his craft looking at all the masonry around the home still standing strong today
My brother said I didn't want my walls level. He said I should pitch them back a little on my level so the wall could settle in. I love your videos! Thank you!
This is very helpful. 👍 Many houses in Midwest USA, I see retaining wall tilting and/or coming loose. I like the idea of building dirt slop last longer?
Hey Mike you know the secret of the old brick retaining walls? Lime mortar! Before ww2 in Britain all mortar was lime and sand no cement. This type of mortar allow water to pass through it. And allows movement of the wall without cracking. Walls where I live are well over 100 years old and built with blue engineering bricks / lime mortar.
Hi Lee. I heard do much about that. around here it falls apart unless it is under cover, hard to even find it, once they started using portland everything changed in my area, thanks mike
Mike I live in PA (Media) and I appreciate the insight, I have a steep hill behind my place and now I'm thinking of just lining with boulders so I dont have any issues.
We are back to the water? You make a solid wall water gets behind it and pushes it out. Stacked stone no mortar; The water cannot push on it, it just goes thru like a sieve. I really enjoy your videos - Thanks
I love those retaining walls. Absolutely stunning. I had four retaining walls on my adjoining properties although I knocked one down last summer. I would like to be able to rebuild the one and duplicate this work. My one retaining wall is about 10' high and in nightmare condition. Which means nightmare cost as I believe legally this has to be re engineered. Soil erosion is unbelievable. Found out ppl were coming on my property ripping out stone from the bottom. They were very lucky not to have a cave in on themselves and I would have been held responsible. Now it's up to me to steal my stones back.
Necessity is the mother of invention. Went looking on YT for an expert for information about three years ago. I found your site. I can never thank you enough for the gift of knowledge you shared with so many. Many, many thanks.
Dang, I would have thought the concrete footer under the retaining wall would be really strong, but now I realize the futility of trying to fight Mother Nature.
Hi Mike, Andy from the UK here, really useful, balanced and helpful video as they all are. We have many hundreds of miles of dry walls over here some are hundreds of years old and still doing their job, some of them incorporate stones previously used in other buildings such as chuches etc and lotsof them even have useful features like pull out stones where people hid money! But the point is Mike that those old timers would have been nodding away if they could have watched your video!
Hi Andy, nice to hear from the UK, I was just over there and filmed conwy castle, Those guys knew how to build for sure, in my area frost is so bad, I seen it move railroad bridges, But no doubt in my mind the UK builders know what they were doing, I appreciate it thanks Mike
Welcome to my nightmare. I'm binge watching your videos. Good stuff. Oh, the welcome to my nightmare... an almost 30 yo block wall. TOO high and wasn't engineered properly. Can't sell house until it's fixed or sloped.
Mike, brilliant explanations! Thanks so much for you knowledge, this all makes a lot of sense. I’ve had a question for you in regards to this type of wall construction you show with your illustrations. Could you build a wall using this same method but out of concrete instead? So using the same amount of gravel below and behind the wall, earth over the top of the wall, but pour the concrete wall right on top of the gravel? Instead of traditionally digging below the frost line and pouring a footer so as to prevent this classic type of heaving. Let me know what you think. Thanks so much, very much appreciated!
Hi Sam, everything depends on what the inspectors will let you do whether you can or not. But I am not a fan of concrete retaining walls, so it's a hard question to answer, thanks mike
Mr. Haduck, I just started a small masonry and remodeling business and your videos have been a lot of help. I really appreciate all the hard work you put into them. Any advice on a new guy trying to come up in the business?
HI VROD, I never met a rich mason, but it will lead to a lot of good things to keep you and your property up and running, and in "all labor there is profit" a biblical thing, and if you keep trying new things to see what works and what is not, I am sure you will do well, thanks mike
Never heard a better explanation of retaining walls! Unfortunately I have one that is already existing, old, and necessary as it retains the soil of the alley leading to my garage. My property sits on a hill with my garage at the rear of the property sitting on a higher elevation than my house. There is a small (approx 3'H x 7'L) cement block retaining wall built from the end of the garage across a portion of the property, holding back the alley which leads to the garage. Some blocks are now starting to break into pieces and fall out, leaving ~5" holes, etc. I dont want the wall to collapse, and therefore the alley. Any suggestions?? Thank you kindly!
Hi Dee, its impossible to answer, I would look around what others have done in the same situation, if it's possible not to have a wall there you might be better off, I hope it helps, Mike
Mike, what do you think about footer poured retaining walls back filled with gravel and drain tile for redirecting water? does that keep it dry enough to prevent the expansion contraction cycles and subsequent weathering and deterioration of the wall? load anchors for the top of the wall using rebar 10 feet back into a poured cement anchor post?
Hi Will. I think that if God did not build it. (Like everything) it is only a matter of time,, and it all depends on how long you expect it to last, so hard question to answer, thanks mike
Do you recommend using geotextile cloth between the gravel and the uphill soil? I have heard that is stops or slows the soil from infiltrating the gravel and preserves it's ability to let the water drain through it.
In my own mind, I'm an expert in retaining walls. From my past experience (none), there are three keys to building a retaining wall that will last: First off, make sure the ground on both sides of the wall slope AWAY from it to protect from damage from rain/water. Of course you will have to make the wall taller to accommodate that. The other keys are to lean it towards the high side and to put a curve in it for strength.
You can't win against water/hydrostatic pressure, expanasion/contraction caused by moisture/frost, or gravity. That's why the best retaining walls are drystone. They let the water through, allow movement, and use gravity to hold them together.
Hey Mike thanks for the link on patching around the swimming pool. I got another one coming up. What was the video you produced witch explained how Portland cement reacts to H2O? Basically the question goes like this, what is the mystery in science about Portland cement. Why is it that you can take Limestone versus granite or any other stone or rock or mineral, pulverise it, bake it in the Kiln at 3000 degrees, and then re pulverise it and then simply adding water turns it back into a rock? Your video explained that the baking it in a kiln at 3000 degrees remove the hydrogen and oxygen and so when you add H2O it turns back into a rock. Gordon Ramsay would say beautiful. And what was that video? I wanted to like it and send it to a bunch of business associates. And thank you for your help.
@@MikeHaduck Is there any chance you could send me a link so I don't have to go look for it? My God you've got so many educational videos What unique about this hydrogen clinker oxygen video is it explains how the fusion occurs through ion Exchange and it proves to the skeptic that Portland cement can be bonded. 30 years in the Floor Care maintenance industry, no one has ever explain that like you have. You deserve a gold hat
And then there are the retaining walls put up by a developer who wants more flat space down below or up above for fancy homes or what not. He will say it will last forever, neither will he or his ill gotten gains. Many a slope is a slow landslide still moving from the last iceage or still being pushed up by orogeny (maybe just quarter inches a year or less), check the geologic and seismic risk maps for your area or build somewhere naturally flat but - then - check the flood plain and flooding risk maps for your area.
Do 4 inch drain holes placed every few feet along a wall help with the problem of having them pushed over? I'm guessing they would help when it rains heavily, but maybe they don't help with the freeze/thaw cycling, right?
Mike, for those who might be thinking about going into business for themselves someday, I'd like to ask if you have a rule of thumb about how much an additional employee earns you, on average. If you hire an employee for $20/hr all fringes included, do you have a way of figuring what he earns you...expressed as a percentage of his total cost to you. Would it be 20 percent of what he costs you? Maybe 30 percent. Maybe you have never tried to figure it accurately. But the answer is why someone would want to become an employer. To turn the question around, any employee might make more working for himself. But, he would have to handle all the paperwork of being in business and of course he would have to be knowledgeable about all those office issues. And just as important, he would have to know the business well enough that he could direct his own efforts. He has to be a really sharp guy if he is going to do much complex work. So, my point is that when a worker decides to forgo some of his earning power, it is a logical decision. He benefits as much or more by the arrangement of the businessman's contribution. So, being an employee is not a matter of being exploited by "The Man". Each benefits by the arrangement.
Hi winomaster, my dad had 11 employees and I had 3, "never again", the gov puts a big target on your back, and I was into July before I made any money for myself, anymore I carefully pick my jobs and just team up with other contractors and owners who supply their time and money and have no headaches, limiting my liability, money woes , and sleeping easier, if that makes sense, I hope it helps thanks, mike
Thanks for the answer Mike. What you say suggests to me is that after 8 years of Dems running things we have an economy that is no longer tapping into the grassroots for economic vigor. The able don't lead the economy because if they try to hire others, govt hammers you back down with taxes and regulations. It's not a wise way to run an economy. In a wisely led economy, you maximize the value of intelligent people by having them lead other less able types.
Another great video Mike. You talked about putting gravel behind the retaining wall. Is it possible to save an existing retainer wall by removing the dirt behind the retaining wall and adding gravel? Thanks
Hi Da, I guess you could, I have in the past dug behind them and pushed it back but that is very rare, usually by then they are shot and have to be replaced. Thanks mike
Mike I wanted to ask you because I know your an expert. I am going to build a 8x8x16 cmu retaining wall that will be faced with veneer stone. I dug footer to frost line. Pouring 12 inch concrete footer. Should i fill the cores of the block and seal the back of the blocks ?? I am going to install gravel and drain pipe behind the wall. The wall will have about 3 ft of hill behind it as a surcharge. Thanks Mike !
Hi Never, hard question to answer, but coating the back of the wall will deter it from efflorescence in the front, I can’t see how filling the blocks would hurt, but once those walls start moving they won’t stop , lots of gravel in the back end helps for sure, every situation is different, thanks, Mike
Will the gravel be enough to keep the column from shifting? I know gravel is a very good base for heavy downward pressure like the train tracks. How deep should I dig for my gravel? This is just a no fault question It will be my responsibility because it is my home. Thank You,
13:30 Public Money. They don't care about our taxes, because tomorrow more taxes will flow in. This is the reason, why public property should be as less as possible. Ideally private share vs public share should be 99 to 1.
Great videos, I think I've seen them all. My question is on the railroad and other sloped rock walls; what is the minimum angle and what is the maximum angle (best). Just bought a 1938 cottage in western nc with a sloped 15 foot wall that has mortar cracks but no rocks are cracked. In preparation for repointing, I want to know if the original mason had it right.
Hi Buzz, every wall builder, thinks different , And it all depends on the situation, The height, What is built out of, etc etc, As long as it’s sloped and it’s not moving sounds like he had it right, check out my videos repointing an old stonewall, that might help, I appreciate it Mike
I have 11"x 6" garden blocks bought at lowes, called flagstone Ashland. I leveled the first course with QP and place the other two course on top. I dont know should I leave, glue or mortar the blocks down.
Living on a sloppy property, I've grown to love retaining walls. My best wall is about 60 ft long, 4 foot high at the highest point, with stairs and made out of 6"x6"x 8 ft PT timbers. I used about 25 whole timbers for dead men. The wall is going on 18 years and hasn't moved an inch, however, being made of wood, it will have to be replaced someday. A local landscaper just did a 5 ft retaining wall for one of their workers. The blocks were about 6" X 6". I was skeptical of the construction. And sure enough, after a heavy fall rain, the wall buckled and began to move. The crew came back, repaired/replaced the effected blocks and cut in drains smack dap in the middle where it buckled. So far, the wall hasn't moved again. I guess time will tell, but I'm still skeptical.
thanks A. I guess you can say that this is one of the reasons I stay away from building them, 40 years later people still own the house and want you to still be responsible . thanks mike
I didn't see what they used. It has been a year or 2 and the patch job is still holding. However, the wall looks weak to me with those drains smack dab in the middle of it.
Hi Mike! Thanks for the vid. U were a major help in designing and deciding on what to build my house out of! Any chance I can sweet talk u into coming to Canada for a visit when it's all done? Maybe make a vid?!
I just had a neighbor build a new house out of ICF Styrofoam blocks, re-bar and concrete. He's got the thing so well insulated that, in the summer (and we're in the NE), the slab concrete floor of his house is only one degree cooler than his attic. For heat/ac, he uses only one(1) geo-thermal well.
A Stanton1966 I'm thinking slipform stone. With a foam core. Basically the same idea as ur friend. I worked on a icf house here last summer and had a long convo with the owner. Everything about it is less expensive and far better then traditional houses. I am also in the ne lol so I feel his heating and cooling pain lol. For heat I have settled on a masonry wood stove and passive solar. Thanks for the reply!
Thanks for the reply. Personally, if I were building a new house today, I would design it around a big wood stove. Don't get me wrong, I would have a heating system for water and heat back up. However, nothing gets as low-tech as a wood stove. If fact, it makes for a great back up heating system if you every lose power or your furnace dies. Before my wood stove insert, our furnace died at 3:00am on a Sunday morning in February when the temperature outside was 6 degrees F.
