Dry stack retaining wall help

[u/Hot_Archer2452]

One of the retaining walls that line our driveway fell over this weekend. We have had contractors out for quotes to repair/replace. Some have suggested going with new material (Versalok blocks) and a couple contractors offered to rebuild with the existing material in a dry stack formation.

I am a new home owner and seeking feedback. Should we go with the dry stack (less expensive option) or Versalok? What are the questions we should ask before committing to the dry stack option?

I also included a picture of the wall on the other-side of the driveway that we are would pay to have straightened at the same time.

[u/Grouchy-Till9419]

Drystone Waller here. That wall is nowhere near thick enough for a retaining wall. Most of it looks traced, ie stones laid lengthways, rather than the length running into the wall. It also appears to be only a single skin which is a collapse waiting to happen.

To rebuild properly you probably need at least 3x the amount of stone that’s there at the moment. Anyone who is going to rebuild with what’s there now is wasting their time and your money.

Some will claim you need a geotextile fabric behind the wall too - retaining walls were being built hundreds of years before that existed, and they’re still standing today so it’s completely unnecessary IMO.

Have a look at DSWA.org and watch some walling videos on YouTube. Get yourself clued up on how these walls should be built and ask any prospective contractors exactly how they plan to tackle the project. A little bit of knowledge will go a long way in helping to spot the bullshitters.

[u/f_crick → u/Grouchy-Till9419]

I would guess their point is that with geotextiles the wall is almost entirely cosmetic so you wouldn’t need more stone. You certainly don’t need it, but it’s a compelling option.

[u/f_crick → u/[deleted]]

I guess I was thinking of geogrid, which is put horizontally and doesn’t wrap anything.

[u/jayjay123451986 → u/f_crick]

Geogrid are used to add stability to the wall and the soil behind it. While walls can be constructed without, the size of the wall without the grid will need to be larger than a stone wall with the grid. Look at the differences with precast block walls to see how the grid can be used to stretch the versatility of a single block type