"Can you come and level my yard?"

[MAKLawnCutter]

SO!

I have a question for you construction background peoples!

I got a call yesterday for a "level" job. He has a space in his back yard that is 20' x 60 (1200sq.ft.) and needs to level it up another 2ft next to a fence, then he wants sod installed...

I came up with 2900 cu.ft of soil to fill it (compacting it so it isnt soft), along with 3 pallets of sod, i will be installing a retaining wall this weekend of train ties and rod iron to make it look pretty.

All work is going through a gate with wheel barrows since he refuses to let me pull the fence out to get a bob cat in and out. I came up with 93yards of top soil @ 18.00$/yard plus 700$ in top soil from my local supplier (just ordering me a few truck loads).

MY QUESTION! Should i line the inner wall with plastic to repel moisture and insects? Or just slap the dirt against it and pat it in as tight as we can go?

Matt

[The Cleaning Doctor]

MAK

I have done some research on this and with the soil that is available down there you should add some drainage.

Line the wall with landscape fabric between the wall and the soil behind it so you would have 2 layers. In between these layers install gravel up to about 4-6" of the top of the finished grade.

This will allow the water to drain from behind the timbers. Putting in plastic will only cause water to build up behind the timbers causing more weight to push on them.

At least that is what I would do. Gravel about 8-12" wide behind the timbers with the barrier between the gravel and fill dirt and the gravel and the timbers and of course on top. This is to keep the dirt out of the gravel.

[LawnMoore]

You absolutely need some drainage, also on the outside of the wall about 3-4 inches up i would drill a weep hole about 1/2 inch diameter, into the bottom of the wall, i would say every 6 foot.

This combined with the rock will let it drain out instead of it just draining, i dont know why but he forgot to mention the weeping holes ;)

[picframer]

Matt, trying to get your math to work to see how deep this will be but I can't, 20 X 60 and say 12" deep is only 45 yards.

My #1 concern would be whether the fence will hold the pressure, 6" or less no problem although it should be lined or the fence will rot within 5 years, that much moisture against wood wimply won't work.

Next thing is even though the area is very small, moving that much product by wheel barrow, I personally would walk away, poppping out a post on the gate so that I would get equipment in is the only way I would do it personally.

The other option if I were only using top soil or very clean fill, hire a slinger truck which we have done on a couple of sites that I could not get equipment into, a good slinger operator will mean next to no spreading and it's only $65.00 per 16 yards here.