Engineered walls and custom planters
Retaining wall contractor in Adelaide for engineered walls and custom planters
Walls built to the engineer's design, with the drainage behind them done properly.
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Walls designed for what's behind them
An engineered retaining wall is designed by an engineer for the soil and the load it holds back, then built to that design. On developments, walls over about a metre, or with a driveway or building above them, usually need one SA approval threshold for the project. Large planters raise the same questions at a smaller scale. Wet soil weighs close to two tonnes per cubic metre, so a planter's size is set by what it sits on.
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Our scope
- Segmental block walls, including Adbri Versawall and Versastone products ASYS uses
- Concrete sleeper walls on steel posts
- Engineered walls with geogrid reinforcement
- Drainage behind every wall, with ag pipe and free-draining backfill
- Estate entry and feature walls
- Large custom planters, including octagonal planters for developers
- Podium and on-slab planters with waterproof lining and drainage
- Steps and seating walls
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Engineering and drainage
We build to AS 4678, the Australian standard for earth-retaining structures, and to the engineer's drawings. The engineer sets the hold points, usually the footing and each layer of geogrid, and we don't cover anything up until it's been signed off ASYS hold point practice.
Most wall failures come from water. When it can't drain from behind a wall, the pressure builds until the wall leans or bulges. So every wall gets free-draining aggregate behind it and an ag pipe at the base that runs to an outlet.
For planters we agree the materials and finish with the designer, then detail the lining and drainage before fabrication starts planter materials ASYS builds in.
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Who we build for
- Land developers
- needing entry walls and feature planters.
- Head contractors
- with a wall package on a commercial build.
- Commercial property owners
- with a failing wall or a podium to plant.
- Schools
- on sloping sites that need level ground for play and paths.
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Walls and structures on site
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Common questions
When does a retaining wall need an engineer?
When it's tall, carries a load such as a driveway or building, sits near a boundary or holds back poor soil. In SA, walls over about a metre high usually need development approval, and the certifier will ask for engineering.
Segmental blocks or concrete sleepers?
Segmental blocks such as Versawall suit curves and taller walls, and can be geogrid-reinforced to go higher. Concrete sleepers on steel posts are quicker and cheaper on straight runs of lower wall.
Why do retaining walls fail?
Water, mostly. If water can't drain from behind a wall, pressure builds until it leans or bulges. Proper drainage aggregate and an ag pipe with an outlet prevent most failures. Undersized footings and missing geogrid account for most of the rest.
Can you build large planters on a podium or slab?
Yes, once the structural engineer confirms the slab can take the load. Wet soil weighs close to two tonnes per cubic metre, so planter size and soil depth are set against the slab's capacity. The planter also needs a waterproof lining with drainage that ties into the building's system.
Send us the wall drawings.
Or photos of the slope, if it hasn't been designed yet.