Drainage Tips for Retaining Walls
Retaining walls are the perfect blend of function and aesthetic. They help protect your property, home, and surrounding landscape from natural elements by adding a unique design element to your yard. When designing and constructing a retaining wall
, there are several things to consider, from what materials will be used to what function the structure will serve. Proper drainage is needed for any retaining wall to function correctly and stay standing for years to come.
The Benefits and Purpose of Retaining Walls
Often made of stone or wood, retaining walls are protective structures that level uneven ground while creating a barrier between different spots on your property. These structures can also help stabilize sloped areas of your yard while controlling soil erosion or water run-off. While some retaining walls are created to help stop things like erosion or water run-off from damaging your home or yard, others are purely aesthetic. Retaining walls can be designed as privacy barriers, elevated planting beds, additional seating, or enclosed living spaces. Your reasoning for building a retaining wall will be specific to your property’s needs, but there are several benefits to installing one of these structures in your yard.
Designing Your Retaining Wall: Initial Stages
When designing your retaining wall, there are many factors you need to consider. The questions below are a few you should ask reputable landscaping companies, so you choose the best team for the design and construction of your project.
Material Overview
As the benefits of a retaining wall are endless, so are the material options used for design. The material you select can impact what type of retaining wall you build and vice versa. Whether you pick wood, concrete blocks, dry stone walls, or another building material, you want to try to keep the same type of material for all landscape features to support design continuity. The design of your retaining wall is solely based on what purpose you want the structure to serve. Common types of retaining walls
include:
Proper Drainage Is Key
Regardless of the type of material you use or style of retaining wall built, proper drainage will help your wall stay standing. Without proper drainage, pressure can build up behind the wall and cause cracking or bulging. There are many methods you can use to ensure adequate drainage is achieved from project start.
Other Tips for a Successful Retaining Wall
A strong and sturdy retaining wall relies on several factors coming together, including proper drainage. The 3:1 rule is a popular method when it comes to the slope of your wall. The change in height for every three feet of wall distance should not go over one foot. Exceeding this can cause your wall to sag or fall over. For example, a residential retaining wall generally does not exceed 4 feet. Anything higher can be overwhelming for your space, and may require additional supports like anchors or cantilevers. Your contractor may suggest a waterproof membrane based on your climate and soil to prevent excess moisture that may remain after run-off is gone.
Start Designing Today
Adding a retaining wall to your yard is one easy way to enhance your space while warding off the negative effects of nature’s elements. It’s best to take your time so you select the best type of design, material, and structure for your space. You must consider many factors when designing and building your wall, so don’t hesitate to ask experts for advice and assistance. Contacting a knowledgeable landscape company
can help ensure your retaining wall will remain reliable for years to come.
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When Pergolas Don’t Last, There’s Always a Reason After nearly two decades of building outdoor spaces across Medina, I’ve seen what happens when pergolas aren’t designed for Minnesota’s conditions. You can spot them a mile away—posts that lean, beams that twist, and concrete pads that have heaved out of level after just a couple of winters. It’s not because homeowners cut corners intentionally. It’s usually because whoever built it didn’t account for what our climate really does to structures that aren’t anchored right. Medina’s heavy clay soil doesn’t drain well. It holds moisture, freezes solid, and then expands like a hydraulic press pushing on everything above it. When pergolas are set on surface-level post bases, that pressure has nowhere to go but up—and the whole thing moves. Even small shifts can cause joints to separate, wood to crack, and hardware to loosen. That’s how a $15,000 structure starts looking tired after a few years instead of standing straight for decades. The truth is, pergolas here aren’t just about shade or looks. They’re about structure, drainage, and how every piece ties into the patio beneath it. A pergola that stands tall through Minnesota winters is built on the same principles as a good foundation—it’s only as strong as what’s underneath it. If you live in Medina and want to enjoy your backyard without worrying about your investment warping or sagging, start with design that respects the environment it’s built in. That means thinking beyond lumber and stain colors. It means understanding soil movement, water management, and the importance of integrating your pergola with the patio below it.
Solutions for Properties in Minnetonka You can always tell a Minnetonka yard that’s fighting its slope. Water doesn’t lie, it finds the weak spots every time. I’ve walked plenty of properties where a backyard starts beautiful in June, but by September, the patio is heaving, the grass near the pool looks like a marsh, and the homeowner is wondering how it got so bad so fast. The truth is, when you’re dealing with rolling terrain and heavy clay soils like we have around Minnetonka, you can’t just move dirt and hope gravity behaves. You need a plan that manages water from the surface all the way down through the subsoil. This is what I’ll walk you through here. You’ll see what actually causes drainage issues on sloped properties, how poor planning leads to cracked patios and shifting pool decks, and the smart drainage systems that can stop those problems for good. Whether you live near Lake Minnetonka or up in the higher ridges closer to Deephaven or Woodland, understanding how your yard sheds water is the difference between a property that lasts and one that’s constantly under repair. The Real Challenge of Sloped Minnetonka Yards Minnetonka is known for its hills, lakefront properties, and mature trees, but all that beauty comes with a set of challenges below the surface. Most of the soil here is dense clay. It holds water like a sponge and drains slowly, which means after every heavy rain, that water looks for a way downhill. If it doesn’t have a proper outlet, it ends up collecting right where you don’t want it, like along your patio, at the base of a retaining wall, or near your pool deck. I see this every season: homeowners trying to solve slope problems with a quick regrade, a layer of rock, or a simple surface drain. Those things might help for a while, but they don’t address what’s really happening underground. Clay soil doesn’t just get wet—it becomes saturated, expanding and contracting with every freeze-thaw cycle. When that happens under a patio or wall, it doesn’t matter how well-built the surface looks. The ground will move, and that movement cracks stone, shifts pavers, and slowly tears apart everything on top. The other challenge with sloped lots is how water interacts with gravity. It accelerates downhill, gaining momentum as it goes. When it hits a flat area like a patio, the water loses speed but not volume, pooling instead of flowing. That’s why I tell clients that “flat spots” on a sloped property are both an opportunity and a responsibility. They’re the best spaces to create usable outdoor areas, but they have to be engineered to handle water movement. I’ve worked on plenty of Minnetonka yards where the backyard has a beautiful view but terrible grading. You can have a perfect slope on paper, but if it directs water toward your house or creates a bowl effect between structures, you’ll end up with soggy soil and standing puddles that never dry. The goal is to move water off and away while keeping the surface level enough for comfort and usability. It’s a fine balance, but when it’s done right, it completely transforms how a property functions.