During the rainy season, we determined that the best way to control the vast amount of rain-water pouring down our driveway that were not captured by the main drainage trench was by allowing them to pour over the retaining walls. Nick created a temporary trench at the foot of the wall that then directed the water down into pipes and away from the wall and the terraces.
Recently we brought in a local contractor, to concrete in the block walls and the pipes, and lay a concrete base. However, when the work was completed, I decided the trench would look much better if the outer walls were plastered. As the contractor was leaving all his materials for clean-up and removal the next day, he suggested that we mix up some plaster and have at it!
I was quite keen to try my hand at plastering and a few hours later we had a nicely plastered trench gutter. Though my work wouldn’t win any plastering awards it was good fun and I was quite pleased with my efforts!
Retaining wall trench pre concrete work
Hard at work
All done and new top soil in place!
Dec 29, 2008 at 5:44 pm
It’s fun isn’t it? It gets harder when you go higher with more blocks. If the plaster has trouble sticking there is blue stuff you paint on first that helps the stuff stick (we learned that AFTER we struggled with our tall wall at the end of the driveway).katrina