What Those Gaps Behind Your Retaining Wall Could Mean

If there’s one task a retaining wall should do, it’s hold back soil. That’s what it’s designed for, and most homeowners assume it’s doing that job effectively. The problem is that retaining walls can develop hidden issues, including gaps that form behind the wall. At first glance, these gaps may seem like cosmetic concerns, but they can signal a much larger problem.

Gaps behind a retaining wall are usually a sign that something is happening beneath the surface, and identifying the cause early can help prevent more extensive repairs later. Let’s take a closer look at what those gaps behind your retaining wall could mean and who to call for retaining walls repair in Jackson MS.

What Causes Gaps Behind Retaining Walls?

A retaining wall relies on the soil behind it staying in place and maintaining consistent contact with the wall’s structure. When a gap forms, it usually means that some type of movement is taking place, causing the soil to shift, settle, or erode away from the wall, leaving behind an open space.

There are a few common reasons why this happens:

• Soil erosion. This is one of the most common culprits. Water runoff gradually washes away finer soil particles from behind the wall, creating gaps. This is especially likely to happen if drainage wasn’t installed properly.

• Soil settlement. Sometimes, the soil settles and compresses under its own weight and the weight of anything above it, pulling away from the wall and creating a growing gap. While soil settlement can be normal, this scenario is more likely to happen when the soil wasn’t properly compacted at the time of construction.

• Wall movement. There are also times when the wall itself is the problem. As the soil from above pushes the wall outwards, it can lean away from the ground it stood against, creating an opening that knocks the wall out of its original condition. In this case, the soil itself stays intact.

  
  

Why You Don’t Want to Ignore Gaps Behind Your Retaining Wall

A void behind a retaining wall typically doesn’t stay the same. It usually grows worse with each rainy season due to the cycles of freezing and thawing that can shift and dry out the soil around the wall. The growing void behind the wall is then more likely to collect additional water, further increasing hydrostatic pressure and speeding up the process that caused the void in the first place.

If it’s not repaired, this self-perpetuating cycle can turn a cosmetic void into an actual structural failure: a bulging or leaning wall, cracks appearing in the wall itself, or in extreme cases, the collapse of an entire section of the retaining wall outward. A hairline crack behind the wall can quickly become a much more costly repair.

Drainage Is Usually at the Heart of the Problem

Unfortunately for several retaining wall problems, gaps aren’t the exception. A properly constructed retaining wall should have built-in drainage systems, such as weep holes, a French drain, or simply a backfill that includes gravel so that water can drain through the wall instead of accumulating behind it. Without proper drainage—or when the drainage system has deteriorated over time—the water has nowhere to go. The resulting combination of pressure and erosion can create gaps behind the wall.

Because a retaining wall can appear to be perfectly solid to the naked eye, it’s best to schedule a professional inspection. You can find out if the drainage behind your wall is working as it should or secretly undermining the wall’s structural integrity.

Trust Foremost Foundations With Your Retaining Wall

At Foremost Foundations and Construction, we consider all aspects of Jackson’s soil and rainfall to offer long lasting solutions for retaining wall issues. If your wall has developed a gap or begun to lean, our retaining wall repairs in Jackson MS are designed not only to fix the symptoms but to address the underlying issues.

Stop ignoring the signs that started as a small issue before it turns into a large, costly one. Contact Foremost Foundations today for a retaining wall inspection!

5 Frequently Asked Questions

1. What causes gaps behind a retaining wall?

   Gaps behind a retaining wall can develop because of soil erosion, soil settlement, or movement of the wall itself. Water runoff can wash soil away from behind the wall, while poorly compacted soil may settle over time. In other cases, pressure from the soil can cause the wall to lean outward and create a visible gap.

   
   

2. Are gaps behind a retaining wall a serious problem?

   Yes. A gap behind a retaining wall can indicate that soil is shifting, settling, or eroding and may signal an underlying structural or drainage problem. If left unaddressed, the void can grow and contribute to additional water accumulation, increased pressure, wall movement, cracking, or even partial wall failure.

   
   

3. How does drainage affect gaps behind a retaining wall?

   Poor or deteriorating drainage can contribute significantly to gaps behind a retaining wall. Without adequate drainage, water can accumulate behind the wall, increasing hydrostatic pressure and washing soil away. Properly designed retaining walls may use features such as weep holes, French drains, and suitable gravel backfill to help manage water.

   
   

4. Can a retaining wall with gaps behind it be repaired?

   In many cases, a retaining wall with gaps can be repaired, but the appropriate solution depends on what is causing the gap and the condition of the wall. A professional inspection can determine whether soil erosion, settlement, inadequate drainage, or wall movement is responsible and help identify the appropriate repair or stabilization method.

   
   

5. When should I call a professional for retaining wall repair in Jackson, MS?

   You should schedule a professional inspection if you notice gaps behind your retaining wall, leaning or bulging, cracks, soil erosion, or signs of water collecting behind the wall. Addressing these warning signs early can help prevent a relatively small retaining wall issue from developing into a more extensive and costly structural repair.