When developing our woven steel system we initially had it in mind for above ground fencing and screening, over time however us and our customers have installed woven steel fences to retain soil. This opened up a whole new avenue of possibilities to include terracing.
Unless you can work to our set woven steel panels sizes we would recommend constructing woven steel terracing using our self build kits. These allow you to build a completely bespoke retainer.
Why use woven steel to terrace a garden?
On sloping sites terracing is most common method to create flat areas, in effect creating large steps with level areas in between which are more useable for lawns, patios and driveways etc.
Longevity is the number one practical reason. Being set against the soil even treated timber will rot in a few years, a woven steel fence will far outlast a timber construction with a life span of in excess of 25 years.
Versatility With woven steel terraces your not limited to straight lines, presenting an opportunity to create flowing line or include features such as pockets of planting. You can adjust the height in increments of 5cm (slat size) at the top, and the bottom can be stepped too.
Aesthetics
A flowing woven steel terrace in our opinion beds into the landscape beautifully, especially once weathered. Alternatives such as sleepers or a wall have a solid face which can appear abrupt and even a bit overpowering on taller constructions.
Increase existing retainer height
If you have an existing retaining wall or gabions and are looking to extend the height, a woven steel fence / retainer can be fixed into / onto these (assuming they are sound enough).
From an aesthetic point of view a change of materials is a useful way of breaking up a tall vertical face. For information on fixing to a wall take a look at our wall fixing blog post.
Read about some of the commonly asked questions on how woven steel panels and fencing can be used for terracing and retainers
We advise a maximum of 1.25 meters with internal bracing and up to 80cm with no bracing.
Bracing can be done by knocking stakes into the raised soil areas and wiring to them to the woven steel fence posts. We can also supply longer or thicker posts to cope with heavy loads.
For urgent advice please get in touch.
Yes, any woven steel construction used to retain soil should be lined on the inside with a landscape fabric we recommend doubling the fabric up with the folded part at the top to prevent fraying and secure the top with cable ties around the fence posts
Retainers are build in just the same way as fences. In simple terms the posts are knocked in every 60cm and the flexible steel slats are woven around them until the desired height is reached then it is all secured together using rivets. The only difference with woven steel retainers is the bracing required on those over 80cm tall and the lining to prevent soil running through.
Simply let us know the length and heights of the terraces, we will provide a bespoke quote and payment details to place the order. We can deliver throughout the UK.
Ensure you have a clear run to work on both sides of the fence, you will need around 40cm both sides to rivet the slats together. If your welding instead of riveting then it is possible to work entirely from one side, this enables you to build a retainer against the soil face or even clad an existing wall in woven steel.
Flatten the area our prior to installation, bear in mind the line of the bottom of the fence will be mirrored in the top. If fine to have a sloping fence but try and avoid unintentional dips or raises.
Yes and we can supply steel steps to build into your retainer or set in front of it
Yes. This is something we would like to try, by cutting through the liner and inserting plants into the soil behind there is no reason why this wouldn’t work. Planting trailing plants into the face of a woven steel retainer would in our opinion look really effective especially on taller constructions.
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