DESIGN APPROACH: SPACE AGE RETAINING WALL
You will need:
-
Rebar (4, 8, 16, or 32)-
Clear PVC Vinyl Sheeting- Wood (2x4s preferred)
- Spray Paint
- Sand
- Potting Soil
- Vine saplings or seeds
This design is meant to imitate the look of concrete bricks without the need to spend $200 on actual concrete bricks. It uses a vinyl sheeting which is actually really durable; I made a box out of this stuff years ago and it has stayed intact under all kinds of stresses.
1) Arrange half of the available rebar into a straight line which covers the length of the area the wall will cover. Take the other half of available rebar and offset it about four to six inches from the first set. This should form a rectangular shape.
2) Using the lumber, start to create a rectangular box along the perimeter of the rebar. Make sure to leave a 2-5mm gap between the wood and the rebar itself. The vinyl will slide into this gap.
3) Unroll the vinyl sheeting, sliding it into the gap between the rebar and the wood. align the sheeting so that it masks the rebar, and have it double over itself. Once the sheeting is layered, seal it either with rubber cement, super glue, or some other adhesive. MAKE SURE THE SEAL IS 100% SECURE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM.
4) Once the seal dries completely, pour sand inside the rectangular wall created by the vinyl sheeting. Make sure the sand covers 80 percent of the volume of the inside. Then, using potting soil, fill up the remaining 20 percent. Mixing a bit of water into the layers can help them stay glued together inside, but gravity should do most of the work.
5) Using the spray paint, begin to cover the clear vinyl in the color of your choosing. Natural colors like green and brown are a good idea, as are pinks and whites like the color of bricks. If you can, try to texturize the vinyl as the paint is applied so that it looks more natural when dry. The goal is to give it a weathered look.
6) Using the saplings or seeds, begin to plant vines along the top of the wall, angling them down so they grow along the sides of the wall. By the end of the summer, they should look more than a bit natural.
That's all there is to it! If someone wants to go large scale this summer, and doesn't have the money for actual bricks, I'd say give this method a try and report back! At least if it fails, the dirt and soil can be reused.
