Lake House Erosion Control
Redi-Rock walls, columns, and caps help create gorgeous lakeside retreat
THE CHALLENGE
When the owners of this Lake Michigan home wanted to create a path to their sandy beach, they had to contend with a massive grade change-over 140 feet (42.7 meters) of elevation separated the house and the beach!
In addition, the family also wanted to put in a patio area outfitted with lighting, an outdoor shower, a storage shed, decorative columns, and fencing. To create space for this design, extensive retaining walls were required.
Redi-Rock columns, caps, frestanding walls and more were used to create this beautiful lake front area.
THE SOLUTION
Of course, the owner wanted the project to look good, but the solution also needed to be structural. And that's where Redi-Rock came in.
This project utilized almost every product in the Redi-Rock arsenal including gravity retaining walls, columns, freestanding walls, and caps - all in the Ledgestone texture. The result was a coordinated landscape that ticked all the boxes - structural, functional, and aesthetic!
The reinforced retaining walls supporting the patio area stood 12-13.5 feet (3.7 - 4.1 meters) above grade, and the wall supporting the slope above the path stands 13.5 feet (4.1 meters) tall at its highest point.
In total, the project included 6,300 square feet (585.3 square meters) of Redi-Rock products.
The 32 Redi-Rock columns on this project truly showcase the versatility of the product. The columns lining the patio integrated beautifully with white fencing, while the columns that flanked the pathway were stand-alone structures.
Redi-Rock columns with caps were used throughout the project, some of which included a lighting feature.
Redi-Rock columns are created by stacking Column blocks on top of each other. As you can see in the photos, the Columns on this project included two Column blocks and a Redi-Rock Cap with custom lighting placed between the Column block and the Cap! The designer also created an outdoor shower using the void in the center of the Column blocks for the plumbing.
The 700 foot (213.4 meter) long pathway leading from the home down the lake is one of the largest and longest permeable pathways in the United States. The pathway was installed at a 35% grade. DeBest Landscaping installed the porous pavement, which has a high recycled rubber content which gives flexibility without cracking while providing traction when wet or dry for pedestrians and utility vehicles. The permeable pavement also prevents runoff towards the lake.
The owner of the project is very happy with the way the project turned out!
The Redi-Rock Ledgestone texture was chosen for this project and provides the look of natural stone throughout the property.
PROJECT DETAILS
Project: Benton Harbor Lake House #150 Owner: Private Residence Block Manufacturer: Consumers Concrete Installer: DeBest, Inc. Engineer: Midwest Civil Engineering Location: Benton Harbor, Michigan Year Built: 2011-2012
PRODUCTS FEATURED IN THIS CASE STUDY
Reinforced Retaining Wall Blocks - Build MSE retaining walls with the revolutionary Redi-Rock Positive Connection (PC) blocks.
Gravity Retaining Wall Blocks - Massive, one-ton Redi-Rock gravity blocks rely on the sheer mass of each block to hold back the earth.
Freestanding Blocks - Redi-Rock freestanding blocks are textured on both sides, giving above-grade walls an unbeatable, finished look for any project you design.
Cap Blocks - Redi-Rock cap blocks are the perfect way to finish a retaining wall, freestanding wall, or column.
Columns - Redi-Rock columns can coordinate with retaining walls or freestanding walls, and even fencing!
Ledgestone Texture Blocks - Redi-Rock Ledgestone blocks give projects a random, stacked stone look.