Tried a German cross-joint pattern on a retaining wall in Ohio... total disaster

I built a 40-foot retaining wall using a German cross-joint pattern last month near Cleveland. It looked great in the diagrams but the expansion was all off after three rows. The wall started bulging at the fourth course because I didn't account for clay soil swelling. Ended up tearing it down and going back to a standard running bond. Has anyone else had a fancy pattern backfire on them like this?

2 comments

2 Comments

felix981mo ago

That "looked great in the diagrams" line got me because I used to love those fancy patterns but now I totally avoid them on anything with clay soil.

pat_hart1mo ago

Honestly, that "looked great in the diagrams" line is my whole garden story. I once spent a weekend laying out a beautiful curving path of fancy stepping stones, and after one rain in my clay soil they all popped up like crooked teeth. Ngl I swear the concrete turned into a slip n slide for worms. The diagram showed this neat little walkway that would "drain naturally" but my yard turned it into a mud wrestling pit. Tbh now I just stick to straight lines with gravel and pretend I meant to do it all along.