Retaining wall/fence

[Abyss]

The boundary fence between my back garden and my neighbours driveway has failed in the high winds. My original plan was to replace it with a new fence using concrete posts, concrete gravel boards and timber fence panels but after some research I am not sure this will be suitable.

The level difference between my land and my neighbours driveway varies between 1 and 2 feet higher on my side and my soil is a primarily clay. Currently it is just a timber fence which has not suprisingly failed under the load from the soil and high winds.

Will concrete posts with 2 x 1ft gravel boards be suitable or will the gravel boards ultimately fail under the pressure from the soil? I am already looking at about £1k to do the current solution so really don't want to have to spend even more.

 

[Nightglow]

Gravel boards will eventually bend, then crack, with clay which heaves when wet, then shrinks when dry, seen it happen a few times.

 

[AHarvey]

If you dig away on the border slightly to make room for the fence, concrete in the concrete posts and slide in a couple of 1ft concrete gravel boards to effectively hold your land in place it will be fine. Add in a inch or two of gravel on your side to allow for movement/water drainage.

You may want to add a layer of wet concrete under the gravel boards as you fit them, and maybe even a slight bit between the boards.

costly but very strong and they won't give you any issue. However, check the remaining height of the concrete post that is left and see if you can get fence panels to fit. Normally they are designed for 1 gravel board only.

Or if you're worried, instead of using gravel, leave a couple inch gap between boards/posts on your side, then fill with concrete. it won't go anywhere!

 

[Maccapacca]

Use paving slabs on edge buried 1/2 in concrete.

 

[Abyss]

This is what it would look like with just pea shingle behind the gravelboards:

maccapacca, slabs might be an option. I have just been out and there is only a 3-4m section that is 2 feet the rest is 1 foot or less, so I could use 3x2 slabs for the high section then rely on the gravelboard for the area below 1 foot.