Beautifully landscaped Terraforce garden wall
- Living wall:
The unique hollow-core design allows you to make plants a part of your wall and allows water to drain back into the ground. Use low-water-use plants to create a landscape that’s sustainable. Plant growth also deters graffiti.
- Durability:
Concrete will not rot and weaken over time, and no chemical preservatives are required. Blocks can be replaced if damage occurs.
- Mortarless and interlocking systems:
The units are simply stacked up without mortar to provide a cost effective, do-it-yourself system. Can be used for light revetment cladding, medium-to-heavy gravity retaining walls, heavy duty composite walls in combination with earth reinforcing grids (fabrics) or reinforced concrete infill.
- Layout flexibility:
The half-moon interlock easily handles convex and concave curves, and the wall angle can vary from vertical to shallow slopes. Create steps by reversing the block.
- Colours and textures:
Choose between round, straight or rock face finish. Consult your local supplier about available colours.
- Easy to use:
The blocks are lightweight for easy delivery, handling and installation, yet heavy in mass when filled with soil, gravel, or concrete. Fence and handrail posts can be set within blocks.
- Tried and tested for over 40 years:
Terraforce is a member of the Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA) in South Africa and adheres to the Canadian and US international Standard Specification for Loadbearing Concrete Masonry Units, following a successful ICBO evaluation in 2002 (now ICC-ES, a leading US nonprofit, limited liability company that does technical evaluations of building products, components, methods, and materials).The system was also extensively tested by Hawkins Hawkins & Osborne Consulting Engineers, South Africa in 1992, resulting in a comprehensive design and specification manual and user guide.
Composite retaining wall design and construction procedures with Terraforce blocks have been subjected to rigorous laboratory tests. These were conducted on a large-scale test apparatus to evaluate the mechanical performance of, among others, the connection between blocks and geogrids. In all tests the primary mode of failure was rupture of the geogrid outside the blocks and performance was found to be above average.
- Manufacture of blocks follow strict standards:
The manufacturing of gravity wall blocks (Terraforce) must adhere to local and international standards by undergoing extensive laboratory testing, during and after manufacturing. These standards are based on the following codes:
- SANS 207,
- Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA)
- BS 8806 and
- ASTM-D6916-18
In addition, licensed manufacturers must adhere to strict minimum specifications and weekly compressive strength tests as well as weight- and dimension measurements must be concluded as part of the manufacture’s quality assurance programme.
Testimonials
Brenda Miller of Florida:
| “Though I’ve never enjoyed trampolines in a landscape, you’ve done well. Particularly noteworthy is the open stem wall top. Though I’ve terraced with many materials, this is as a concrete block turned on its side: supportive, reinforces water conservation and slows spillage. For someone at the bottom of a hill, water distribution both retention and redistribution is important. Great job!” |
Hannes Bouwer of Bouwer Architects on using the
Terraforce L12 blocks and
Terracrete hard lawn blocks at Cavalli Wine and Stud Farm:
| “The rock face blocks blend with the natural environment, their sandstone colour matching the surrounding soil. They are plantable and permeable, allowing the landscapers free reign.” |
Karien Visser, engineer with KLS Consulting Engineers:
| “It is a very well-known product, and we liked that the system is a design and supply item.” |
Tobie Cilliers from Strata Civils says that he frequently uses the Terraforce system for landscaping and erosion control measures:
| “Terraforce offers a user-friendly landscape remodelling method that is flexible, cost-effective and faster to install than off shutter concrete or bricks. The entire job can be done on site and the blocks fit in just about anywhere.” |
Rudolf Eksteen of Moorreesburg, on using
Terraforce L18 blocks for grain storage circles:
| “I am thrilled with the ease of installation. All that is required is a level piece of ground with a matching diameter.” Packing the versatile blocks on a circle marked out around a central foundation hole is a breeze, although requiring some basic construction skills.” |
James Nielsen owner of a home in Woodstock, approached Terraforce to help him build a hard-wearing driveway with the
Terracrete hard lawn blocks:
| Nielson says that he used two labourers that had never worked with the product before: “It was easy enough for them to do a good job under the guidance of a Terraforce professional, and it took us about two weeks to complete the job. I am happy, and everything looks neat. I can recommend Terracrete blocks, they work well.” |
Pieter van Rensburg, Manager at the Forest Hall Private Nature Reserve near the Crags, Plettenberg Bay, decided that, for reasons of safety and erosion control, the roads on the reserve needed urgent upgrading:
| In total 8 km of road were upgraded in 9 months with the Terracrete hard lawn blocks: “The products worked perfectly for us. The blocks could be laid by hand and not much of the surrounding forest was disturbed by the construction process. The road has been performing very well, even coping with an eight ton concrete truck. Steep sections of the road that were previously only accessible to heavy duty 4×4 vehicles can now be negotiated with normal passenger cars.” |
Simon Knutton of Knutton Consulting on specifiying
Terraforce L16 blocks and
Terraforce 4×4 Multi Step blocks for 3 clover leaf interchanges in Qatar:
| “Due to the four loops at each interchange being different the Client requested that each interchange design be unique. The challenge was to be creative, functional (for maintenance), keep aesthetic appeal and to maintain the structural integrity required. This kind of variation could not have been achieved with the precast walls originally proposed. As a result, the walls showcase the remarkable design flexibility that is possible with a Terraforce block, by alternating between a flush, round or rock face finish, varied setbacks for a featuresque appearance, integrated steps and good plant cover.” |
Robin Barnes, Architect with JHP Architects and Town Planners on using the
Terraforce 4×4 Multi Step blocks for and
Terraforce L11 blocks for installing seating arenas:
| “We decided to use the 4×4 Step Block system as it gave us flexibility in the radius we required and the ease in construction that it provides. The blocks fit together nicely and provide the correct anthropometric sizes for seating and staircases. Ultimately the client was provided a facility that could be used for weddings, musicals and seminars, whilst still maintaining a cosy and intimate atmosphere within the amphitheatre, with the mountains as a backdrop. The project is a definite success; it not only works acoustically, but is aesthetically pleasing as well.” |
