Features
Advantages
A 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 easily be replaced if damage occurs.
We have records of Terraforce walls that have stood strong since the conception of the company in 1978!
Mortarless, interlocking
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.
User Friendly
Units 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.
Why Terraforce?
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 also 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.
Client Testimonials
"Fantastically versatile product that offers structural strength, aesthetic arrangement and provides a plantable living feature wall. Peter was extremely helpful and responsive in his communication and both deliveries arrived on time."
- Natasha Mikula, UK
"Happy to show anyone local what can be achieved with your great product, I love the wall!” This wall is in Rock, Cornwall, and was lovingly planted with 4000 plants."
- Carol Barkwell, Devon, UK
"Glad to see its taking off in the UK. We got ours 10 years ago – first delivery in Dorset and we built our wall. The blocks made our garden look amazing and so easy to install too!"
- Diana Kenney, Wiltshire, UK
"My husband has created an amazing wall with your Terraforce blocks. We live on a slant and we have built a retaining wall and built up from the bottom of the slant to the house level and have created an amazing pool area with views out over the area. The Terraforce wall is a highlight!!! I have attached a couple of before pictures also. We basically have used the Terraforce wall to build up and pop the pool into. Thanks for such an awesome product!!!"
- Simone Elwell, Perth, Australia
"Just last weekend we built some stairs in the wall with the blocks as we love it so much – it looks good (even though the blocks you guys use for stairs are rectangular and these are curved)…we plan to glue the caps for safety…It’s not completely done but nearly there — we now have the pool in and the 1 metre wall is doing well – we LOVE LOVE LOVE Terraforce!!!!"
- Katherine James, Perth, Australia
"Terraforce is a fantastic product. The longevity of the blocks is phenomenal and highly recommended as a solution to all applicable retaining requirements. Been using your product for many many years and very impressed."
- Kevin Bailey, Cape Town, South Africa
"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!"
- Brenda Miller of Florida
"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."
- Hannes Bouwer of Bouwer Architects
"It is a very well known product, and we liked that the system is a design and supply item."
- Karien Visser, engineer with KLS Consulting Engineers
"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."
- Tobie Cilliers from Strata Civils
"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."
- Rudolf Eksteen of Moorreesburg
"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."
- Simon Knutton of Knutton Consulting
BENEFITS OF TERRAFORCE
Why retaining wall blocks can work for you
Listed below are the features of Terraforce retaining wall blocks that have contributed to the growing popularity of Terraforce among architects, engineers, developers, contractors and home owners.
Terraforce blocks are manufactured under controlled conditions in factories on five continents and may be employed to solve issues ranging from light erosion control applications to heavy composite earth retaining requirements. Our consultants will gladly share their experience of many years with you to maximise the environmental and aesthetic opportunities that exist on your site.
Hollow core reversible units
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.
Unique horizontal interlock
With optional vertical interlock allowing for seamless variations of wall inclination (90-35 degrees).
Eliminate the use of geogrids in many cases. Convex and concave corners and curves of unrestricted radius allow complex designs to suit site conditions.
Easy stairway construction
• Straight or curved alignment
• Perfect spiral stairways can be constructed with ease
What’s possible: light revetment cladding, medium-to-heavy gravity retaining walls, heavy duty composite walls in combination with earth reinforcing grids (fabrics) or reinforced concrete infill.
Open horizontal & closed vertical surface structure
• Cuts evaporation
• Improves drainage
• Allows for effective backfill compaction
• Plant growth deters graffiti
• Environmentally friendly
Hollow core reversible units
These are provided for all the blocks, to suit most sites where relatively light retaining walls are required. Where medium to heavy retaining walls are necessary, other Terraforce design tools are available to provide lasting solutions. Extended applications must be individually designed by a qualified engineer. These will include composite structures with geogrid or cement stabilised backfill, or when double/single row designs are to be combined with reinforced concrete infill.
Construction
Must be carried out in accordance with practical installation guidelines and details as contained in our construction manuals.
The units are light and easy to handle before filling. No special construction skills are required. (Installation Guides).
TERRAFORCE walls are not built in a checkerboard fashion and contain no air voids – evaporation is thus reduced to a minimum. They offer minimal visual impact due to their range of colours and natural boulder-like appearance.