If you’ve worked in the construction industry for long enough, you know how easy it is for a project’s timeline and budget to get out of control. But this isn’t an inevitable outcome; instead, making smart choices early on can help you avoid serious problems down the line.
When you’re trying to keep your retaining wall construction project affordable and efficient, using precast lagging panels is a great idea. These panels are highly standardized and easy to install, helping you save time and money on the job site.
What Makes Retaining Walls Important?
A retaining wall is a structure built to hold (or “retain”) the soil behind it. If you put some thought into your retaining wall and use the right materials to build it, it can deliver advantages like:
- Damage prevention. When left unchecked, soil erosion can cause problems for your property and the environment. Retaining walls can stop these issues in their tracks.
- Drainage control. Retaining walls also excel at directing water away from your home and toward drainage systems. Once you have a well-designed retaining wall in place, you shouldn’t have to worry about water pooling on your property.
- Visual appeal. Along with their practical benefits, well-designed retaining walls can make your property look better than ever. You can even customize concrete retaining walls to look like materials such as wood, brick, and stone.
Saving Time and Money With Precast Lagging Panels
Concrete is among the most popular materials for retaining wall construction. However, you’ll have to choose one of two types of concrete if you go this route: cast-in-place concrete or precast lagging panels.
When you pick precast lagging panels for your retaining wall project, you’ll appreciate benefits such as:
Quick Installation
Unlike cast-in-place concrete, precast lagging panels don’t need to be manufactured at your construction site. Instead, these panels are ready to install the moment they arrive – greatly reducing the amount of time you’ll need to spend on site preparation.
Reduced Labor Requirements
Since precast concrete isn’t manufactured on your worksite, you can reduce your on-site labor requirements by choosing this material. That, in turn, will give you a chance to cut costs on your project as a whole.
Minimal Downtime
Once your precast concrete supplier is done manufacturing your lagging panels, they can deliver them to your job site for installation. In contrast, you may face delays and longer wait times if you opt for cast-in-place concrete.
Simplified Logistics
When you plan on manufacturing your concrete lagging panels on site, you have to know how you’ll get your hands on the materials used to make these panels. Along with that, you’ll need somewhere to store your panels once they’re finished. On the other hand, precast concrete panels can be delivered and installed immediately, reducing the complexity of your project.
Fewer Disruptions
The advantages of precast concrete’s accelerated installation process go beyond your project. These panels can also reduce delays and disruption to nearby businesses and your community as a whole.
Better Project Planning
Timelines for precast concrete lagging panel installation are more predictable than timelines for manufacturing and installing cast-in-place concrete panels. Because of that, choosing these panels is an excellent way to streamline your project’s schedule.
Precast Concrete vs. Timber Lagging Panels
As you can see, precast lagging panels are a better choice than cast-in-place concrete for retaining wall construction. That said, concrete isn’t the only material you can use for these structures – timber is another option for retaining walls.
While timber lagging panels are OK for temporary retaining wall projects, panels made from treated timber don’t last as long as precast concrete panels. Treated timber panels can have lifespans measured in decades. In comparison, the National Precast Concrete Association has stated that precast concrete products have service lives of 50 to 100 years on average.
This isn’t the only drawback associated with timber lagging panels, either. These panels can also attract pests, run into moisture problems, and force you to spend significant time and effort on maintenance work. With that in mind, you’ll be much better off choosing precast concrete lagging panels for your next permanent retaining wall.
Where Should You Get Your Precast Lagging Panels?
Despite the benefits that come with using precast lagging panels for your retaining walls, you might not get the full advantages of this material if you choose the wrong supplier. When you’re in the market for a precast concrete company, make sure they offer:
- A wide range of design options. The load and pile spacing requirements for your retaining wall may differ from other projects’ requirements. Your panel supplier should be ready to help by providing customizable precast concrete panels built to your exact specifications.
- Full visual customization. Precast lagging panel customization shouldn’t be limited to your wall’s specifications. Since visual appeal is a huge part of what makes these structures so popular, your supplier also needs to offer appearance-related options (including different colors and textures).
- Help with engineering. If you’re not sure how to develop a retaining wall, you shouldn’t have to tackle this task in isolation. A qualified precast concrete company will provide assistance with the technical aspects of retaining wall construction.
- All the support you need. Do you need help with other steps in the retaining wall construction process? If so, keep an eye out for precast lagging panel companies that offer a helping hand with storage, delivery, and (when you request it) installation coordination.
A Lagging Panel Supplier You Can Count On
Any construction project can get complicated, and retaining wall development is no exception. But when you use precast lagging panels in your wall and find a trustworthy panel supplier, your risk of trouble will be much lower than it would be otherwise.
No matter what specifications and appearance you need from your retaining wall, you can count on American Precast Concrete Inc. to deliver. If you’d like to get started, just contact us today!