Brickwork in Pontypridd
Garden and Boundary Walls
A boundary wall on a Pontypridd hillside often runs downhill, so we step the footing and the courses in level sections rather than letting the wall follow the slope at an angle.
Pontypridd is a town of slopes. From the valley floor where the Taff and the Rhondda meet, terraces climb the hills in long rows, and the gardens behind them rarely sit flat. Some rise steeply from the back door, some fall away towards the street below, and plenty lean sideways along the contour. The question we are asked most often in Pontypridd is simple: do I need a wall here, and if so, what kind?
Tony and the team build brickwork and garden walls all over Pontypridd, from Treforest to the streets above the town centre: retaining walls, steps, boundary walls, planters and repairs. We will look at the ground for free and tell you plainly what it needs, so get in touch. For the rest of our local work, see our Pontypridd landscaping page.
How each type of wall and step work fits the steep, stepped gardens that Pontypridd is known for.
A boundary wall on a Pontypridd hillside often runs downhill, so we step the footing and the courses in level sections rather than letting the wall follow the slope at an angle.
Retaining walls are the heart of most brickwork jobs in Pontypridd, whether that means one low wall to square off a bank or a series of terraces that turns a slope into two or three usable levels.
Steps are the other half of a hillside garden, and in Pontypridd a flight with even risers, a landing on a long climb and a rail where it helps makes the whole garden easier to use.
A raised bed or a patio wall can finish off a new terrace in Pontypridd, giving a sitting area a safe edge and a place to plant without digging into thin, stony ground.
Piers and pillars are less common on Pontypridd terraces than on detached plots, but a pair at a front gate or at the head of a flight of steps can make a small frontage look finished.
Many older garden walls around Pontypridd have started to bulge or lean after a century of wet soil pushing against them, and we repair or rebuild them depending on how far they have moved.
Not every slope needs holding back. A gentle bank can be planted, a moderate one can be graded into a lawn, and sometimes a deck in Pontypridd is the easier way to get a flat area without moving soil. A wall comes into its own when you want level ground where the slope is too steep to grade, or when an old bank is slipping.
Our local guide, retaining walls in Pontypridd: when you need one, walks through that decision. At the visit, we look at how steep the ground is, what is above and below it, where water runs and what you want to use the space for, and then suggest the least wall that will do the job well.
Once a wall is the answer, the work is mainly underground and behind it. We dig the footing down to firm ground, step it where the ground falls, and backfill behind the wall with clean stone so rainwater can drain down rather than building up pressure. Weep holes through the base let that water out, and a pipe at the foot can carry it clear on wetter sites.
Height matters a great deal. A low wall holding back a flower bed is straightforward, but taller walls, or walls supporting a path, a building or ground on a neighbour's side, may need an engineer's design. We are landscapers, not engineers, and we will say so. The guide on when a retaining wall needs engineering advice sets out the usual triggers.
Hillside gardens need walls built with water and levels in mind, and advice that is straight about what is needed.
We suggest what the slope actually needs, which is sometimes a smaller wall, or none at all.
Stone backfill and weep holes come as standard, because wet soil is what pushes walls over.
Walls, steps, paving and lawns are set out together so each level meets the next cleanly.
We come out, look at the ground and access, and give a clear quote with nothing to pay for the visit.
A terraced garden is only as useful as the route through it. Where a Pontypridd garden climbs steeply, we build steps with the same rise and tread all the way up, because one odd step is the one people trip on, especially carrying a basket or in the rain. On long climbs we break the flight with a landing.
Steps and patios usually get planned together, because the levels have to line up. Our guide to patio levels and steps for Pontypridd terraces looks at that, and garden steps in brick and stone explains how to get the rise right.
With the university campus at Treforest close by, a good number of Pontypridd houses are let, and landlords want outdoor space that is safe and needs little looking after between tenants. Sound walls, solid steps with a rail and a paved area bounded by a low wall tend to suit better than lawns and beds that nobody will tend.
A leaning wall or a loose step in a rented garden is also a safety question, so it is worth dealing with before a new let. Our guide to garden ideas for Pontypridd student lets and rentals has more on what tends to work.
Real reviews from homeowners across Pontypridd — rated 4.8 out of 5 on Google from 69 reviews and 10/10 on Checkatrade.
“Had my patio done by the company and could not be happier. Top quality work done and quickly too.”
“I was pleased to find Tony and his lads were absolutely great! Tony responded quickly & was very polite.”
“We were delighted with the work and materials, which were of very high quality. Tony and team helped us.”
Local and practical guides to help you plan the work.
One team for the whole garden, so a single visit can price everything you have in mind.
We cover Pontypridd and the towns around it. Choose another area below.
T J Landscapes South Wales
24 Conway Road, Pontypool
Torfaen, NP4 6HL
We cover homes right across South Wales, from Cardiff and the coast up to the valleys and the Brecon Beacons.
Keep heavy things and children away from the top and bottom, and have it looked at. A bulge means the soil behind is pushing harder than the wall can resist, usually because water has nowhere to go. Some walls can be repaired; others are safer rebuilt on a new footing with drainage.
Often by hand, up steps or through the house, with floors protected. That affects how long a job takes, so we look at the route at the free visit and plan deliveries in manageable loads.
Low garden walls often do not, but taller retaining walls, walls near a road or footpath and walls on a shared boundary can bring in building regulations, planning or the Party Wall Act. We are not planners, so check with Rhondda Cynon Taf council first; we can help you work out what to ask.
The height and length of the wall, how much soil has to come out, footing depth, drainage, the material, and above all access on a steep plot. A free quote is the only way to get a real answer, so ask us round.
Tell us about the slope, the wall or steps you have in mind and your part of Pontypridd, and we will arrange a free visit.