PRODUCT INSTALLATION GUIDE

UK / IG / TCRW / Rev: 07, July 14

TIMBER CRIB RETAINING WALL

Delivery and Handling

 The timber crib components are delivered to site banded

together.
 On site they must be stored and handled to avoid damage
to the units.
 No special precautions are necessary when handling the
units. However hands should be washed thoroughly
before handling food.

Base Preparation

 The reinforced concrete base shall be constructed in

accordance with the project drawings.
 The upper surface shall be finished at a slope of 1:4, but
not trowelled smooth. A maximum deviation of 5mm over
a 3m straight edge is acceptable.
Concrete foundation ready to receive Timber Crib wall. The
first course of timber headers can also be set into the wet
concrete.

 Construction of the wall should not commence until the

concrete has achieved adequate strength—typically a
minimum of 24hrs after casting.

Construction
 An appropriate starting point shall be determined and the
position of the first header accurately set out with regard
to the wall plan, corner/turning positions, face batter etc.
 The first group of headers can then be positioned at a
maximum of 800mm centres or as specified in the design
and linked with the first front stretcher placed into the
notches provided on the headers.
 The stretchers shall be placed with each end at the mid-
point of a header, within the notch in the header.
 Nailing may be used at this stage, but should be the
minimum necessary to stabilise the crib assembly for First courses of crib units at a corner of the structure
filling. 4mm x 80mm stainless steel nails shall be used.
 Further headers and stretchers are laid progressively.
Where the wall width requires both front and rear headers,
the rear headers must be placed before the middle
stretcher.
 Stretcher joint positions shall be staggered both vertically
and horizontally by a minimum of 800mm (one header
spacing). Some stretchers will need to be cut shorter to
achieve this.
 Bearing blocks must be nailed in position, where shown
on the drawings, at the mid-point of appropriate headers.
 Filling can be commenced to the crib skeleton course by
course. But no more than three crib stretcher courses
(approx 500mm height) shall be laid in advance of filling.
 Fill material to be a clean, free draining, well-graded hard
and durable, non-frost susceptible granular material with a
maximum particle size 75-100mm and coefficient of
uniformity greater than 10 (SFHW Class 6N).
Note the bearing blocks between header units, used on taller
structures
 Maccaferri reserves the right to amend product specifications without notice and specifiers are
requested to check as to the validity of the specifications they are using.

 Infill shall be compacted in layers not exceeding 300mm

by hand rammer to achieve a dense mass.
 Backfill behind the structure must also proceed as the
crib skeleton rises. A maximum of 500mm shall be
erected ahead of the backfill.
 Backfill material shall be granular in accordance with the
project specification, compacted as specified.
 A heel drain shall be installed where specified by the
designer.
 Compaction plant used within 2.0m of the rear of the
timber crib structure shall have a dead weight not greater
than 1000kgs.
 Corner details shall be constructed as shown on the
project drawings. Typically, a stretcher is placed as a
‘corner header’ bisecting the turning angle. Check Corner detail showing trimmed timber units. The crib is
notches must be cut on site into this timber to receive the now ready to be filled with granular fill.
stretchers above and below.
 Stretchers will require cutting to length and mitring, to
meet centrally on the corner header.
 Depending on the degree of turn, header(s) closest to
the ‘corner header’ may also require shortening and
mitring as appropriate.
 When the crib skeleton has reached full height, a row of
stretcher timbers shall be nailed, on their sides, to the
front edge of the top row of headers.

Additional Information

 Construction of the wall should be in accordance with Cl.

4.2.7.5. of BS8002.
 Any damage detected during the life of the structure
Granular backfill being placed behind the timber crib
should be rectified promptly on the advice of the project structure.
engineer.

The structure nearing completion.

Maccaferri Ltd - Head Office Area offices

7600 The Quorum,
Oxford Business Park, North,
Garsington Road, Oxford, OX4 2JZ
T: 01865 770555
F: 01865 774550
E: oxford@maccaferri.co.uk
Web: www.maccaferri.co.uk
Perth:
T: 01738 621317 F: 01738 442283 E: perth@maccaferri.co.uk
Belfast:
T: 028 9026 2830 F: 028 9026 2849 E: belfast@maccaferri.co.uk
Dublin:
T: 01 885 1662 F: 01 8851601 E: dublin@maccaferri.ie
Web: www.maccaferri.ie Oxford, Perth, Belfast