Use of Polystrene Shuttering - Anygood?

[str]

Planning an extension to the rear of the house and had thought about using the preformed poylstryene units for shuttering to form a retaining wall to about 3 ft high - this would also form the side, window wall of the extension.

has anyone used these in the past? do they make sense over traditional shuttering?

i wouldn't need very much as the wall is only about 5m long and the other wall is mainly glass but thought that they might be useful for what is a small element of the build?

 

[Norcon]

Why would you want a retained bank backing unto your property?
It was common years ago though on old properties.

Can't you excavate?

But if I've got the wrong end of the stick, then consider a pre cast (dry wall) mortarless retaining wall.

 

[str]

we are extending the current kitchen which has the lawn sitting against it (about 3 ft high) and will need to excavate a chuck of the lawn for the extension but obviously need to retain the lawn again.

the drawings are for a fully tanked wall, poured concrete insitu wall - I though the polystyrene formers/shutting might be an easier solution?

 

[Norcon]

Have no experience with it but think this is what you mean....

http://www.polysteel.co.uk/icf/Grand-Designs-Feature-86.php

So in a new build you have the benefit of a concrete reinforced wall and insulated all in one.

Not what you need for a garden retaining wall.
We would just assemble some peri trio with a benonite water stop strip along the foundation and reinforcing though we don't touch small domestic jobs.
It could probably be made up from plywood easily enough or hire some peri domino which is easier man handled than the trio.

 

[str]

That's exactly the product.

It's not a retaining garden wall but a new build wall of an extent ion, that happens to be retaining the garden - as the current kitchen wall does.

The engineer spec'd a 2 skin clockwork wall, with the cavity filled with reinforced concrete and the insulation on the inside face of the wall and the external side waterproofed.

I thought that the polystyrene shuttering would be a more straightforward option but unsure if it's economical for a relatively short run of wall?

 

[Norcon]

as the current kitchen wall does

Ok so it does back unto the property.
What is a 2 skin clockwork wall?

 

[str]

sorry, meant blockwork wall with cavity filled with concrete