We originally thought we would grade a lower area of our lawn that is relatively flat, but after spending many hours outside scoping out the plans we realized this area was full-sun practically all day. We wanted an area that was slightly shaded as Georgia summers can get brutal. Make sure when selecting placement for a playset or any type of outdoor feature, to consider tree coverage, the direction the sun rises and sets, and water drainage. All of these things can drastically impact how much utilization you get from the area. We ultimately decided on an area in the middle of our yard. For this to work, we needed a retaining wall. We decided to go with landscaping timbers to keep cost slightly less than what it would be had we gone with stone. We wanted to have the entire 30’ x 35’ area boxed in and separate from the grass since we were going to install artificial turf. When installing the retaining walls, they placed what are called “dead man” posts every 8’ to support the wall over time. They used rebar rods inserted into the wood from the top to keep the wall in place and slightly offset each layer of timbers leaning into the grading. I’ll include photos below for reference. A drainage system was built around the retaining wall to prevent it from collapsing due to heavy rain. We used a corrugated pipe (and enclosed it inside drainage fabric so weeds and roots can’t grow into the piping), then filled all around it with small stones. Once the treated wood has had time to cure we will stain the timbers to match all of the other wood elements inside and outside of our home, a dark walnut stain color. These timbers should last anywhere from 15-20 years.