To build a stone wall in your garden, it is essential to sort rocks by size and purpose, and place piles near the wall site. Plan the location and size of the wall, ensuring compliance with local regulations. Use the largest, flattest stones for the base and use spray paint for ground marking.
Building a stone wall is an essential skill for adding a touch to flowerbeds and landscape projects. Dry stack rock or rubble stone walls add a great touch to flowerbeds and landscape projects. Building one is easy enough that you can do it yourself. Steps include shaping rocks, tie stones, filler, and caps. For a natural look, use dark grey pigmented mortar and wipe off excess at the joints.
Building a retaining wall is possible as a DIY project, and a comprehensive guide on how to build a natural rock retaining wall is available. Retaining wall blocks are heavy, so it is important not to lift them twice. To build a natural dry stacked stone free-standing or retaining rock wall, gather tools and materials, prepare work, and stack rocks. Dig a narrow trench in the ground where the wall will go, build a wooden frame, put in a shallow layer of concrete, and add a 6-inch layer of ¾-inch stone. Continue adding and compacting layers until the base is about 8 inches below grade.
📹 Rock wall Masonry,tips to get you started! (See recent videos for more)
Some good tips about making rock walls that will help build your confidence. New videos added March 2018 Much more detail in …
How to build a free standing rock wall?
To build a mortarless stone wall, follow these steps: 1) Sort stones into size groups, 2) Add 4 inches of gravel into the trench, level and tamp it, 3) Fill the wall and continue, 4) Check the batter, and 5) Lay the top course. This easy technique will help build a mortarless stone wall quickly and painlessly, adding an old-style character to the landscape. A well-built dry-set wall, which doesn’t require a footing, can flex as the earth moves due to freezing and thawing but won’t fall down. To ensure durability, select stones with as much surface contact between them as possible.
How do you attach a stone wall without drilling?
To hang garland on stone and brick surfaces, there are less permanent options available. Adhesive hooks are the simplest and most versatile choice for most stone surfaces, while brick clips are another option for brick walls or fireplaces. Indoor adhesive hooks are suitable for stone or brick fireplaces, while outdoor adhesive hooks are suitable for outdoor stone or brick walls. However, indoor hooks should not be used for outdoor applications due to their inability to withstand elements, especially winter weather. This method works best on smooth stone, such as painted brick or cement, and is not guaranteed to work on raw brick.
How thick should a rock wall be?
The strategic placement of rocks, measuring between two and four inches in thickness and eight and twelve inches in length, within a wall structure can effectively serve as a robust foundation. However, it is important to note that larger rocks may present a challenge in maintaining their position. The addition of substantial quantities of soil between rock layers has the potential to compromise the structural integrity of the wall.
Does a rock wall need drainage?
Retaining walls require at least one form of drainage to maintain their structural integrity. Geofabric, a synthetic material made from polyester fibers, is used in civil engineering applications for drainage and filtering. It protects the backfill from soil and silt, preventing water from passing freely. A geotextile sock should be used around the drainage pipe to prevent debris from clogging holes.
A thick layer of dry drainage material, such as gravel, stones, or crushed rock, should be behind the wall. This allows water to pass freely to a drainage pipe or out through weep holes, alleviating pressure and preventing wall failure.
How to fill gaps in a rock wall?
The mortar on a wall may fall out due to water passing through it. To prevent this, a drain pipe should be installed at the bottom behind the retaining wall to divert water away. If the pipe fails or is not placed, water will push through the wall. Placing mortar in gaps temporarily fixes the issue, but eventually, water will find a way through. To repair the wall, stones must be removed and a drain pipe placed at the back of the retaining wall.
For temporary repairs, Bastion 20kg Premix Mortar and a Craftright 150mm Pointing Trowel can be used. Before starting, clean the gaps between stones with a stiff brush to remove moss, mold, and debris. Mix the mortar to the consistency of toothpaste and use a trowel to push it into the gaps.
Do you need a foundation for a dry stone wall?
Dry stone walls are economical to build, durable, flexible, and self-draining, making them less prone to damage from frost, subsidence, ground heave, or thermal movement. They provide a secure habitat for various species and are built without the use of mortar, using only stone or combining stones to gain structural integrity from their connection. Masonry, a combination of mortar and stone, is used to strengthen and weatherproof walls, and can be found in various forms such as random rubble, ashlar, and cut stone architectural features. Masonry is a crucial aspect of building construction.
Does a rock wall need a footing?
Dry stone walls built outdoors don’t require a concrete foundation for support, but they need a wide base. As building progresses, the wall width decreases, creating sloping walls. These walls are not suitable for building walls but can be used for perimeter or garden walls. A structural wall made with natural stone should be built on a solid concrete foundation to distribute the wall’s mass over its width.
The size and design of the foundation depend on the house’s size and design, as well as the soil’s load-bearing capacity. Veneer is a cheaper option for building with stone, but a concrete base and stonemason services are required for natural stone walls.
How do you build a stone wall outside?
Building a stone retaining wall is a great way to expand usable space in your yard, create a beautiful terraced look at your home, and control erosion. To build a stone retaining wall, follow these 14 steps:
- Prepare all necessary equipment.
- Plan your build.
- Organize the stones and mark the level.
- Excavate a base trench.
- Lay a crushed stone base.
- Lay down the first level.
- Lay down the second level.
- Keep the stone’s surface clean.
To build a stone retaining wall, follow the step-by-step guide created by experts at Stone Center. The process is not overly technical or difficult as long as you prepare well and take your time.
How do you attach stone to exterior of house?
To attach veneer stones to a wall, dampen each veneer’s back, apply half an inch of mortar, and firmly press them onto the wall. Position the stones so their joints are no more than half an inch wide. Allow the excess mortar to dry, then remove droppings to avoid stains. Grout the gaps between the veneer stones using mortar, filling them with Veneer Stone Mortar using a grout bag. For colored mortar, add Quikrete Liquid Cement Color to the gray mortar before grouting for a decorative accent matching or contrasting the stone color.
What is the best base for a rock wall?
The ideal size for a patio base is dense graded base gravel with stones between half an inch and 1 inch in diameter. Larger gravel may not be compact enough, and granite screenings or crushed stone can also be used. Accurate leveling of the gravel retaining wall base is crucial, and can be done by screeding and smoothing the gravel, then adding sand and re-screeding if needed. A mason’s string line can be used as a reference for level, and checking the block level every few feet.
Is concrete or mortar better for stone walls?
Concrete and mortar are both used in building projects, but they differ in composition and strength. Concrete is stronger and more durable, making it suitable for structural projects like setting posts, while mortar is used as a bonding agent for bricks and stones. Concrete is a mixture of water, cement, and sand, with gravel and coarse aggregates, making it suitable for flooring and construction needs. It has a low water-to-cement ratio and a thinner consistency than mortar.
Concrete is often reinforced with steel for structural support, but can also be supported by the ground. It is ideal for setting posts like fence posts, mailbox posts, basketball posts, deck posts, lamp posts, and swing sets. Quikrete Fast Setting Concrete Mix is a special blend of fast-setting cements, sand, and gravel, designed to set hard in 20 to 40 minutes. It allows for post setting without mixing, with a strength of 4000 PSI at 28 days.
📹 Installing Cultured Stone Cobble Stone River Rock Project
We installed this river rock, commonly called cobblestone, made by Coronado on the foundation of this garage. Topcon RL-H5A …
Hi, Steve, Masonry sand and portland cement. You use a very dry mix for riverrock, and it is a little hard to get used to. Just damp enough so you can squeeze it into a ball with your fingers and it stays together. I pack it in between the rocks with the trowel and with my gloved hands. The mix is dry is so it does not stain the rocks and also it must solidify pretty quick. Because riverrock is like stacking big marbles. Damp sponge for cleanup. Gently mist when hardened to help cure it.
I’m making a field stone patio. The rocks I found range from thick to thin and many rocks only have one flat side. I made a solid compacted gravel base. Instead of using rock dust to level the stones, which may not compact evenly, what do you think of the idea of using mortar instead? Kind of like making a stone wall, but flat on the ground. I know it may crack with time, but I’m going to fill in the joints with a mixture of pebble stone and polymer sand so it won’t show. Comments welcome!
Hi rukeser, there is nothing to fear. I don’t know how deep you have to go there, because it varies by region, so you just have to ask locally. If it is pretty short 10 or 12 ft long or less, and the locals say 3 or 4 ft deep, you might consider having it “floating”. (Just have a little 3 inch footing with 2 rebar in it and wall on top of that). Frost heave will make it move every year but you just dig out behind for a few inches and use a long strong bar to lever it back! EVERY SPRING!
I bought a property that is loaded with granite rock of all shapes and sizes. The ground is littered with stones everywhere to the point of nuisance if you want to garden or landscape. But the stones themself are quite pretty with wide range of colors browns, rust, light grey, dark grey…none of the rounded river rock type but I am thinking there has to be a way to USE these to build planters? Maybe even as full thickness veneer for super elaborate massive concrete block gate posts/planters that someone built at the base of our driveway but never finished? I’d like to find someone here in North San Diego county area that could look at what we have and advise or even bid on doing !
I now have a link in the description so you can find the playlist. (Apologies because I didn’t know it was hard to find). I also removed 3 ignorant comments (people with no articles of their own who belittle for fun). I just put a new article in the playlist that shows cheap parging of a rock planter (to make it almost waterproof and to save on watering expense). Thanks Brian
Does anyone really think animals could care less what something looks like? A Racoon is looking for food or mating and if a wall is made from natural stone or concrete and he is climbing on, think he cares one little bit? I mean no one can read an animal’s mind but I think it is really reaching to state that animals will “appreciate” man’s effort to make something look beautiful or natural ….except maybe an ape or a dolphin perhaps, I think animals are totally into practical need at the moment …..not that something very strange might not have a critter wary until they determine it is not a thread….but wild animals will readily adopt unsightly human junk as a habitat…an old tire or rusted hulk of an abandoned washing machine….unlike us they just don’t care what something LOOKS like if it suits their needs
Hi, your rock wall is beautiful. Please tell me what I can do to fix a rock wall that has very light grey mortar with the same color rocks you’re using. The wall was just reset with big stones and mortar. It looks light gray and awful like a gray wall of concrete instead of a natural rock wall. I will use muriatic acid to clean light film on stones as per your previous comment. Mortar color should have been much darker. What can I do now to fix that? I wish I could send you a picture. Thanks so much for your help.
Hi Brian, great article! Your article was very helpful. I just completed two small river rocks stone walls a few days ago. My first time so it’s not perfect but I’m very satisfied with it. If you have time to answer a question that would great, if not I understand. It’s been a few days now and I lightly sprayed off the wall with water and the stones come alive with their natural beauty. The problem is when they dry I have this cloudy white film over everything including the stones. What can I do to remove the film to bring out the different color of the stones. Thank you!
Mortar works. You could go 6 to one with coarse sand, go cheap and use a dry mix. (like I show in the article. Or you could try lime mortar. (be careful, it is more caustic than cement). Hydrated Lime (type s lime) and sand with (I guess, a 4 to 1 mix) and do a wetter mix. Lime will not set so hard and it takes quite a while to set. Maybe 1 and a half weeks this time of year.! (and it keeps getting harder for much longer. The advantage of lime is that it is self healing. Hope that helps
Some rocks did cross. If structural soundness was such a big issue nobody would ever use riverrocks. They are like marbles. Its about 2 ft high, on very stoney ground and sure there is a pretty heavy guy there but it can probably take his weight. Why over engineer things? It is just a low wall and the people have their financial limitations. And there is the carbon footprint to think about too. I use the local stuff wherever possible. Transporting rock is very expensive.
And for your stone wall, say I wanted to build one similar but at 1.5 meter height, 0.5 width thick, Will it be right to say I need to make a concrete foundation 1 metre thick, and maybe 400mm depth? Or is that overkill?, Anyway for the 1.5 metre height what kind of foundation would you recommend? Any advise will be very much Appreciated, Thanks again Brian
Depends where you live. Here in Victoria we would not even put one for a garden wall because we hardly ever get frost heave. But in Eastern Canada, they have to go rather deep because the frost goes deep deep down! Why so thick? Normally it would go from about 1 meter wide at bottom (with the backing rocks to keep the centre of gravity back) to anywhere between 10 cm to 30 cm wide at top where it shows above ground where it shows.
@bandwagonretards You would have to check your local building laws. depends on where you live. In BC Canada, rock is just for show but in less earthquake prone areas, rules might be different. In most countries, 2 walls, with an air gap or insulation between and wall ties to hold them together would be be the minimum standard for the outer walls of a house if you used rock as the outermost wall.
(We sometimes mix in 1/3 masonry sand to make concrete sand more suitable). But often masonry sand is a lot more expensive because it has a national specification. Masonry sand in generally considered too fine and too expensive for rock walls. You also need more cement in a masonry sand mix. Sometimes suppliers wash all the fines out of sand in the pit so you sharp sand is severely lacking on the fine end of things. It is hard to tell until you use it.
It is just a style that suits the rocks. Half was round river rocks and river rock does not look that great if it is chipped into rectangles and squares. And all the rock was pulled out of the ground at the site. So why take 3 times as long to get an unnatural effect? With cut granite or sandstone, different styles might be in order.
Brian – i know nothing, have rocks, & am wondering about a short (12″ tops) rock&concrete wall for a raised bed in the back yard. If it’s not a retaining wall ( except for the dirt inside it ;->), how far down do i have to begin? (cleveland area – northeast ohio) I am a cobble & wing it kind of girl, but concrete kinda takes the negotiation factor out of it, so i’m daunted. otoh i have rocks, no money for wood & concrete is cheap. hard work not a problem, new skills/new materials combo is.
I have just had a wonderful idea and want to share it with you quickly before I run off to make one. I have always wanted to pipe cement like cake decorating. The tips I have tried – well not worth mentioning. I am going to use those 6 pack popsicle makers. I have both star shape and round. If I use putty or duct tape on two of the ridges in the star I have a flat like ribbon. I am going to try it with papercrete. I will make my piping tube with denim painted with laytex.
If you use masonry sand (fine) with riverrocks and a 3 to 1 mix and make the mix at least as dry as I show in the other article, you should get along ok. Your mix should be dry to the touch but still clump together when you trowel it. And really pack it in well! Probably don’t try and go more than 2 ft high at a time. Myself and another guy went up about 6 ft one hot day to finish a job and I don’t ever want to try that again! Remember that riverrock masonry is like stacking marbles!
I built a covered deck, most of the deck is raised on post anchors one end is ground level. I dug holes for the end posts & put in 10″ sonotube & poured concrete, the concrete is about 2′ above ground . My wife wants me to cover the posts with beach pebbles& grout it. I tried morter ( on the dry side) I got the stones placed 3- 4″ up the post & the hole thing slumped. What’s my best option here ? That won’t work.
Hi, Firsttruck, Afraid you do. If it is a small retaining wall, perhaps you could do a curved “floating” wall on a wide foundation with rebar in it and up into the wall. But it will move. Depending on the slope of your property, it might move a lot. A moving wall might be an interesting feature. Certainly a cheaper feature than 4 ft of boring old wall under the ground. Might even work on a slope with the appropriate anchors! (Just throwing ideas out there, Brian).
I don’t think it is needed when you use the “dry” mix like in the other article. The mortar moulds around the rocks (and fits them like a mould would so as long as they have lumps and bumps, they are not moving!) Cracking is more from poor site preparation and earthquakes. I like to use a stronger mix, 3 to 1 or 3 1/2 to 1 (with about half shovel lime or type S) for steps. I use a dry mix but I spread a slurry of it on the rocks for added stickibility. A little s in jointing mix is good.
We usually go 4 shovels coarse sand to 1 shovel Portland cement here. I have another article about how to mix it with just the right amount of water, in a wheelbarrow. There is no standard name for coarse sand here. It is usually washed “sharp sand” with a good mix of sizes of grit with the biggest grit pieces almost the size of a grain of pearl barley. Sometimes people call it “concrete sand” but usually concrete sand is a bit too coarse. We mix in 1/3 masonry to make that finer.
This is interesting. I’m very much a novice but trying to learn, so I do a lot of reading and experimenting. I commonly read that the drier the mix, the stronger the concrete or mortar because a wet mix is full of water that exceeds the amount the cement will use to cure, and because water has super high compressive strength (fill a syringe with water and cap it – try to plunge, good luck on that – next fill one with half water and half air and presto, you can compress the air quite a bit) compared to air and thus most will stand despite trowling or vibrating etc during the initial phase of curing. At this time it forms pockets around which cement+aggregate begin to cure and then it (the excess water) evaporates out in the sweating process leaving essentially a honeycomb of curing mix that is not uniform (that is to say, it does not yield the benefits of entrained air which is much more uniform) which is weaker than a more compressed cure. It also tends to suffer water damage easier, though I’m not entirely sure why. Experiments I’ve done do show the water susceptibility – models (just cups of mix with different amounts of water in to hydrate) after curing for three weeks I subjected them to a nightly dousing with water. All indoors all the time at about 70F. Those with more than 50% initial water to hydrate all began showing hairlines within a matter of days. Many with lower hydration did as well but not to nearly the same degree or speed and these ones seemed to find a point at which the hairlines stopped (to my eye at least) whereas the 50%+ groups continued to degrade.
Thanks Brian, and can you please tell me is it important to add Hydrated lime to this 4:1 mix, maybe add half? What are your thoughts, do I need to add it when working with natural stone? I read on another site that it sticks better to the stone? And auto genius healing? Or is that only for bricks? Any advise will be Helpful, Thanks
There is plenty of work here right now. In 6 months who knows? In Canada, this is the only place that you can work year round without a tarp and heaters. There are companies here who specialize in drystone (and do beautiful work) but I do not know how busy they are. I was in New Zealand last year but I did not see that much rockwork there. Most of it is in a UK style. Here, a mixture of nationalitys and many styles. Very little brick and block on vancouver island. Lots in eastern Canada.
Brenda, you can buy piping bags for cement. I have never seen attachments. You need a very rich mix to get it through. Type S helps a lot. You also need to keep the rocks clean because it is a rich wet mix and it stains easily. Be interesting to see how your work goes, Hope nobody breaks their teeth on your concoctions. Brian