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How to Build
Building Retaining Walls Without Mortar
A handsome natural stone retaining wall adds beauty
and value to both commercial and residential
property.
It is true that an experienced "stone wall builder"
can readily build the "perfect" stone wall -and it
will last forever. But the building of the stone
wall is a project that can also be undertaken by a
do-it-yourselfer without the mess and expense of
mortar or concrete -with relative ease and great
success.
First you have to determine the length of the wall
(in feet) and the height of the wall (in feet). If
the wall is to be no more than 4-feet high, you will
be able to use stones about 1-foot wide. That will
make your retaining wall about 1-foot thick.
Next, visit your stone dealer to see the various
types, colors and materials available that best suit
your landscape plan. There are granites, limestones,
sandstones, quartzites, flagging, and other
specialty ledge type stones that will suit the
purpose. Your local stone dealer can offer you
recom-mendations and suggestions.
Remember, stone is heavy. (It lasts forever). Don't
get discouraged when your stone dealer talks about
price per ton of various stones.
Let us say you determined that your wall will be
50-feet long and 2-feet wide. Here is the formula:
50' x 2' x 1' = 100 Cubic Feet (CF)
The stone will probably weigh an average of 125
pounds per cubic foot.
100 cf x 125 pounds/cf = 6-1/4 tons.
Your planned 50-foot retaining wall will need about
6-1/4 tons of stone. Take a little extra to allow
for a good selection. The cost can range from $100
to $200 or more, per ton -depending upon the type of
stone, how it is to be delivered (or dumped), where
it is to be delivered, etc.
Be sure to buy from a reliable stone dealer.
Sometimes there is a "bargain" stone available
-which may have been blasted free with dynamite -and
which now contains microscopic fissures that can
hold water and freeze, spall, and deteriorate. All
of your effort will have been wasted if the stone
material is not of good quality and the wall stone
deteriorates.
Tools and Materials
(Some of these may be rented or borrowed from your
stone supplier).
1. Heavy Hammer
2. Folding Rule
3. Carpenter's Level
4. Pick and Shovel
5. String Line
6. Crushed stone or gravel
7. Selected Stone
Dig a trench about 6-inches deep and about 12" wide
(or as wide as your largest stone) along the base of
the proposed location of the wall. Fill it with
compacted gravel or crushed stone as a base. There
is no elaborate footing required for a wall without
mortar since the stones are not bonded together and
will rise and fall with the frost. Sort the wall
stones by size with all the 5" thick pieces; 4-1/2"
pieces, 4" thick pieces, etc. Keep aside the most
attractive stones to use as the capstone (top row).
• Batter 2" for every 1 foot of height.
• Backfill and compact as you go.
• Fit stones tightly.
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