Dry Stack Retaining Wall With Steps

For dry stack walls the base should be as wide as the wall is tall.
Dry stack retaining wall with steps. How to build a dry stack stone wall. Rocks can be purchased at local landscape retail centers or can be collected from local creek beds. Higher walls should be engineered for stability. Draw the wall to scale and measure the length and height.
Even if you don t plan to sit on your wall 3 feet is about as high as i would recommend building any dry stacked wall. In a dry stacked wall the stones always lie down flat so generally the face. Lay high quality stones and use a geotextile backing to ensure the wall lasts a long time. Plan for good drainage proper width height ratio and distance between tiers.
To build a natural dry stone retaining wall prepare the site. As a result larger losses in prestressing force is probable for dry stack masonry. For this 18 inch high wall the footing should be at least 18 inches wide. Using a tape measure decide the length and the width of your retaining wall then mark off the area with the garden stakes and string.
Excavate to a depth of 6 inches along the entire base of the stone retaining wall using the string marker as a guide. Use a hand or power tamper to level the base. The success of your retaining wall depends on a level base. Make your wall siting height.
Building a dry stacked stone wall in your garden area is an easy way to incorporate dimension and architecture into the existing landscaping. Dry stack walls can typically be made from three types of stones. Each type will give your wall a different look and feel so make sure you look at pictures to determine which would be the best fit for your house and landscape. In this example the first stair riser is the continuation of the base course of the retaining wall that the stairs are being built into.
To create a solid foundation dig a trench for the first course of your interlocking retaining wall blocks to sit in and make sure the ground remains even throughout. Once the number of steps has been determined and the type of stair tread has been selected excavate the stair location based on the rise and run. When putting your wall together mix the stone sizes throughout the wall rather than using only large stones at the bottom and small toward the top. This rule applies only to retaining walls but accent walls also benefit aesthetically and to a degree structurally from this construction technique.
Here are the basic steps involved in building a dry stack stone wall. Each layer of a dry stack wall is called a course. Mark the center of the stairway where the base stair riser will be placed. Round field stones relatively flat stacking stones and uniformly cut dressed stones.