Dry Stack Stone Retaining Wall Detail

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.
Dry stack stone retaining wall detail. Durability versatility even in water. Every stone can be laid in a dry stacked wall you just need to see its face. 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. For this 18 inch high wall the footing should be at least 18 inches wide.
Dry stack stone wall detail. Lay high quality stones and use a geotextile backing to ensure the wall lasts a long time. Retaining walls need to have a ceratain amount of pitchback or batter about 1 back for every 12 of height. Try to cut the ditch into native soil rather than loose added soil as the former provides a more stable foundation for the wall.
Draw the wall to scale and measure the length and height. Use a hand or power tamper to level the base. Dry stack masonry construction can prove to be a cost effective solution for residential and low rise commercial applications because of it s speed and ease of. Strong enough for trucks strong enough for wide bridges yet always blending with nature.
In a dry stacked wall the stones always lie down flat so generally the face is the largest flattest edge. Higher walls should be engineered for stability. How to build a dry stack stone retaining wall tos diy the art of insteading walls trust celebration natural why i love use fences city forest hills tennessee stones select 10 basic rules for stacked pebble junction inc building tips. Whatever the shape whatever the size there are important principles which can ensure dry stone retaining walls are built to last.
The 5 rules below are applicable in nearly all dry stone projects. Seeing the right face in a large pile of. The 5 basic rules for how to build dry stone walls to get this article in a handy pdf click here. Dig a ditch the length of the wall that is about a foot wide and 8 to 12 inches 20 5 cm 30 5 cm below the ground level.
Plan for good drainage proper width height ratio and distance between tiers. Here are the basic steps involved in building a dry stack stone wall. Excavate to a depth of 6 inches along the entire base of the stone retaining wall using the string marker as a guide. While it takes a great deal of skill to build a near perfect wall building a good strong wall is within the reach of most people who like do it your self projects.
The ideal height for a dry stacked retaining wall is 18 to 22 inches so you can sit on it when your gardening chores are done. For dry stack walls the base should be as wide as the wall is tall. To build a natural dry stone retaining wall prepare the site. This ditch will act as the wall s footing and prevent the rocks from sliding forward due to pressure from the earth behind.