Brush them flush with the surface of the capstones to keep water from collecting and freezing there it could split the mortar or the stone.
Building a rock retaining wall with mortar.
Stone walls also look better with age.
Whether you re looking to build a wall for a raised garden or a small retaining wall a stacked stone wall can offer elegance without a lot of expense.
Constructing a wall is backbreaking work but the results will be a structure that will for last for generations.
A river rock wall adds character to any landscape and will help define property lines.
A stone wall can give your garden timeless appeal.
Building a retaining wall is suitable for diyers as long as the wall is a maximum of 3 feet tall in most areas.
Cap the wall with a course of flat stones large enough to cover both wythes.
Anything taller should be handled by professionals.
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.
Dig a trench that s below the frost line and 2 feet wider than.
Adding mortar makes your wall stable and takes the worry away.
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.
Dry stone walls are methodically stacked rock structures that can be damaged by people animals and weather.
Prepare the footing photo by russell kaye.
When you mortar the capstones do not finish the joints.
The easiest way to build a stone retaining wall is to use the dry stack method that requires no mortar between stones and does not need a concrete footing like mortared walls do.
Using your stakes string and line level.
Higher walls should be engineered for stability.
Ask a stone yard to help determine how much material you ll need and have it delivered as close to the site as possible.
How to build a rock wall 1.
Once built you ll have a rock solid retaining wall without all the heavy mortar lines.
This prevents mortar from running down the face of the wall.
The key to building a wall using mortar is when you apply the mortar it needs to go evenly onto the run of stones that are set.