Construction of Stone Landscape Walls

If a garden area slopes more than one foot for every ten feet, consider adding steps. Garden steps are usually wide and shallow for easy walking and visual appeal. It is important to keep the risers and treads the same on each step to avoid tripping. Pitch steps slightly forward to allow standing water to drain quickly. To avoid erosion to the left and right of the steps consider low retaining walls or small boulders and ground cover.

Tools Needed

• Shovel

• Tamp

• Level

• Hammer

• Chisel

Materials Needed

• Compactable Fill

• Wall Product

• Clean Crushed 1" Limestone Gravel

Construction

• Calculate the length and height of the wall
• Multiply the two to get the face square footage of material needed.
• Depending on the soil, excavate 4” to 8” deep, 12” wide and the length of your wall.
• Place 2” to 4” of compactable fill for the base
• Gravel base must be tamped (compacted) every 2 inches
• Place 1” of sinter stone on top of compacted DGA for leveling.
• Lay the first course of stone with the bottoms of the stones just below ground level.
• Use the level to span as many stones as possible to get an accurate reading.
• Once the first course of stone is level the next courses can be placed staggering all joints.
• Recess the wall ½” – ¾” per course.
• The hammer and chisel can be used to break stones to fit tightly together.
• Line the inside (back) of the wall with landscape fabric.
• Backfill the wall with clean crushed 1” limestone to provide strength and drainage.

 

Tips

In order to keep the courses of the wall level, span as many stones as possible, at least 3 or 4.

If a 4’ level is not available, use a piece of 2 X 4 – 4’ to 6’ long & place the smaller level on the 2 X 4.

After 2 or 3 courses are in place, go out from the wall to get a perspective on how it looks from a distance, checking for straight level courses.

If the wall is being installed on a grade start at the lowest elevation (tallest point of the wall) and take courses across until they fade out.