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Stone Walls:

Functional in separating different levels of earth, the major challenge in designing retaining walls is to make them strong and stable without making them look unsightly. Typically built with various types of conventional wall block systems, retaining walls can also be constructed with natural stone boulders to produce a truly natural looking landscape.

Building a Natural Stone Wall:

The beauty of natural stone compared to conventional block wall systems is unsurpassed in uniqueness of design and character. Natural field stone walls and fences, most commonly found in rustic settings, can add a sense of natural beauty to any retaining wall design.

Follow the pictures below to get an idea of the skilled craftsmanship which goes into building a natural stone wall.

Starting out after excavation, the base of a stone wall typically includes proportionally sized boulders which can range in size of up to 2 feet in diameter and weigh upwards of 200 lbs.

To ensure the overall stability of the wall, It is critically important to set a solid base, which will support subsequent tiers of smaller stones.

The “stone setters eye” comes into play in selecting just the right stone for each placement in the wall. Stones are laid out on the ground and “eyed” for their shape and features, (moss and lichen covered face), for their fit with the stones next to them, (for stability), and for their strata, (the layers or lines in the stone which align horizontally to the ground relative to how they were taken out of the ground).

As construction of the wall progresses, the 2nd and 3rd tier of stones are added. Seams in the wall must be staggered to enhance stability as stones are overlapped to support adjacent stones.

Another view showing the overlapping tiers and the curve of the wall as it bends around and tapers off with the slope of the surrounding earth. Notice the back-set of the 2nd level of the wall. This not only adds stability, but will also be used as a seating area and planting feature of the wall where flowering plants or ferns can be added later.

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