I have always wanted to build a stonewall. My wife
and I have recently acquired a home and the property to allow this. I
constructed a one-sided, serpentine wall, seventy-two feet in length. It
varies in height from twenty-four inches to forty two inches. That is
it. My wall building experience has been laid before you. However,
having gone through this process, it is my feeling that I may be able to
keep other novice wall builders from repeating my mistakes.
Planning:
You are building this wall. Something about
lifting rocks attracts the neighbors, but not always their help. It is
your back that will be aching. Don't struggle in vain. Be sure that what
you are building is what you really want. Stonework is not conducive to
change in mid course. Don't plan beyond your physical ability. It is
easier for your mind to plan this wall, than it is for your body to
build it. The brain sometimes has a terrible habit of leading the body
on a wild goose chase. If you plan beyond your capabilities, you could
find yourself burnt out and miserable before your project is completed.
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Suggestions:
Don't rush. When designing your wall have a
notebook and pencil on hand. While viewing your designated site, record
various thoughts about what you want your wall to be. Length. Shape.
Height. Square. Round. Do you want your wall to make a statement? Return
at another time. Same notebook, different page. Record ideas. Repeat
often. Moral: We're human. We're moody. We feel different things on
different days. If you record the same idea on a number of different
days, chances are you will like that "finished" idea on even your worst
day.
Keep obstacles and Contour in mind. Don't fight
mother earth if you don't have to. (You'll both feel better.) If
possible, bend your wall around trees instead of going through them.
This is less involved than felling them, removing the stump, and
refilling the stump hole. A wall should not come within two feet of a
tree. Roots have a mean habit of pushing up walls. Right now, I have
a wall with an unfaced back side thirty inches in height. I must cover
this backside in some way. I have ideas but the idea I should have
gotten was to slide this hump to the right fifteen feet where I would
only have to fill a foot. When planning a retaining wall, remember
what you will be retaining.
Don't plan beyond your ability. Three hours after
I began my wall, I removed two humps and a turn. I underestimated the
increased difficulty of crafting turns and rises. Do not over react to
this idea. Do not compromise a firmly held concept, but keep in mind
that extravagance is paid for with time and labor. You will get better
at laying stones as you go along.
Getting Help:
Once you have your wall firmly visualized, it
would be wise to seek the services of a real stone mason, but not so
that he can quote you a price on the wall. Show, or tell, him your
plans. Ask if he sees any looming pitfalls?
Building:
As mentioned earlier, this is your wall. You may
do to it what you will, but there are a few key ideas that you should
keep in mind. The most important one being to keep your mason on the
job. Bribe him, beg him or offer him a cold beer. Seriously, it will go
a lot easier on you if there is an experienced mason on the job.
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As with any wall, a stone wall should rest on a
solid footing. I used a backhoe to excavate the site of my wall to depth
of 18". I then filled the hole with 12" of 1/2" crushed stone. The first
course, or layer, of the wall should remain buried and unseen. I had
easy [and cheap] access to a backhoe, not everyone does. If not, you
could excavate the shape of your wall with a shovel to a depth deep
enough to hide the first course of stones.
Establishing Shape
You have a vision of your wall in your mind. How
do you transfer that image into reality? I began laying out the shape of
my wall with strings and stakes. It did not take me long to discover
that a serpentine shape cannot be laid out with symmetrical tools. I was
in an absolute quandary when my technical advisor showed up. Bud is your
stereotypical mason. A weathered man with large hands and a small heart.
He watched me struggle for a few minutes. Then with a grumble and a
sigh, he rose and said " Bring that garden hose over here and lay it
down in the shape that you want your wall". (Note: I
uncharacteristically planned ahead and excavated the site of my wall extra
large because I was unsure of the exact shape.)
My footing consisted of the bigger, uglier stones
in my collection. I placed them so that their faces abutted the garden
hose. This first course is your shape course. It is roughly laid out,
but contains the finished shape you desire. These stones do not need to
be the same thickness, however it is easier to begin with a level
footing course.
Tools
In a perfect world we could pick stones off our
pile and settle them neatly, and tightly, in our wall. We all know
better than that. We do however possesses the ability to shape stones
with tools. Stones are ignorant, obstinate and mean, but they are
passive creations. They don't have feelings and they can't hit back.(I
think.) So smash away. Mold and shape the stones to your specifications.
A 4lb hammer with a blunt face and a tapered face, along with a steel
handled brick hammer(Estwing) suited my needs. I used the brick hammer
for some of my finer trimming, but it's main job was to act as a chisel.
Hammers hurt fingers. My aim isn't always so good. Using a brick hammer
as a chisel allows your hand to remain further away from the hammer
blow. Different stones break different ways. As you break more stones
you will become familiarized with their habits, and thus more adept at
breaking stones.
Talking about breaking stones brings to mind
something that Bud used to tell me. "Every now and then you have to
get up and walk away." Stonework can be therapeutic. It can also be
the most frustrating thing you've ever done. Stones don't care how mad
you get; or how much you smash them. They are a lot harder than our
patience. When you are at the end of your wits, leave. Stand up, swear,
throw your hammer(It helps me), and walk away. I smashed really nice
stones into useless pieces because I did not have my wits about me. Move
to another part of the wall. Pull weeds in the garden. Sit down and
rest.
When you return to the wall, approach your problem
from a different angle. Use another stone. Turn it upside down. Try
something different. Supposedly, we are smarter than these stones. If
you try to out think them it may save you some trouble.
Breaking Joints
Joints are created by the butting together of two
stones. The lines formed by these joints should not run unimpeded
throughout your wall, It is important to stagger, or break, the joints.
In my wall, there is a section where I did not break my joints. With the
exception of the small tan stone towards the bottom of the wall, I have
stacked my joints on top of each other. I have no lateral tie-ins to
create a weave with the other stones. Avoid this. Creating a weave makes
for a structurally sound wall. A good idea to remember; A line created by
joints should not run unbroken for more than two courses. This idea also
applies to your wall in a front to back manner. When you look down on
your wall, you do not want to see long unbroken lines. Occasionally, lay
a stone that spans the entire wall front to back. These stones will "cap"
the
work you have done and will help tie in your wall.
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A Tip From Bud
Bud mumbled a lot of things to me. Most of them
insulting. One hot afternoon, I was struggling with a small section of
the wall. I was being to particular. Bud ambled over and said "Stones
are stones. The're not perfect". Stones are not cast concrete
blocks. We cannot stack stones on top of stones and expect them to fit
tightly. Small leveling stones, or shims are placed underneath larger
stones to shore them up. It is very difficult to build a stone wall
without shims. When laying shims, keep in mind that they should bridge,
or span, two larger stones.
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I hope that any ideas demonstrated here will help
make your maiden wall voyage a little easier. I am not a stone mason,
just a poor slob that wanted to build a wall. I have tried to
communicate my learning experience to you. The ideas given here worked
for me in my situation. I'm sure your situation is different, but
hopefully some of the main themes will fit your wall.
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