Dry stone retaining wall?

[Ian H]

I’ve dug out a circle in my garden and want to build a dry stone wall around it.

It’s about 800mm of earth behind it.

I’ve collected a load of stone and wondered if I cut the bigger ones to 200mm deep would that be strong enough or should I go bigger?

The ground has supported itself for a few weeks.

Also should I drop mortar in behind any gaps in the stone? And I have a load of weed control fabric, is there any point lining the back with that?

Thanks.

 

[Mobo_14]

The ground behind it looks pretty firm from the photo. If I were doing it myself I wreckon 200mm would be sound. Sticking a bit of cement down the back defo wouldn't go a miss as long as there's plenty of drainage

 

[noseall]

I’ve collected a load of stone

"collected", is that what they call it now.

I've never been brave enough to build a true dry stone wall. Rather, I cheat and use mortar then finish with a recessed tuck-pointed rough finish. It also means you don't have to faff quite so much when selecting the stones to fit, particularly relevant if you don't have a mountain of 'collected' stones to choose from.

 

[bernardgreen]

Like Nosealll I would "cheat". To build a dry stone wall that will remain standing takes a lot of skill. It also requires a large variety of shapes and sizes of stione to create the interlocking structure that is hidden inside the wall. Without that internal structure the wall would be as strong as a heap of stones.

Rain water will wash earth through the gaps in the stones.

So if were me I would build a water proof wall of bricks and mortar to jus below ground level and then build a "dummy" dry stone wall in front and over the top of the brick wall.

 

[Ian H]

"collected", is that what they call it now.

Yes, some were off Facebook Marketplace and the rest I dug up

I do wonder though, if I ‘collected’ some from an unused quarry near me, would I be stealing them or what?

 

[Ian H]

I just collected another batch

 

[bernardgreen]

Looks like you are well stoned

 

[Ian H]

Looks like you are well stoned

Yes, I just struggle to judge how much is on the pictures, that should have been 2 trips but the van just about survived with the lot in.

 

[Ian H]

I’m sat looking at it in the rain, missus and kids are out so i’ve made a start.

I’ll get to a level then bung a load of mortar down the back before I go any higher.

 

[bernardgreen]

Looks good. nicely structured

I would be wary of rain washing unset mortar through the gaps and staining the faces of the stones.

 

[Ian H]

I ended up just cracking on. I’ve run out of decent shaped stones. Here’s a pic my missus sent round saying ‘I wonder what he is thinking’

 

[Ian H]

This is how I left it. It looks **** but on the plus side, it’s equally **** as the wall behind it so it matches and it was free

 

[bernardgreen]

That wall looks good, job well done.

 

[noseall]

Is that garden boundary wall getting smaller?

 

[Ian H]

That wall looks good, job well done.

Thanks Bernard, i’m just in the kitchen now and it looks much better today

Is that garden boundary wall getting smaller?

Was tempting!! There are some good square stones on the top of it