Building A Rock Retaining Wall With Mortar

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.

Building a rock retaining wall with mortar.

When the mortar begins to set up stop laying stone and finish the joints. Building a retaining wall is suitable for diyers as long as the wall is a maximum of 3 feet tall in most areas. A stone wall can give your garden timeless appeal. 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.

This prevents mortar from running down the face of the wall. After spreading the mortar but before laying the next stone use the trowel edge to cut the mortar even with wall face. Dry stone walls are methodically stacked rock structures that can be damaged by people animals and weather. Stone walls also look better with age.

Higher walls should be engineered for stability. Adding mortar makes your wall stable and takes the worry away. Once built you ll have a rock solid retaining wall without all the heavy mortar lines. A river rock wall adds character to any landscape and will help define property lines.

Anything taller should be handled by professionals. Dig a trench that s below the frost line and 2 feet wider than. 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. When you mortar the capstones do not finish the joints.

Cap the wall with a course of flat stones large enough to cover both wythes. How to build a rock wall 1. 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. They can be stacked without mortar but this requires stacking them just so.

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. Constructing a wall is backbreaking work but the results will be a structure that will for last for generations. Prepare the footing photo by russell kaye.