MortaredStackStoneWallDo-It-YourselfStepsMATERIALS TOOLSStackstoneShovel
CapstoneLevels(stringlevel,2’,4’)
Concreteblocks(CMUs)Gradestakes&string
#57gravelRockhammer
Drainpipe(optional)CircularsawwithDiamondblade
LandscapefabricTrowels
Concretemix Groutbag
TypesmortarMasonrysponge
MasonrysandWirebrush
Readymixmortar(optional)Gloves,safetyglasses
Rebar
BeforeDigging
• Callthe811hotlinetoverifythelocationsofundergroundutilitylines.Gently
digaroundanylocatorpaintmarkstoactuallyfindtheutilitylinesorcables.
Theymightnotbewherethepaintmarkappearsaspaintmarksindicate
approximatelocationsina"tolerancezone."InGeorgia,atolerancezoneis
24”oneithersideofapaintmark.Digparalleltothepaintmarks.
• Usepainttooutlinethewalllocationandshape.
• Hammergradestakesintothegroundandattachstringlineasadigging
guide.
• Calculatethesquarefootageofthewallbymultiplyingitslengthbyitswidth.
• SelectstoneandconsultStoneForestforthequantitiesneeded.Similarstone
sizesareeasiesttoworkwith,but1or2sizesofstonecanimprove
aesthetics.
Excavation
• Haveaplanforreuseorremovalofallexcavateddirt.
• Determinewhetherthewallwillbesteppedorslopedifitisbuiltonaslope.
• Determineifthewallwillbearetainingorfreestandingwall.
• Excavatesoilabout6-7”deep.Thetrenchshouldbeabout2-4”wideronboth
sidesofthefinishedwall.Startatthelowestpointifyou’rebuildingthewall
onaslope.
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• Ifyou’rebuildingasteppedwall,digaleveltrenchtoapointwherethewall
hasto“stepup”theslopetoaccommodatethenextcourse,including
concretefooterandstone.
• Continuediggingstepsuntilreachingalevelpoint.Thencontinuetotheend
ofthewall.
BuildingtheWall
• Anymortaredstructuremustbebuiltonaconcretefootingtoprevent
shiftingofthewall,crackinginthemortar,andweakeningofthestructure.
• Theexcavatedtrenchshouldbefilledwith2-3”ofpacked#57gravel.
Optimalwallstrengthcanbeachievedbyplacingsteelrebarabovethegravel
atalevelwhereitwillbeseatedintothepouredconcretefooting.
• Mixconcretewithwater,eitherusingabaggedproductinamixingpanorby
mixingyourownwithaconcretemixer.Poura3-4”thickconcretefooting.
Theconcreteshouldencompassthesteelrebarandbeasmuchofa
continuouspouraspossible.Ifthefootingisthewidthofthetrenchandthe
trenchisofcompactedsolidground,formboardswillnotbenecessaryto
pourthefooting.Trowelthemixaroundinsidethetrenchtoremoveair
pocketsandtoensureitcompletelyfillsthetrenchtothedesiredlevel.Wait
atleast24hoursforthefootingtoset.
• DeterminetheCMUblocknecessaryforthewall.Ifitisalowwallandif
you’reusingasmallstone,suchasTennesseethinstackstone,a4”or6”x8”
x16”blockisfine.Ifitisasubstantialretainingwall,usestandard8”x8”x
16”blocks.
• Laythefirstcourseofconcreteblocksusingmortarmix(nostonesinmix).
Blocksshouldbesetbackfarenoughfromthefrontedgeofthefootingto
allowformortaringstonetotheblock(measurethewidthofthestoneand
addabout1-2”formortar,leavingabout2”beyondtheoutsideedgeofthe
stone).Thebacksideofthewallshouldleaveenoughroomfora4”drain
pipeand#57drainagegravel.
• BuildcoursesofCMUsashighasneeded.Forstability,eachcourseshouldbe
staggeredovertheblocksinthecoursebelowit.Consultlocalbuildingcodes
oranengineerbeforebuildingawallhigherthan2.5-3’.
• MortarstonetothefaceoftheCMUwall.Staggerpiecesofstackedstoneas
thewallheightincreases.Youcanalsouseirregularshapedflagstoneor
dimensionallycutveneerstone.
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• Placedrainagegravelandwastepiecesofstackstoneinthecorespacesof
theCMUblocks,addingstabilitytothewall.
• Beforefillingbehindthewall,placelandscapefabricacrossthetrenchandup
andoverthesoilbehindthewall.Placethe4”perforatedpipeatthebaseof
thewallandfilltothetopofthewallwith#57drainagegravel.Coveritwith
remainingfabric.
• Finishthewallbymortaringaflatcapstonetothetopofthestackstoneand
CMUwall.Leave1”jointsbetweenthecapstonesandfillthejointswith
mortarusingagroutbag.Intermsofconsistency,themortarshouldbethin
enoughtosqueezeoutofthebagbutnottoorunny.Filltothetopofthejoint.
Allowthismortartosetjustabitandthenuseamasonryspongetosmooth
themortarandwashanyexcessmortaroffthesurfaceofthecapstone.
• Ifthewallisfreestanding,suchasaseatwallaroundapatio,followthebasic
instructionsabovebutremembertopurchaseenoughstackingstonetocover
thebacksideofthewall.
