The stone wall thats finished at the end of my driveway is pretty massive. I have no block behind it. Its just cemented together. Its been a year now and not even a hairline crack is in it. Accross from it on the other side of thr driveway I wanna put another to match. This one will be way smaller. Approx 16″ high f(rom the top of the porch next to the garage/shop) tapered down to nothing like the grade ending just past the left of the picture with two stone steps in the middle of the new wall up to a brick walkway to the front entry where I’ll have a brick paver landing approx 15×8. I’ll be putting flowers/shrubs between the wall and the house wrapping the landscaping all around the front and leveling off the lawn to the new wall. I’ll be digging a 3′ footing tomorrow to protect the mortor joints from the frost. I have friends telling me I should use block behind the stone wall tieing the stone into it. Anyone think thats really necessary? Thanks andy… |
If Blodgett says, Tipi tipi tipi it must be so!
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There's a great article in the current issue of JLC about how to build a stone retaining wall. Well worth the read.
-Norm
short answer- no. For most of eternity, rock walls have been built without concrete blocks. I probably wouldn't bother for a 16" high wall, but when I'm building a structure or a wall more than a couple feet high, I do a couple things. I put rebar in where I can, vertically and horizontally (especially horizontally), every couple feet. Second is that any curves or angles will serve as buttresses to stabilize the wall. Even an making the wall in an arc will make it much stronger than a straight wall.
Of course it helps to have nice squared rock, and always lay it so that the mortar isn't holding the rock into the wall- gravity is.
zak
I agree with Zak.
The main purposes of laying a block wall to build to is:
1. To provide a consistent surface to build to (You still have to have the footing ledge and should imbed masonry ties in the block).
2. To save on materials if you're having to buy the stone.
avoiding the question but when you do build the wall did you ever think of adding a stone here and there that has been carved it really adds interest and gives the eye something to focus on i did it to my wall and never get bored with the look
avoiding the question but when you do build the wall did you ever think of adding a stone here and there that has been carved it really adds interest and gives the eye something to focus on i did it to my wall and never get bored with the look
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Build a nice wall and theres nothing to get tired of looking at...
Ya just have to know how to get stoned right : )If Blodgett says, Tipi tipi tipi it must be so!
TipiFest 06~~> Send me your email addy for a Paypal invoice to the greatest show on earth~~>[email protected]
who u shiddin ?
you ain't looking for advice, you're looking for an "atta-boy" on the nice wall you already built
ok... here's an ATTA-BOY for youMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
To be honest with you..all I did was get a pile a stone and cement and hired a few spanish guys....really!If Blodgett says, Tipi tipi tipi it must be so!
TipiFest 06~~> Send me your email addy for a Paypal invoice to the greatest show on earth~~>[email protected]
And oh yeh....remember what it looked like before back up by the tipi?
You walked through all that mess...when it was a mess. Two years seems like a long time but when I look at all of it now and think about how little help I had I think that it went by really fast for all I got done already.
Its always before you do the work thinking about all youre in for...then for me....I never look up. I just keep looking in the lil' corner/mess I'm working in and just keep doing more and more lil' corners....makin' more and more messes before I allow my self to look up. Well,,,,,I "just" started looking up. I kinda am digging this place. It'd be nice if I could afford to stay here. My permit is up in May and no more renewls allowed without big bucks and hassles so I'm gonna have to suck it up and get my final and hold my breath when they raise my taxes to .......I don't even wanna know!!If Blodgett says, Tipi tipi tipi it must be so!
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u mean dis ?
View Image
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Edited 4/2/2006 9:17 pm ET by MikeSmith
Yeah, really, who you kiddin? If you can do this:
<img src="http://forums.taunton.com/n/mb/at.asp?webtag=tp-breaktime&guid=01EE124E-47B7-4AF9-B0C4-77D6DD40D419&frames=no"/>
I think you're doing fine on the stone wall front. Proceed as before.
Nice work.
zak
Edited 4/2/2006 7:50 pm by zak
Finally something I know something about ! Andy looks like a good job
on what you have done allready- what little I could actually see- What makes
a good lookin stone job is all the obvious stuff, but most importantly is
keeping 90% of your joints the same width and highth, a good mix of small
and large stones, and like a proud poppa have all with pretty faces.
I use limestone riprap for all behind the wall stuff and dressed field or riverrock
for all the presentation faces and tie rocks, in this area riprap is a lot less expensive
than cmu's so that is why I use it for all behind the wall stuff you dont see.
Drainage is also something you cant skimp on 4" pvc pipe -plastic pipe screens-
on front and back of the pipe- soil filter cloth on the bottom to the top of all the
backfill
#78 gravel 14" thick from back of wall to the cloth backfilled with the gravel to
4" from top of wall then over lap cloth on top and spike in. That will give you
grood drainage for all retaining wallsand keep mud from seeping into the gravel
and cribbing between the gravels . oohh wellll this is stuff yall alllready know , most
carps and other woodies make fun of us ole simple muddobbers anyway butt ya
what Masons Have Harder tools. D.W.
I did a huge river rock wall in my first house. Really beutiful. I went nuts and actually cemented it all together like an idiot but it was one of my first and I usually over do most things...I did all that gravel backfill and pipe drainage and cloth etc etc...Never even looked in a book. One nice thing about stone work...even tile work is that its mostly all common sense and pretty forgiving. the only thing that ain't forgiving is the cement...I'll have to post some pics of that wall with another huge used brick garden wall I did at the same house with arched window openings using a form I invented (more common sense stuff). Framed an open on one side roof over it with locust posts and wood shook the top. I really do have to find those pictures to post one day.If Blodgett says, Tipi tipi tipi it must be so!
TipiFest 06~~> Send me your email addy for a Paypal invoice to the greatest show on earth~~>[email protected]
and oh yeh...it really was a few Spanish guys I hired and a pile O' rocks...lol.If Blodgett says, Tipi tipi tipi it must be so!
TipiFest 06~~> Send me your email addy for a Paypal invoice to the greatest show on earth~~>[email protected]