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Intro:
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| Need wall ideas? Check out landscape design magazines, or stonework brochures from the supplier. Just stay clear of overly complex designs that need professional skills to assemble. For a little extra, you can sometimes buy stone with lichen or moss already growing on it, for that pre-aged look. If you want to use stone gathered from your own property, be aware that you might need more than what you have available (and that, as a rule of thumb, you'll always need more than you think you will). Consider taking a sample to a supplier to make sure it can be matched, if necessary. |
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The more effort you put into planning, the less likely you'll be to run into unexpected problems when you build. As you start plotting out your wall, keep three things in mind: Scope. As mentioned previously, you don't want to get in over your head. Even if you have a grand plan for your wall, start small. It's best to build no more than 60 cubic feet (18.3 cubic meters) at a time. For example, a wall that's 2.5 feet high, 1.5 feet wide, and 15 feet long (.76 by .45 by 4.5 meters) is about 56 cubic feet. Staying in this range should give you a good feel for the physical and technical demands of stonework, without too much strain. And remember, you can always add more later if you want. Fit. A good design complements its surroundings, so try to picture the finished wall within its planned setting. Will a soft curve work best, or a more regimented straight line? A low wall, or one that's slightly higher? Consider your present landscaping style: A more meandering garden might fit well with rougher-looking stone, while for a carefully manicured yard, you'll probably want a cleaner, more formal design. Also, don't forget that stone can come in a variety of colors--consider what shade will balance with the house and landscape. Stone. The best way to decide on stone is to go to your local supplier (check under "landscape supply" or "stone" in the phone book), describe your project and the "look" you want, and see what they recommend (and what they have in stock). The most commonly used wall stone is faceted, that is, with easy-to-stack, squared-off faces--key for a solid construction. There are many varieties of faceted stone, with differences in color, shape, texture, and price. Other wall choices include river rock, rounded stones that you should probably avoid, since you'll need a very wide base to stack them safely, and flat stone, rock such as shale or slate that comes in thin slabs. Flat stone can make fine drystack walls, but it usually costs significantly more, since its smooth surfaces are better suited for more polished work. Whatever your decision, remember that your wall will only be as good as its materials, so go with quality. Cheaper, more roughly shaped stone may seem like a good buy (after all, a rock's a rock, right?), but it can add a lot of difficulty to the construction while subtracting from overall aesthetics.
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Design the wall
