DIY: Rock Wall

Rock Wall Design

• Plan your rock wall. If you want a freestanding wall, determine how high you want to build it. If it's more than three feet tall, plan on adding reinforcement of some sort, such as fencing wire or rebar. The wall should also be thick. For every three feet of height, plan on two feet of depth. Increase the wall's thickness four inches for every six inches you add on beyond three feet.

  Choose the type of rock you want to use. If you are building a dry rock wall, choose stones that are relatively flat. You can make use of rounder stones in a mortared rock wall.

Rock Wall Preparation

• Measure the length times the width times the height of your planned rock wall to get the cubic amount of rock you need to build it. Divide this number by 27 to get the number of cubic yards. When you go to the rock quarry to purchase your rock, allow for extra rock so you can freely pick and choose the stones you want to use. You can always put extra stones to use in another project.

  Because stone weighs roughly 125 lbs. per cubic foot, it's a good idea to have it delivered to your location. Even if you have a truck, let heavy-duty vehicles haul it to your property. To save time while installing your wall, sort the rocks by size when they arrive.

Rock Wall Installation

• While a rock wall doesn't need to originate in a trench, it can give the base added stability if it does. Dig the trench about six inches deep and at least two feet wide. You don't have to add small rocks or sand for stability unless you want to for drainage.

  Set large flat rocks as the base of the wall. Continue placing rocks to dry stack the wall. Tamp the rocks gently in place with a hammer. You may want to place smaller rocks that don't extend from the front of the wall to the back, which you can do as long as every second or third course of rocks has a rock that does extend the width of the wall. Your rock wall should be slightly narrower at the top than it is at the base when you finish.

  Use mortar to set your rocks in place if that is your chosen method to build your wall. The same rule applies for using a larger rock every three courses or so. You can use a string tied to two sticks to help keep your rock wall straight as you build it.

  Top your rock wall installation with a row of flat rocks with nice smooth surfaces for seats. If you wish, leave some gaps in the rock wall as you go to allow room to plant perennials and other plants.