The Tools Needed for Building Stone Walls With Natural Fieldstone

Wheelbarrow

• The wheelbarrow is about the most important tool for transporting the stones to the work site, especially if the path to the stone wall’s location is too narrow for a truck. It saves trips and holds several stones at one time. Simply roll the wheelbarrow along the work site as the stone wall construction progresses, rather than manually moving a pile of stones every few feet.

Spray Paint

• Though not a standard tool, a can of white or red spray paint is handy for delineating the exact positioning of the stone wall. This is important so that the ground is precisely marked before proceeding with the wall placement.

Shovel

• A shovel in hand is the tool to remove the surface dirt within the spray-painted lines. Since the upper layers of the grass and soil are fairly unstable, removing them with a shovel gives the wall a sturdy footing to rest on. Scoop away the grass and loose top soil layers until the dirt looks and feels compact. Haul the removed soil away in the handy wheelbarrow.

Wood Stakes, String and Hammer

• Hammer wood stakes into the ground along the outline of the retaining wall. Add extra ones where the wall curves and at the corners.

  Wrap string from one wood stake to the other. This makes the process of monitoring the pitch of the wall easier as its levels increase in height.

Other Tools

• More intricate stonework calls for hand splitting the stones. To do this, use a sledge hammer and a hatchet. Look carefully for the graining -- similar to the graining in wood -- in the stone, and tap the hatchet in it with the sledge hammer until it splits. Repeat this process for as many stones as are needed for the project. These cut stones may work well as a neat finish to cap off the wall.