How to Build a Small Half Wall at a Driveway Entrance

Call your local municipality to find out what the restrictions are for fence heights and half walls. If you live on a corner lot of busy street, the restrictions may be less than 3 feet.

Measure the width of your wall stones with a tape measure. Insert wooden pegs in the four corners of the wall site and every few feet. Angle the wall so it fans out at the bottom to make it easier for cars to turn in and out. Tie a string to the top of each peg to outline the site. The marked width for the site should equal the width of the stones plus 4 inches.

Dig out the space within the ropes using a shovel. Dump the dirt and grass on a tarp to reuse in low-lying spots in the yard. Dig a foundation 6 inches deep plus half the depth of the thickest, flattest stones.

Pound a hand tamper along the bottom floor of the foundation to make the dirt stable.

Pour a 6-inch deep layer of 3/4 inch gravel in the site and spread it even with the shovel. Tamp the gravel down until the rocks don't shift.

Pour course sand over the gravel and spread it level with a straight wood board. The sand bed should be no more than 1 inch thick.

Place the flattest, biggest stones in the trench with the sides flush against each other. Hit the stones lightly with a mallet, and continue setting them in place until the first course or row is complete. Set a level on top and adjust the stones until they're even. Fill in any gaps with smaller stones and gravel.

Lay the second course of stones on top of the first course so they overlap the joints on the row beneath. Wedge medium and small stones beneath the large stones as needed to level them out.

Continue adding each course of stones until the wall reaches your intended height or the maximum height allowed by your municipality.