How to Build a Freestanding Sitting Wall

Lay a stone at each end of the ground where the wall is being installed. Drive a stake into the ground at the outer corners an inch away from the stones. Tie a string around the four stakes, and remove the stones.

Dig a trench 6 inches deep inside the area marked off with the string. Rake the soil level at the bottom of the trench and tamp it down.

Pour an inch of paver base into the trench, then rake it smooth and tamp it down. Paver base is a mix of crushed rock and stone dust.

Add two more 1-inch layers of paver base to the trench, using the same technique.

Measure the distance between the top of the paver base and the top of the trench. The distance should be at least equal to half the height of one of the paver stones plus 1 inch. If necessary, add another layer of paver base to the trench.

Add 1 inch of stone dust to the trench and level it with a spade.

Place the first stone into the trench, positioned so that it's an inch away from the sides and end of the trench. Place a level on top of the stone in an east-west and north-south direction and check it for level. Tap the stone down with a rubber mallet to level it out if needed.

Place the second stone into the trench next to the first one. Lay the level across both stones, and tap down the second stone to even it out with the first one, if necessary.

Continue laying the stones into the trench, using this technique, until the first course has been completely laid.

Pour stone dust into the trench along the outer edges, then backfill it with dirt. Step on the dirt to compact it around the stones.

Cut a stone in half with a wet saw or mason's chisel.

Apply two thick, zigzag beads of masonry adhesive on top of one of the end stones in the trench. Place one of the pieces of cut stone on top of the end stone along the outer edge. This allows you to strengthen the wall by staggering the stones in the second row.

Lay the stones in the second course, applying masonry adhesive between the stones in the two courses.

Continue building the wall until you reach the desired height, staggering the stones in every other course to increase the wall's strength.

Apply two thick beads of masonry adhesive to the top of the wall, and set the capstones. You can either use capstones designed for that purpose, or you can use the same stones you used in the rest of the wall; just turn them at a 90-degree angle and center them over the wall.