The retaining wall is the perfect addition to any yard, but it can be expensive. If you have some experience with landscaping, you might want to try building your own Diy Fieldstone Retaining Wall using materials from your local home supply store. This project will take several hours and require some skill with tools, but if you’re willing to put in the work then you’ll end up with a beautiful garden feature that will last for years to come.
If you’re looking for a DIY project that will make your yard look like something out of a magazine, this is it. You’ll have the neighbors begging to know the name of your landscaper but don’t tell them. This easy-to-follow guide will show you how to build your own fieldstone retaining wall in no time.
Fieldstone is a beautiful and natural stone that has been used in landscaping for centuries. Not only does it look great, but fieldstone also offers a number of practical benefits.
Here are some tips on how to build your own retaining wall using fieldstone.
1. Choose the right location for your fieldstone retaining wall. It’s best to use an area with good drainage so that water doesn’t pool up against your wall and erode it over time.
2. Clear out all vegetation in the area where you want to put your wall, including any trees or shrubs that might be growing there already (or weeds). You’ll want to start with a relatively flat surface so that everything goes together smoothly later on down the line. If there are any holes or dips in this surface then fill them in with dirt before proceeding further into construction mode.
What is Diy Fieldstone Retaining Wall?
A retaining wall is a structure built to hold back earth, fill, or other materials. Fieldstone retaining walls are a type of retaining wall made of fieldstones. These walls are attractive, durable, and easy to build.
Uses of Diy Fieldstone Retaining Wall
Diy fieldstone retaining walls are used to keep soil in place, hold back earth and rocks, and create a level foundation for gardens, landscaping, and other areas where you want to retain space.
Reasons for building Diy Fieldstone Retaining Wall
The reasons for building a Diy Fieldstone Retaining Wall are numerous.
- A retaining wall can be used to prevent soil erosion, which keeps your yard looking good and healthy.
- It also makes it easier to plant plants in the ground, as they won’t wash away. This will keep them looking beautiful and green all year round.
- A fieldstone wall has many benefits that make it an attractive addition to any yard: It can enhance the beauty of your property by adding interest and color; it provides privacy, and it gives added value to your home by increasing its curb appeal.
What is the cheapest retaining wall to build?
Fieldstone is a great choice for your retaining wall, and it’s the most affordable. It’s easy to work with, you can find it just about anywhere, and it’s durable enough to stand up against the test of time. But fieldstone is also attractive and attractive in different ways depending on who you ask. Fieldstone has a natural beauty that appeals to people of all ages and walks of life.
Do retain walls need rebar?
You may be wondering if rebar is needed for a retaining wall. The answer is no unless you are building a really heavy and/or tall retaining wall. If you’re just making one or two steps, then you can probably get away without using any reinforcement in your concrete mix at all.
For example, here’s some simple math: if your wall is going to be 4 feet wide by 8 feet high (which is pretty big), then the weight of that wall will be roughly 880 pounds (400 pounds per foot). That’s not so much when compared to other types of walls say, an interior load-bearing partition made out of brick or block has an average weight of around 1,000 pounds per running foot.
But even though fieldstone isn’t super heavy and doesn’t need much reinforcement when used as part of an outdoor structure like this one (especially since most modern homes are built on slabs), it’s still better to play it safe than sorry by adding some extra strength into your mix by using steel bars called “rebar.”
What is the cheapest block for a retaining wall?
The cheapest block for a retaining wall is the concrete block. It is made from concrete and has a hollow core, whereas concrete brick has a solid core. The cost of each depends on its size and weight, but you will find that it is much cheaper to purchase hollow blocks than it would be to buy solid ones.
Can you build a Diy Fieldstone Retaining Wall without concrete?
In this tutorial, we will look at how you can build a DIY fieldstone retaining wall without concrete.
In this guide, we have included several tips and tricks for building your own stone walls using natural materials. These include:
- The type of rock used for the project
- Materials needed to complete a DIY project at home
- Tools needed for the job
How deep should a footing be for Diy Fieldstone Retaining Wall?
The footing should be at least 12 inches deep. This is a conservative number and will allow plenty of room for the wall to settle, which it almost certainly will do as time goes on. The footing should be as deep as the height of your wall ideally, it should extend beyond the top of your new retaining wall by at least 6 inches on all sides so that water won’t be able to run under your foundation.
How tall should Diy Fieldstone Retaining wall be?
To determine how tall your fieldstone retaining wall should be, you should first consider the slope of your yard. If it is a relatively gentle slope, then a low-profile stone wall will probably suffice. However, if you are on a very steep hillside or if you have children who are likely to play around the area, then it may be best to build a taller stone retaining wall that can withstand some wear and tear from time spent outdoors.
A shorter stone retaining wall will also look out of place in most yards as it won’t match up with surrounding landscape features such as flower beds and trees. A taller stone retaining wall gives the appearance of being less natural than other types of landscaping because there is no foliage at eye level for reference when looking at them from afar (unless there’s another type of natural material nearby).
What is the best base for Diy Fieldstone Retaining Wall?
The best base for DIY Fieldstone Retaining Wall is cement. Cement is strong and durable, and it can be poured in place. You’ll need to use a trowel to get the cement into the gaps between fieldstones, but that’s an easy job cement is easier than concrete to work with. As far as materials go, cement is less expensive than concrete, too. That’s why we recommend cement as your base of choice when building a DIY Fieldstone Retaining Wall.
Steps involved in Diy Fieldstone Retaining Wall
The first step in building a retaining wall is to determine what type of retaining wall you want and how much it will cost. The second step is to mark the area where your wall will be built and begin digging up the dirt. After this, find some fieldstone that you like, haul it home, and start building.
Draw a sketch of your retaining wall.
First, use a pencil and ruler to draw the top of your retaining wall. Then draw the bottom edge. Next, measure up from the bottom of your sketch to draw an arc that represents where you want your fieldstone base to be. Connect these two lines with straight segments representing each side of your wall; then, connect all four sides together at their corners.
Now that you have a plan for how wide and tall you want this retaining wall to be (and how much space there will be between it and any structures behind it), decide what materials will best suit its purpose. If this is an outdoor project in dry climates like ours here in Colorado Springs or Phoenix Arizona then consider using concrete blocks as they can withstand extreme heat without cracking or deteriorating over time span expected life span.
Mark the ground for the foundation.
Mark the ground for your foundation with stakes and string. This is not hard, because it’s just a straight line. Just make sure to use a leveler to make sure it’s completely level.
Dig a trench for the first course of stones.
The first step is to dig a trench for the first course of stones. Depending on the width of your wall and how many stones you want to use, this may mean digging as much as 1-2 feet deep. It’s also important that the trench be level with the ground so that when it’s filled with stone and mortar, you’ll have a nice flat surface for your retaining wall.
Lay the first layer of stones.
- Line the wall with a string line.
- Lay the first layer of stones on the edge, not flat. The edge should be touching the ground so that it won’t move when you start to build up your wall. If you’re using fieldstones, they may have some dirt or rocks in them already; don’t worry about this, and just place them where they are comfortable for you.
- Use a level at each end of the wall to ensure that it is straight and plumb (square). You can also use stakes along one side as well if necessary.
- Load up your wheelbarrow with soil and fill in any gaps between each stone with dirt or gravel. If there are any stones missing from your pile, go back out into your field and find another one.
Lay the subsequent layers of stones.
Make sure to check the level of each layer with a straightedge and level before laying the next row. You can also use a line level to make sure your lines are straight.
If you have access to a string line, use it. It’ll help keep your wall straight as you build higher and higher.
Cover the wall with landscaping fabric, and secure it with landscape pins.
Lay down your landscaping fabric, and secure it with landscape pins. Use the landscape pins to secure the landscaping fabric to the wall, then use another line of pins on top of that for extra security.
Once you’re done with that step, move on to building your stone base by following this tutorial on how to build a retaining wall.
Spread gravel over the landscape fabric, and add soil and plants to the face of the wall.
Spread gravel over the landscape fabric. Most people use a 2-inch layer of 4 stone, but you can also mix in other materials like crushed rock or pea gravel for texture.
You’ll want to add soil and plants to the face of your fieldstone retaining wall. Use high-quality topsoil mixed with compost to give your planting beds some extra nutrients and moisture retention
Plant shrubs, flowers, and trees in front of your fieldstone retaining wall, if desired. You may want to add edging brick around these planting beds so that they have an attractive border between them and your lawn area
Materials needed for Diy Fieldstone Retaining Wall
You will need the following materials:
- Fieldstone. You will want to use a stone that is easy to work with, such as stacked fieldstone or random granite boulders. There are many different types of rock available on the market today, but it’s important you choose one that is durable and won’t crumble too much once installed.
- Landscape fabric. This is used for erosion control and to keep weeds out of your project area so they don’t grow through the gaps in your retaining wall later on down the road. It can also help prevent soil erosion when planted up against hillsides or other sloped areas where water runs off quickly after it rains (which happens a lot here in Boston).
- Landscape pins/stakes – These hold everything together while still allowing for movement if needed over time due to shifting foundations or settling soil beneath them because sometimes the earth moves around when we’re not looking. Don’t skimp out here though because these things are expensive but worth every penny if they work right out of the box like ours did which was amazing because we didn’t need any extra help putting these together which saved us tons of time.
Tools needed for Diy Fieldstone Retaining Wall
For your DIY Fieldstone Retaining Wall, you’ll need the following tools:
- Trowel
- Wheelbarrow or cart
- Shovel (for removing dirt and leveling areas before laying stones)
- Level (to keep rows of stone straight)
- Hammer (to break off large rocks and to pound stakes into the ground)
If you’re hiring a mason to build your wall for you, then he or she probably already has all of these tools on hand. You might want to call around first before buying any equipment in case someone nearby offers cheaper rates than what you’d find at a hardware store.
Cost of Diy Fieldstone Retaining Wall
The total cost of a DIY stone retaining wall is determined by three factors: materials, labor, and the price per square foot for your particular region. The average cost of fieldstone is around $5 to $10 per square foot, though some homeowners have reported paying as much as $20 per square foot. In general, stone retaining walls cost between $2 and $6 per linear foot so if you’re creating a 50-foot long wall (about 15 feet), you can expect to pay anywhere from $150 to $300 in materials alone.
If you plan on having someone else build it for you (instead of doing it yourself), you’ll also need to budget for their labor charges as well but since every contractor has different rates and fees depending on where they live, it’s difficult to determine what yours will be without getting some quotes first.
The material cost of Diy Fieldstone Retaining Wall
To build a stone retaining wall, you will need to lay the foundation. When laying stones in your yard, it is important that you consider what kind of soil type you have. You can use a mixture of sand, Portland cement, and gravel on top of your existing dirt to create a secure base for the stone wall. This will give it strength and durability so that it lasts for many years to come.
Once your base has been laid out as shown above (and leveled), it is time to start building. First place each piece of fieldstone where they belong using 1/4″ thick plywood or wood slats as spacers between each piece to hold them in place while building up toward your desired height (a minimum of 24″ above ground level).
The labor cost of Diy Fieldstone Retaining Wall
Labor is the biggest variable in terms of cost. If you have a large project, hiring laborers will be more expensive than getting help from friends and family members. On the other hand, if you only have a small retaining wall to build, but are skilled at construction work yourself (or know someone who is), then your labor costs could be close to nothing.
It’s also important to factor in how much time you have available for building the retaining wall. If this is going to take several weeks or months of effort during your spare time over weekends and evenings; it might not be worth doing yourself because it would take away from other things that need doing around your home or business property.
On average though: expect somewhere between $3000 – $5000 depending on how big your job is and what materials are used
Benefits of Diy Fieldstone Retaining Wall
The best part about building your own DIY fieldstone retaining wall is that you can customize it to fit the style of your home. You can choose materials and sizes that best suit your needs and preferences, and there are so many ways to build it that the finished product will look completely unique.
If you’re looking for a beautiful addition to your home or garden but don’t have time or money for an expensive project, this is an excellent way to bring some natural beauty into your yard.
Maintenance tips for Diy Fieldstone Retaining Wall
- Water plants regularly. The fieldstone retaining wall is going to act as a barrier for many of your plants and flowers, so you’ll want to make sure they’re getting the moisture they need to grow strong and healthy. Consider adding mulch around your plants or flowers to help retain moisture in the soil below.
- Remove weeds and grass from the face of your wall as soon as possible after installation. This can be a challenge in some areas where extreme heat and dryness are common, but it’s worth it. Plants growing on top of an unpainted stone face will cause stains that are difficult (or impossible) to remove later on down the road.
- Clean your fieldstone retaining wall regularly with either a hose or power washer depending on how dirty it gets over time.
If you follow these steps, you can build a beautiful fieldstone retaining wall in your own yard.
- Plan before you start building. Make sure to have all the right materials on hand, and ensure that your plans are accurate. If you have any questions about the design or construction process, seek out help from an expert or do some research before moving forward.
- Measure twice, and cut once. This is one of the most important rules in carpentry and construction work it’s easy to make mistakes when using a saw if you don’t double-check your measurements first.
- Use the right tools for the job at hand; don’t try to use something that isn’t designed for what you’re trying to accomplish (even if it seems like it might work).
- Use quality materials in order to get a longer lifespan out of your finished project; cheap shortcuts may end up costing more money down the road because they’ll need replacing sooner than planned-for repairs would’ve been required otherwise.
In Conclusion
We hope this article has helped you learn more about Diy Fieldstone Retaining Wall. If you’re interested in building your own, we encourage you to follow these steps and use the resources we’ve provided here. We think it would be a great addition to any yard or garden.
