Dry-Stacked Bluestone Wall

This Dry-Stacked Bluestone Wall creates a beautiful stone entryway to your home. The bluestone is carefully glued together with an adhesive that adheres to most surfaces and then stacked in layers until it reaches a height of 1 inch from the ground to the top of the wall. Each stone is then individually cut and smoothed to ensure that each piece is the same size and shape so that it can fit perfectly into place with the others.

Build a fence or a retaining wall that stands the test of time with this Natural Bluestone Dry-Stacked Wall. This environmentally friendly and easy-to-install stone wall is made from locally sourced bluestone rock, which is available in many different colors, textures, and sizes.

A dry-stacked bluestone wall is an easy way to make a retaining wall or border with natural stone. It’s also a great way to save money if you’re looking for a low-maintenance option that doesn’t require mortar. If you’re looking for a decorative garden feature without the cost of hiring a contractor, this is the perfect project for you.

What is Dry-Stacked Bluestone Wall

A dry-stacked bluestone wall is a retaining wall or border made of natural stone (such as sandstone, limestone, and granite) that’s stacked without mortar. The stones are held together by gravity alone and can be cut to fit the contour of the land.

Uses of Dry-Stacked Bluestone Wall

There are many uses of dry-stacked bluestone walls, including:

To add interest to your garden. A dry-stacked bluestone wall can help add interest to a garden by being a focal point or creating some other kind of visual elements in the space. It is also possible for you to use multiple dry-stacked bluestone walls throughout a garden so that each one has its own unique style and design elements. This can help give your landscape more character and personality than if it had only one type of wall all along the perimeter of an area where there are many plants growing together in small clusters or beds.
For privacy from neighbors’ prying eyes. If you want privacy from neighbors who live nearby but don’t want anything too tall blocking out their view (or yours), then consider using a dry-stacked bluestone wall instead because this type won’t block out anything at all; instead, it’ll just give you another way to conceal yourself behind something else besides just trees alone. This way those nosy neighbors won’t be able to sneak glances at stuff whenever they please because they’ll need permission first before even trying and even then it might still be difficult due to how difficult they might find getting into contact with us here over time due simply

Reasons for building Dry-Stacked Bluestone Wall

You want to create a border or retaining wall.
You want to add character to your property.
You want to create an attractive feature that will stand out in the landscape, like this dry stack bluestone wall built by our friends at Landscape Alternatives.
It’s a great way to save money on landscaping by using natural stone, which is also significantly more sustainable than other building materials such as synthetic materials like cement blocks.
In addition, dry stacked bluestone walls are often used for drainage purposes because they’re porous enough that water can pass through them but not so porous that the stones will fall apart easily from exposure; this makes them perfect for creating barriers around swimming pools or areas where drainage might be an issue.

Steps involved in building Dry-Stacked Bluestone Wall

Building a dry-stacked bluestone wall is fairly simple and affordable. The first step is to dig a shallow trench, about 2 feet deep by 2 feet wide. You’ll need to add a compacted gravel base as well, which will help anchor the stones in place.

Next, set the first course of stone in your wall’s foundation while supporting them with steel rods called deadmen (also known as poles). These are inserted into holes drilled in the ground at regular intervals along all sides of each stone course. They keep your walls straight and plumb while they’re under construction and prevent them from tipping when they’re finished (and also provide some resistance against strong winds).

To cut bluestone pieces to fit around irregular terrain like hillsides or riverside banks (or even just garden beds), measure out how many inches you want between courses before beginning work on that section—it will help ensure everything comes together neatly later on. Once all that’s done, use these instructions to finish building your dry stacked bluestone wall.

Level the ground

Leveling the ground is an important step. Your wall will look odd and uneven if you don’t level the ground first. To level your ground, first, use a spade to cut into any high areas of your yard. Then use a rake to smooth out these levels and make them even with the rest of your yard. Once this is done, dig up some dirt from one side of your yard and fill in any low areas with it as well until everything has been leveled out evenly across all four sides of your wall’s base.

Now that you have leveled out all four sides, it’s time for some dry-stacking.

Dig a shallow trench

Now that you have a general idea of what to do, dig a shallow trench. It should be about 2 inches deep and wide enough to accommodate the bluestone stones. Make sure the trench is deep enough to hold the stones in place once they’re stacked on top of each other.

Add a compacted gravel base

To begin, you’ll need to dig down 2-3 inches into the soil. If your soil is loose and sandy, you may be able to skip this step.

Once you’ve dug down enough for the gravel base, start placing your compacted gravel in an even layer on top of the soil. The gravel should be at least 4 inches thick so that it can support the bluestone walls as well as provide drainage for any water that runs off them. The finished product will look like a flat stone driveway or patio.

It’s important not to let uneven areas of dirt or grass make their way into this layer; otherwise, they’ll create bumps under your wall when it’s finished and could lead to structural issues later on. Also keep in mind that if there are any rocks near where you’re planning on installing your wall (or trees), they may end up being buried by all this dirt.

Set the first course of stone

Set the first course of stone by placing a string line across the top of your wall. You can use a builder’s level or another straight edge to draw a chalk line across the top of your wall, then use that as your guide for placing your first course stones.
Place one block in each corner, then work from left to right (or vice versa) until you have completed the front face. If you’re using bluestone, it’s likely that this will be enough to create an attractive base for your dry-stacked wall, but if not and you want additional height for aesthetics or privacy reasons, continue reading.

Use a deadman for support

A deadman is a type of support. It consists of a long, thick log or beam that’s buried into the ground and has its top end exposed above the surface, so you can tie your wall to it. If you’re building a dry-stacked wall without mortar (as we are), then you’ll want to use two deadmen instead: one on either side of your wall. You’ll take advantage of their leverage by connecting them with an A-frame structure that keeps them together at the top but leaves plenty of room for movement below.

Cut the Bluestone pieces to fit the contour of the land

Cutting the bluestone is a bit more complicated than cutting bricks. You will need to use a masonry saw, which has a diamond blade on it. This allows you to cut through the bluestones much easier than you could with just an ordinary saw blade. Make sure that the masonry saw’s diamond blade is sharp and that the masonry saw itself is in good working order before you get started cutting your stones. A dull or broken blade will make cutting very difficult and could result in injury if something goes wrong while using it.

Cost of Dry-Stacked Bluestone Wall

It’s important to understand the cost of materials and labor before you get started. The materials will likely be the most expensive part of your project, as they include stone, mortar, and sand. On average, dry-stacked bluestone walls cost between $1 to $2 per square foot in materials alone.

Labor costs depend on whether you’re hiring a professional or doing it yourself. Hiring an experienced mason will cost anywhere from $10-$20 per hour; whereas if you decide to build your own wall it may take several weekends (and some sore muscles) but it could save up to 50% off what a contractor would charge for the same job.

Materials needed for Dry-Stacked Bluestone Wall

To build a dry-stacked bluestone wall, you’ll need the following materials and tools:

Stone
Mortar
Tools (hammer, shovel, etc.)
Support (posts or stakes)

Tools needed for Dry-Stacked Bluestone Wall

You’ll need the following tools to prepare the site, build a dry-stacked bluestone wall and install other components.

Tape measure
Level
Shovel (for digging postholes)
Chisel or pry bar (to break apart stones)
Pickaxe (for loosening soil and breaking apart stones)
Hoe (to smooth out soil)

Benefits of Dry-Stacked Bluestone Wall

Dry-stacking is a great way to add a beautiful natural stone retaining wall to your yard. It’s relatively easy, and the end result can be a striking addition that makes your property look better. There are many benefits of dry-stacking as well as some drawbacks:

Benefits:
Easy and inexpensive to build, most blokes can do it themselves with no experience required.
Looks great in any setting. No matter what you’re doing with the rest of your yard or garden, this will fit right in with any style.
Durable construction ensures years of use without maintenance or upkeep costs like regular landscaping would require (if you’re into that sort of thing). The only thing you’ll need eventually is more bluestone if pieces crumble over time due to weather conditions or other factors (this won’t happen unless there are drastic changes made during construction).

Material tips for Dry-Stacked Bluestone Wall

Level
Tape measure
Shovel (to mix and spread the mortar)
Wheelbarrow (to move stone)
Drill, hammer, chisel, saw (for cutting stones into the right shapes)

A dry-stacked bluestone wall is an easy way to make a retaining wall or border with natural stone.

A dry-stacked bluestone wall is an easy way to make a retaining wall or border with natural stone. The stones are set in a straight line and not mortared together, which makes it possible to build them on your own without the help of a contractor. It’s also called a drystack wall because it is made of rocks that don’t sit in mortar or concrete but instead rest directly on top of each other.

A dry-stacked bluestone retaining wall can be used as part of an outdoor patio area or garden bed, as well as for garden beds that are against foundations and buildings where fences aren’t allowed by city ordinances (or simply because you prefer more natural elements along your property lines).

Final words

A dry-stacked bluestone wall is an easy way to make a retaining wall or border with natural stone. All you need is some basic equipment, like shovels and wheelbarrows, as well as enough manpower to carry the stones back to their destination. It’s best if you have access to heavy machineries such as a skid loader or bulldozer, but even without these pieces of equipment, it’s possible for one person alone to build an impressive dry-stacked bluestone wall.