Laying A Rock Wall - BuilderLens

The process of laying a rock wall is simple, but it does require some planning and patience.

Step 1: Determine the Style and Size of the Wall

The first step in the process of laying a rock wall is to decide what style you want your wall to have and determine how big it will be. You can choose from many different styles, such as a dry-laid stone wall or an interlocking block wall. You also need to consider whether or not you want to use mortar or if you’d rather keep things simple. If you’re using mortar, then you’ll need to decide what kind of mortar (e.g., cement) will work best for your project.

Step 2: Get Your Supplies Together

Once you’ve decided on the style and size of your wall, it’s time to start gathering all of your materials. You’ll need rocks in varying sizes (from pebbles up through boulders), sandpaper or wire brushes, shovels (one per person), gloves (also one per person), buckets (one per person), wheelbarrows (one per two people), wire mesh screens or chicken wire (if using mortar), water hoses (one per person), trowels or paintbrushes for applying mortar.

If you’re looking for a rock wall that will last and look good, consider laying your own. It’s not as hard as you might think, and it’ll save you money.

A rock wall is a beautiful addition to any yard or garden. It will add value and curb appeal, while also providing privacy and protection from the elements. You can choose between many different types of rocks and sizes for your wall, but you’ll want to make sure that they are cemented together securely so they don’t come apart over time. In this article, we will go over some important steps involved in building a rock wall: from choosing your materials all the way up to maintenance tips once it’s built.

What is A Rock Wall

A rock wall is a type of wall that is built using rocks. It can be used as a retaining wall, a decorative wall, or a functional wall. It can be built to protect the land from erosion and/or floods.

Uses of A Rock Wall

A rock wall can be used for many purposes. The most common use is to make a wall around your property so that it is easier to keep the view from neighbors and cars out. This creates privacy, as well as security from intruders. A rock wall also provides another level of noise reduction for those living close to busy streets or highways. It also helps with erosion control when placed along the shoreline of lakes or oceans.

Another great use for a rock wall is as an accent piece in your landscaping design; they can add interest and texture. Rock walls are also great at creating rooms with a perspective where there isn’t one naturally (such as between two buildings)

Reasons for Laying A Rock Wall

You can choose a rock wall for many reasons. Here are some of the most common:

To create a natural landscape. A rock wall can be an excellent way to enhance and highlight the natural beauty of your garden.
To create a barrier. By building a rock wall, you’re adding more security and privacy to your yard, which is especially important in areas where there are lots of people around or where there may be lots of noise pollution (such as near roads).
To add focal points in your garden. A rock wall can provide interesting focal points in the garden that will draw attention from visitors while they walk around it, letting them enjoy its beauty before moving on with their day.

Steps involved in Laying A Rock Wall

Dig a trench
Place rocks in the trench
Lay a row of rocks along the length of the wall for each course
Add another layer to your rock wall, adding smaller stones and gravel as you go
Continue this process until it is level with the ground surface or desired height, then fill the inside of the wall with dirt (tamp down) or masonry jointing compound (MJC)
Finish off the top of your wall using larger stones

Dig a trench for the wall.

The trench should be deep enough to hold the rocks and wide enough to prevent them from falling out. Make sure it’s straight and level, so that when you place your rocks, they will line up with one another. Take care not to dig too much or too little; if you do either, your wall won’t look right or may not even stand up.

Place the rocks in the trench, starting from the corner and working your way out.

Once you’ve got the first row of rocks in place, continue laying them down until you reach the end of your trench. If you need more rocks, simply repeat Steps 2 and 3 until you have enough to fill out your wall.

Lay a row of rocks along the length of the trench for each course.

Lay a row of rocks along the length of the trench for each course. Start from the corner of the wall and work your way out. If you’re laying an irregular shape, lay one end first and then fill in around it with more rocks.

The rocks should be laid in a staggered pattern so that they do not overlap or sit directly on top of one another (see Image 2). The sides should be flat against each other, creating a flat face on both sides.

Add another layer to the rock wall.

Add another layer to the rock wall.
Use smaller rocks for this second layer, as they’ll be less visible when they’re set into mortar.
Make sure that the rocks are level with each other, and that there’s no gap between them.

Fill the inside of your rock wall with dirt.

Use the same method as you used to lay the rocks. Do not forget to leave a gap between the rocks and dirt, so that there are no air pockets in your wall. Use a trowel to fill in the gaps until the entire surface is even and flat on top.

Finish off the top of your wall using larger stones.

Use a mixture of large and small stones to make the wall look more natural.

Use larger stones to finish off the top of your wall.
Fill in any gaps between the larger stones with smaller ones.

Materials needed for Laying A Rock Wall

The following are the necessary materials for laying a rock wall:

Rocks. These will be the backbone of your project. The type and size of rock you use can vary depending on personal preference, but large flat stones are usually best for a wall that’s meant to be walked on.
Mortar. This is what holds it all together. Mortar is an adhesive binder used in construction projects (like this one) to hold rocks firmly in place and hide gaps between them, so make sure you use the right kind for your project. For example, if you’re working with smaller stones like pebbles or gravel then using mortar made specifically for those materials would be ideal; otherwise regular mortar should suffice just fine.
Water

Tools needed for Laying A Rock Wall

Rock hammer
Shovel
Wheelbarrow (with the following accessories:)
Wheelbarrow wheel(s)
Wheelbarrow handles
Wheelbarrow tire(s)
Tire pump

Benefits of Laying A Rock Wall

Rock walls can be a beautiful addition to your garden. They are often used to create privacy, add interest to the garden and make a feature out of an area that may otherwise be overlooked.
Rock walls are also great for planting climbing plants as they provide vertical support for them.
If you want your rock wall to look like it’s been there forever then use natural stone or rocks sourced from the same area as your house.

Cost of Laying A Rock Wall

The cost of a rock wall depends on many factors, including the size and complexity of the project. The range is from $100 to $10,000; however, most rock walls fall somewhere between $1 and $2 per square foot. The cost will increase if you have to buy extra materials or hire an excavator to get rid of the dirt that isn’t naturally there.

Maintenance tips for Laying A Rock Wall

Avoid using salt-based chemicals on your wall. The salt in these chemicals can be corrosive to the rock and cause damage to the surface of your wall.
Use a hose or other water source to wash the dirt off of your rock wall. Just make sure not to spray directly onto any plants surrounding it.
Remove weeds from between rocks at least once per year. There’s nothing worse than looking at an unsightly patch of weeds through a gorgeous stone veneer.
Use a broom or other long tool to sweep away dust, dirt, and debris from your rock wall every week or so (depending on how often you tend it).
Check for cracks in your stonework every few months and fill them with grout as needed.

Building a rock wall is time-consuming but not hard if you have an idea of how to do it.

As you can see, building a rock wall is time-consuming but not hard if you have an idea of how to do it.

Rock walls are great for adding value to your home and can be used for many purposes. For example, they could act as a barrier between your yard and the neighbors or make sure that no one accidentally falls down into the pool in case there’s someone else living in your house who isn’t very good at swimming.

In Conclusion

It is important to lay a rock wall so that you can have some privacy in your yard or garden. It also gives you a great place to put vines and plants that need support as they grow up. When you are laying the stone walls, it’s important not to forget drainage holes at each corner of each block. This will allow water to flow out of the hole rather than pooling up behind the block and causing damage over time due to freezing temperatures while preventing moisture buildup during warm months when evaporation rates increase so much faster than we realize.