Rubble Stone Retaining Wall

A rubble stone retaining wall is a beautiful and natural way to landscape your outdoor space. With our easy-to-install designs, you can create an inviting outdoor living environment while maximizing the beauty of your property.

Rubble stone walls are constructed from fieldstone, which is gathered from the ground. Large stones are used for the lower portions of the wall, while smaller stones are used higher up. No mortar is used in rubble stone construction; water will seep through the interstices between each rock and create a natural cement that holds everything together.

A rubble stone retaining wall is a type of masonry unit that’s made out of random rubble. It’s also called random-coursed masonry. The rubble stone retaining wall can be used as back support to hold up the earth or other materials like rocks and sand. This type of masonry can be found in many European countries, including Spain, France, Germany, Italy, and Greece.

What is random rubble?

The term “rubble” is used to describe the broken stone that makes up a rubble wall.

A rubble wall is made by laying the randomly-sized stones on top of each other in a random pattern, with no mortar between them. This gives you two main options:

  • Coursed rubble – where small stones are laid in courses, one on top of another (like bricks)
  • Random rubble – where small and large stones are laid together without any discernible order or pattern

What is a rubble retaining wall?

Rubble retaining wall is a type of masonry wall that uses random rubble stones. Such walls are commonly found in older parts of the world, such as Europe and South America.

In the United States, these walls are also called rubble stone masonry because they use irregularly shaped stones that may have been gathered from demolition sites or quarries. The result is an attractive and natural-looking retaining wall that is more affordable than brick or stone block construction.

How do you build rubble retaining wall?

Building a rubble stone retaining wall is not as hard as it looks, but it does require some basic knowledge and preparation.

First, you will need a level foundation in order to build your wall straight and true. If you are working on an uneven surface, use batter boards or a laser level to ensure that the structure is perfectly level before beginning construction.

Next, reinforce any areas where you suspect that the foundation may be weak or unstable. If necessary, bring in reinforcements such as steel bars or concrete blocks around these areas before continuing with the project. Finally, make sure that all materials are tightly packed together so they can support one another when stacked on top of each other (for example: if using individual stones instead of pre-made panels).

What are the types of rubble stone masonry?

There are two types of rubble stone masonry:

  • Random rubble and coursed rubble. Random rubble is a wall built with stones that have no order to them, while coursed rubble is a wall built with stones that are in horizontal layers of roughly equal height and width.

A random stone is a stone that has been randomly broken apart for some reason, like by an earthquake or flood, for example. These random pieces can be used to build walls because they do not have any mortar attached to them yet; however, if you use random stone for your retaining walls then this will increase their weight significantly.

What is the difference between rubble and ashlar masonry?

You may be wondering what the difference is between rubble and ashlar masonry. Both use stone, but each has its own distinct characteristics. Ashlar masonry uses large stones that are roughly squared off, while rubble uses smaller stones that have been broken down by natural processes or human intervention. This results in a rougher texture that makes rubble more aesthetically pleasing than ashlar.

Rubble masonry is also cheaper to build with because it requires less labor compared to ashlar; however, this can be offset by the fact that rubble will require constant maintenance over time due to its lower durability and ability to withstand weathering without cracking or crumbling (depending on the type of stone being used).

Steps needed for building Rubble Stone Retaining Wall

  • Dig a trench to the desired depth.
  • Line the trench with a drainage pipe, laying it along the length of the trench.
  • Fill in around this pipe with gravel and then lay stones on top of them to create your retaining wall.
  • Fill in around these stones as well as you can with additional gravel and any other materials you choose to use for landscaping purposes before planting your shrubbery or other plants that require good drainage conditions, such as grasses or flowers.

Materials needed for building Rubble Stone Retaining Wall

To build a rubble stone retaining wall, you will need:

  • rubble stone
  • mortar (the mixture of cement and sand)
  • sand (to make the mortar)
  • cement (to make the mortar)
  • plastic sheeting (for erosion control)
  • straw bales(for erosion control)

Installation Tips for Rubble Stone Retaining Wall

  • Make sure the wall is level. If your retaining wall does not sit level on the land, using broken concrete rubble stone as a base for your retaining wall will not make a difference it will be crooked and ugly.
  • Use a spirit level to check for levelness at the top and bottom of the site where you plan to build this retaining wall. As long as one side is lower than another, you may have trouble getting it plumb (straight up and down). You can either dig out more soil from under one side or add more dirt under one side to make it plumb before adding any materials to hold up this structure.
  • Check that your new structure is plumb by placing a line level across two opposite corners of your intended project area, then rotate the line until it’s perfectly vertical within an inch in both directions at each corner; if not straight up and down, add soil underneath these corners until they are perfectly vertical before moving on with work on other parts of this project area where dirt needs leveling off first before installing crushed stone or gravels onto them with either wooden picks used for digging into hard ground surfaces (especially when there isn’t enough moisture left over after watering plants) so nothing gets damaged during digging time when working outside without proper tools like shovels, etc., which would cause unnecessary damage done by using inappropriate ones instead making life harder than necessary.

How do you make a rubble wall?

  • Make sure to use the right materials for your project. If you’re building a rubble wall, use rocks and stones that are relatively straight and flat. Avoid any pieces with sharp edges or points.
  • Use the right tools for the job. Depending on what type of project you’re doing, this could mean using a hammer, chisel, or trowel and most likely it will entail some combination of these things.
  • Clear away any debris from where you want to work before beginning construction; otherwise, it’ll get stuck between cracks later on which could lead to structural damage down the road (and no one wants that).
  • Dig trenches deep enough so that each layer is supported by surrounding soil rather than resting directly on top without support beneath it like so: First dig down about half an inch at regular intervals until reaching bedrock level then go back down again another six inches before coming up once more – this helps ensure stability when creating large retaining walls made entirely out concrete blocks since they can sometimes weigh upwards between 20 pounds per cubic foot depending on how thickly packed together they were initially laid out during construction time.

What is the difference between random rubble and coursed rubble masonry?

There is a difference between random rubble and coursed rubble masonry.

Random rubble is a masonry wall made of stones of different sizes, shapes, and colors. The stone faces are not regular, but it still looks like a wall. Many people call this type of stonework “stacked fieldstone” or “random stacked fieldstone” because they have no mortar to hold them together. They simply sit in place on top of each other without any mortar holding them together.

Coursed rubble masonry is a masonry wall made of stones that are all the same size and shape (usually rectangular), but there might be some variation in color from one stone to another as long as they all blend together well into the composition of the entire structure. This type of stonework looks like blocks stacked up on top of each other with mortar holding them together so there will be no gaps between them; however, you can still see some variation in color from one part to another because all your blocks are alike size/shape/color – yet not exactly identical due to natural variations found within each block itself before it was cut into pieces for building purposes).

What are the factors on which the strength of rubble masonry depends?

The strength of a rubble stone retaining wall depends on the factors of material, size, thickness, and angle of the stones used in building it. The more courses you have the stronger your wall will be. Also, the type of mortar and quantity used also contribute to its strength. If using mortar then ensure that it is not too wet or dry as both can weaken your wall.

Materials needed for Rubble Stone Retaining Wall

  • Stones for the wall are collected from the rubble stones, which come from the demolished buildings of old houses or roads.
  • Mortar is used to bind the stones together with cement and sand so that they can be used as a retaining wall.
  • Cement and sand are mixed together in equal proportions to make concrete, which is then poured over the stone wall to make it strong enough to withstand any weather conditions such as rain or snowfall etc.
  • Water is added to this mixture so that it becomes easier for stones sticking together when being placed on top of one another during the construction process. A plastic liner should be placed at the bottom of each stone layer before filling up with rubble stone mix (concrete) so that you don’t have any trouble while removing water later on if some small cracks develop in between layers due to freezing temperatures during winter season times.

Tools needed for Rubble Stone Retaining Wall

The tools needed for a rubble stone retaining wall include a hammer, chisel, trowel, level, shovel or spade, and wheelbarrow. You will also need scissors to cut the lattice mesh that you will use as reinforcement for the stones. Safety glasses should be worn at all times when working with heavy equipment such as machinery and construction tools.

Benefits of Rubble Stone Retaining Wall

A rubble stone retaining wall can help you achieve all of the following:

  • Protects the earth from erosion. By providing a sturdy barrier against soil erosion, rubble stone walls will help to prevent unnecessary wear and tear on your property. This not only helps to preserve the look and value of your land but also protects it from expensive repairs in the future.
  • Provides a strong foundation for the soil. Well-built rubble retaining wall will provide a solid foundation that allows for easy drainage when installed properly. This reduces compaction, which makes it easier for plants to grow without being damaged by wet conditions that could lead to mold growth or root rot issues down the road

Cost of Rubble Stone Retaining Wall

For a rubble stone retaining wall, the cost of labor and material can vary widely, depending on your location and the type of rock you choose. The cost of labor will depend on how many people are on the project and your contractor’s hourly wage rate. Materials will vary based on the size of your project. For example, if it is only 10 feet long instead of 20 feet long then that would cut down on material costs significantly because there’s less material required to build it.

We recommend getting three quotes from contractors before deciding who to hire for your project because each company has different pricing structures for labor and materials based on where they’re located in relation to where you live or work. The best way to ensure accurate quotes is by having contractors come out personally so they can measure up exactly what needs to be done before giving an estimate over a phone call or emailing back estimates without seeing firsthand what needs to be done.

The material cost of Rubble Stone Retaining Wall

When you’re building a rubble stone retaining wall, the most common material to use is rubble stone. It’s inexpensive, widely available, and easy to work with. However, before you buy any materials or start building your project, it’s important to know what you’ll need and how much it will cost.

There are several factors that go into determining the material costs of a rubble stone retaining wall. The first step is to determine how many blocks of rubble stone will be required for your project and then make sure they can be delivered within your budget range. The next step is to determine whether or not any additional extras will be needed (such as mortar) and then add those costs to your total price tag as well.

The labor cost of Rubble Stone Retaining Wall

The labor cost of a rubble stone retaining wall depends on the size of your project and the materials you choose to use. The average labor cost for this type of project is $40 per hour, but it can vary significantly depending on the complexity and scale of your design, as well as whether or not you need to hire an architect or engineer to create architectural plans.

Maintenance tips for Rubble Stone Retaining Wall

  • Clean the wall with a pressure washer.
  • Seal the wall with a sealant.
  • Add a cap to the top of your wall.
  • Add a topcoat over your finished cap and create an even look for your retaining wall.
  • You can also add color to your retaining wall to make it stand out more.

When building a rubble stone retaining wall, it’s important to start by laying a proper foundation.

When building a rubble stone retaining wall, it’s important to start by laying a proper foundation.

A typical rubble wall is built with concrete, which should be at least as wide as the wall itself and at least 6 inches (15 cm) thick. The foundation should also extend down into the ground below whenever possible. Depending on your soil type, you may need to do some test digging to ensure that there are no underground obstructions like rocks or tree roots that would interfere with your project’s progress.

In Conclusion

It is a very labor-intensive process and can take months to complete. The most important part of planning the wall is getting an accurate estimate of how much stone you need. You can use landscaping software like Landsoft® to help with this, but ultimately it’s going to come down to your site and the amount of material needed will vary widely depending on each individual job.

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