Dig a ditch the length of the wall that is about a foot wide and 8 to 12 inches 20 5 cm 30 5 cm below the ground level.
Building a dry stack stone retaining wall.
Plan for good drainage proper width height ratio and distance between tiers.
Each layer of a dry stack wall is called a course.
This ditch will act as the wall s footing and prevent the rocks from sliding forward due to pressure from the earth behind.
To build a natural dry stone retaining wall prepare the site.
Lay high quality stones and use a geotextile backing to ensure the wall lasts a long time.
Here are the basic steps involved in building a dry stack stone wall.
When putting your wall together mix the stone sizes throughout the wall rather than using only large stones at the bottom and small toward the top.
The ideal height for a dry stacked retaining wall is 18 to 22 inches so you can sit on it when your gardening chores are done.
For this 18 inch high wall the footing should be at least 18 inches wide.
Try to cut the ditch into native soil rather than loose added soil as the former provides a more stable foundation for the wall.
Draw the wall to scale and measure the length and height.
For dry stack walls the base should be as wide as the wall is tall.
Excavate to a depth of 6 inches along the entire base of the stone retaining wall using the string marker as a guide.