Champlain Stone Ltd. Quarriers of Natural and Landscaping Stone

Do It Yourself

BUILDING A STONE WALL

The method described here is a basic, standard landscaping procedure. Champlain Stone, Ltd. cannot be held liable or considered responsible for any damage or injury resulting from the construction of a stone wall utilizing our products or information included below.

Click here for Building a Stone Patio/Walkway

Tools Needed:
Everything needed is available at your neighborhood home improvement store
  • heavy hammer
  • filter fabric
  • measuring tape
  • metal hoe
  • carpenter's level
  • crushed stone
  • gardening shovel
  • bow or garden rake
    (sturdier than a leaf rake)
  • mulch (optional)
  • gloves (optional)

    

HOW MUCH STONE SHOULD I PURCHASE?
Determine the quantity of natural landscaping stone needed by estimating the desired length & height (in Feet) of your wall. Multiply the Length x Height x Width (or Depth) to determine cubic feet. This stone weighs approximately 153 pounds per cubic foot. Multiply total cubic feet x 153 lbs to get a total weight (in pounds).
**It is always a good idea to round high and have extra stone available. Having extra allows for a greater variety of stone, making it easier for you to fit pieces together. **

Step 1:

To assist in your stacking, sort your stone by size, setting aside the smallest pieces to use as shims (these will help level unsteady larger stones).

TIP
Prepare for this activity by stretching well and always lift using your arms and legs, not your back.
TIP
Shims (shown far right), or smaller stones, help level unsteady larger pieces.

Step 2:

Map out the design by digging a trench about 6" deep and as wide as your largest stone.

Step 3:

Pack down and level earth. Cut filter fabric at least 3 feet wider than the trench. Lay down filter fabric inside trench so that excess is on the back side of trench.

TIP
Filter fabric keeps dirt from migrating while allowing water to drain through your wall.

Step 4:

Place a thin layer of crushed stone (1"-2") in the trench to help level stones and assist drainage

Step 5:

Start with the largest stones first. Lay them flat from one end of the trench to the other. Continue to stack stones, working back and forth, one level at a time.

Step 6:

As you stack your wall, make sure that it slopes back slightly to ensure stability. Position stone tightly together, mixing small and large pieces. See cross-section diagram A (below).

TIP
Stagger joints between stones to create more stability.

Step 7:

As you build up, fill in the area behind the wall with crushed stone, then fill dirt, compacting as you go. Keep your filter fabric between the fill and stone wall.

As illustrated in diagram A (right).

Step 8:

When wall is stacked to desired height, fold the filter fabric back over the fill dirt area and finish with your choice of top soil, mulch, gravel, etc.

TIP
Run water to settle dirt behind the wall and into its crevices.
The stone featured in the above pictures is South Bay Quartzite® Cottage Wall Stone. We have wall stone available in our American Granite™, Corinthian Granite®, Great Meadow Limestone® and Van Tassell Granite™. Please be sure to visit these product pages to see the many different examples of stone application.