Hello everyone, I want to build an 80cm (31.5 inches) high dry stone wall using limestone blocks. The stones are very natural and untreated, so I will first need to shape them a bit with a hammer.
I have already prepared a concrete foundation at the bottom. As a base, I have built a concrete block wall that retains the load from the slope, and it has been structurally engineered. In front of that, I now want to lay the limestone stones. The stones are about 5 x 20 x 5 cm (2 x 8 x 2 inches) in size and vary greatly.
I have the following questions for the natural stone wall experts:
1) Even though I already have a foundation, do I need to set the lowest stones again in concrete, or do I simply lay the stones on the foundation? Or should I fix the first stones with hydraulic lime mortar?
2) Is the supplied hydraulic lime mortar suitable for limestone in terms of staining or discoloration?
3) I want to build a dry stone wall because I prefer joints without mortar. Can I use hydraulic lime mortar to even out unevenness in the stone setting in areas that are not visible? For example, where a stone is not perfectly straight.
4) Should I fix the natural stones to the back concrete block wall with mortar and press them tight?
Is there anything else I should keep in mind?
Thank you very much in advance for your help.
I have already prepared a concrete foundation at the bottom. As a base, I have built a concrete block wall that retains the load from the slope, and it has been structurally engineered. In front of that, I now want to lay the limestone stones. The stones are about 5 x 20 x 5 cm (2 x 8 x 2 inches) in size and vary greatly.
I have the following questions for the natural stone wall experts:
1) Even though I already have a foundation, do I need to set the lowest stones again in concrete, or do I simply lay the stones on the foundation? Or should I fix the first stones with hydraulic lime mortar?
2) Is the supplied hydraulic lime mortar suitable for limestone in terms of staining or discoloration?
3) I want to build a dry stone wall because I prefer joints without mortar. Can I use hydraulic lime mortar to even out unevenness in the stone setting in areas that are not visible? For example, where a stone is not perfectly straight.
4) Should I fix the natural stones to the back concrete block wall with mortar and press them tight?
Is there anything else I should keep in mind?
Thank you very much in advance for your help.
A dry stone wall is built—true to its name—without mortar. This not only adds to the charm of a dry stone wall but also provides space in the joints for wallflowers and insects to inhabit.
If you search Google for "dry stone wall construction guide," you will find very good and helpful results.
A concrete foundation is not necessary. If I understood you correctly, the dry stone wall will be built directly on the slope. In that case, you just need to make sure to maintain a 10–15% incline. This will prevent the wall from tipping forward.
If you search Google for "dry stone wall construction guide," you will find very good and helpful results.
A concrete foundation is not necessary. If I understood you correctly, the dry stone wall will be built directly on the slope. In that case, you just need to make sure to maintain a 10–15% incline. This will prevent the wall from tipping forward.
If I understand correctly, he doesn’t want to build a dry stone wall but rather a concrete block wall covered with a natural stone facade. In my opinion, this makes building a genuine dry stone wall without mortar impossible, because a dry stone wall usually gains stability from some long stones that extend into the slope or backfill. Simply stacking a few stones dry in front of the wall will definitely not work here, unless the wall itself is made significantly stronger and wider.
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