by John Carter

Created on: November 08, 2008   Last Updated: September 20, 2011

If you are building a retaining wall it is commonly used to hold back the earth. Its purpose is to keep the earth from sliding into a place where it isn't supposed to go. Building a dry-stone wall means that it is built without the use of mortar; the rocks are just laid-up one on top of the other.

A footing about a foot deep is prepared as a base for this wall. The ditch that you have dug for this footing is filled with fairly large stones filling up the ditch. The ditch is then filled in or around the rocks.

Now you are ready to construct the wall, the front of it is going to be built with a slight back angle. This is so that the wall will exert pressure on the soil behind it. You use different sized stone in the construction of the wall. The largest stones go at the bottom, smaller sized stones are used as the wall grows higher. This makes a lot of sense as the larger stones weigh more, and are more difficult to lift. The wall is built so that it is more than one layer thick and several layers high. As you build the wall the smallest stones are used to prop up the larger stones. This makes for a date nice tight wall this attractive to look at.

Once you have constructed the wall where you want it, then it is time to backfill behind the wall with soil. It is not necessary to be as careful with building the back of the wall as it is the front. This is because the back of the wall is covered with soil.

A retaining wall may not have much height, but thickness is a function of height. This means that the higher the wall is; the thicker and is. This is especially true of the base of the wall, the wall may be tapered as you approach the top.

The reason why he many retaining walls are built using the drywall construction method is because they are inexpensive to build often using local materials that are gathered right off the property. Another reason is that if you are in an area that is prone to frost heaves the wall will in effect breathe with the frost heaves. This will also keep your wall from being thrown down as a result of frost heaves.

Another use for a drywall retaining wall is when you fill in some of the larger spaces in the wall and use it as a rock garden. You will have to plant your rock garden with plants that are small and creeping. Your local garden supply shop can tell you which plants to use, and usually carry them.

Learn more about this author, John Carter.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.