Rock Wall

Hello All!! I am new to this site and I am planning some major landscaping projects this year. I have tons of questions and this looked like a very good site to get some answers.

I would like to build a rock wall - we live in MO so we have lots and lots of rocks. This wall will not be supporting anything - just for looks and to kind of break up the yard a bit. I would also like to have some plants that will hang over it and maybe in the cracks ect....

My question is..... Do I have to put concrete to make it stand up? If so.... how do I get the plants planted in it? I would rather not use concrete as i am not good at mixing it - have tried and it never did work.

Thanks for all of your help
Cathyb

I asked this question on another thread re: rock wall for a raised garden area, only about 2 ft high. "Mortar" was the suggestion as opposed to concrete. Not the kind for brick laying. I will try to find more out.

Try this:http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_design_rock/article/0,1785,HGTV_3571_4610789,00.html

Unfortunately mortar that you would use to hold a rock wall together is also something that's going to have to be mixed up pretty similar to how you would mix up concrete so you may not like it either (although maybe there's something premixed that you can buy--I don't know). Depending on the shape of the rocks, you can build a stacked stone wall that just relies on the stones fitting together and doesn't require anything to hold them together, but I think it takes some skill to build these in a way that they won't fall down. I've seen walls like this all over the countryside in Mexico, it's really quite impressive the walls that they have built just by stacking rocks.

If you have schistose rocks You may tray to lay them on a wall without an experience, but if you will use granit rocks, mainly round ones, then concrete must be used. But it is so simpe - for granit rocks you need mix up cement with gravel 1:4. For "softer" rocks it may be 1:6 to even 1:8.

There is also another solution - you can use wire netting. Make a tunnel (wire both sides) and fill the gap with rocks adding some soil - plants will love it. But I do not like how wire netting looks, so I prefer concrete.

In the picture you can see stone steps - I built them by myself last summer, using granit rocks and concrete (cement 1:4).

If you have schistose rocks You may tray to lay them on a wall without an experience, but if you will use granit rocks, mainly round ones, then concrete must be used. But it is so simpe - for granit rocks you need mix up cement with gravel 1:4. For "softer" rocks it may be 1:6 to even 1:8.

There is also another solution - you can use wire netting. Make a tunnel (wire both sides) and fill the gap with rocks adding some soil - plants will love it. But I do not like how wire netting looks, so I prefer concrete.

In the picture you can see stone steps - I built them by myself last summer, using granit rocks and concrete (cement 1:4).

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m138/BBCedrik/aPICT3720.jpg

Oh i like how that pic looks. How did you do that? Just put a blop of concrete then stick the rocks in it? I Like it alot!!!

CathyB

Basicaly you are right, but in practice it is more like to put puzzle together as each rock is different shape and it depeds what you want to archieve - smooth or rough looking wall.

The main tricks are to bash in little rocks between big stones so they are stable and do not move until concrete is hard.

Use concrete 1:4, keep it well mixed and as dry as possible (dryer is better even if you think that wet one is easier to work) and when finished, cover with wet clothes for a week - do not let concrete dry out fast, then it will be not strong enough - slower drying is better. (the right condition is when you can put a shovel on top of shovel of concrete, and bottom is moving ust a bit, like good pastry, it is too dray if the crachs appear when next shovel is put on top, and too wet if ottom concrete goes everywhere and you are not able to put three showels on top of each other) Sorry for description, but English is not my native language, it is only my third foreign language so it may sound weird! :D

If you want really stright wall, use a rope or even put an old board one side, it wil make things easier to keep the wall in stright line.

Put larger rocks on bottom, then smaller on top and keep a slight angle. For terraces the wall must be 10-15 pct degees tovards the height, but if it is just a wall then both sides 5 degrees will do. It means bottom will be a bit wider, top more narrow and rocs are laid in also in a bit of angle.


Here are more pictures of the steps that I made - they needed to ook old to fit our old farmhouse that we are renovating, and they do look old now - like they have been there forever.

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m138/BBCedrik/aPICT3777.jpg

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m138/BBCedrik/aPICT3799.jpg

Here is a picture of thetemporary loose wall for my rock garden

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m138/BBCedrik/aPICT3708.jpg

I used the old concrete floor bits that we took out - as you can see, they are plain and it was very easy just to put them on top of each other for a temporary wall. If you have slabs available like that , then do not use concrete - the wall will sit good enough without it.

wow! I really like them and the dog too. You did a great job - wanna come here and do mine? LOL! Where are you from? I am not familiar with that name you have up there.

Great Info.... I may get brave and give it a whirl!!!

Thanks!

I live in Latvia, it is in Europe, one of the Baltic states, South from Sweden. So I presume you will have no chance rather than try it yourself! :D (I wish I would live closer, indeed).

If the frosts are over it is the right time to start now! Goood Luck and I will like to see results!

Okay - If I manage to get this done I will show pics of it!!!