How to build a Dry Stone Wall

 Yesterday I completed the wall in front of the old school house at Parmelee Farm.

A wall that was started last November with the help of  Jim Hannon, (center) Martin Defilippo (second from left) and Mike Feeny (left). All past participants of at least one of my walling workshops.

As you can see, it will stand the test of time.

Our next  Stonewell Farm walling workshop is the weekend of April 27th and 28th 2019

Before we get to working with the stone, safety is discussed. Footwear, eye protection, correct lifting techniques, etc.

Followed by an explanation of the various tools available and how to use them correctly and safely.

Once we get to the hands on stage, within minutes, complete strangers are discussing the merits of various stones and cooperating like old friends. 

Saturday evening, as with every workshop, is spent discussing the days progress and relaxing with beer, wine and pizza.

Made in our outdoor wood fired oven

One would think that flat square stone would be easy to wall with, but while it is angular, it is not regular like bricks,

and even the slightest deviation in height, makes it difficult for C to contact both A and B.

Whereas with the rounded corners of fieldstone, C makes good contact with A and B, even though A is slightly higher than B and E makes good contact with both C and D, even though D is substantially higher.

In my opinion, the learning curve with angular stone is steeper than with fieldstone, but once learnt, will allow you to wall with most types of stone.

Fall Walling Workshop

This year our Fall weekend walling workshop is on the 29th & 30th of Sept.

Before we get to working with the stone, safety is discussed. Footwear, eye protection, correct lifting techniques, etc.

Followed by an explanation of the various tools available and how to use them correctly and safely.

Once we get to the hands on stage, within minutes, complete strangers are discussing the merits of various stones and cooperating like old friends. 

Saturday evening, as with every workshop, is spent discussing the days progress and relaxing with beer, wine and pizza.

Made in our outdoor wood fired oven

One would think that flat square stone would be easy to wall with, but while it is angular, it is not regular like bricks,

and even the slightest deviation in height, makes it difficult for C to contact both A and B.

Whereas with the rounded corners of fieldstone, C makes good contact with A and B, even though A is slightly higher than B and E makes good contact with both C and D, even though D is substantially higher.

In my opinion, the learning curve with angular stone is steeper than with fieldstone, but once learnt, will allow you to wall with most types of stone.

When is a wall not a wall?

I am often asked "How do you know when a wall is well built" The four walls photographed below, have all been called nice walls. Nice is defined as "Giving pleasure or satisfaction, pleasant or attractive." A definition that fits all four, but only two are well built.

There are a few basic principles to building a sound, structurally integral dry stone wall, which can be seen here

 https://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2011/07/07/garden/20110707-STONEWALL/s/20110707-STONEWALL-slide-VJYH.html

and here.

When we review the first four photos. All the joints are crossed in this wall. No small pinning stones placed in the face, or outside of the wall

Whereas, with this wall. The blue lines indicate where the joints are not crossed (running joints) Numerous small stones pushed into the face, which compromises the integrity of the wall.

Here the length of the two stones circled in blue are along the face of the wall and not into the center of the wall. The heart of the wall is filled with gravel which has little to no structural integrity. The red circle indicates the area of the next photo.

This large stone has been placed on its edge, the inside face is convex, so any weight against that face will push the stone out

The same wall but a different place, the large white stone also placed on its edge has fallen over resulting in this collapse. Notice all the gravel pouring from the middle.

 Once again with this wall (below) every joint is crossed, no silly little stones in the face. This wall is also aesthetically pleasing, large foundation stones grading to smaller stones at the top.

 Believe me, the sadness of viewing your collapsing poorly built wall, will long outlast the perceived euphoria of its inexpensive build.

 To recap. the first two photos show walls that have been built with pride for the craft of Dry Stone Walling

 

 

These two are built with nothing more than the thought of profit for the contractor.

Remember, it is not just the Wild West that is full of cowboys.

Walling Workshop

 Just a reminder that our Spring walling workshop weekend is coming up at the end of the month

Participants will learn safety first, including clothing, footwear, eye protection. Safe use of tools, lifting and working in a safe environment.

 Preparing the base on which the wall will be built and laying the foundations

The use of "A" frames and lines and how to build a curved wall

and all aspects of wall building through to the finished wall.

On the Saturday evening we light the on site wood fired oven

and cook pizza

for all the participants and significant others

which we serve on the patio, along with beer and wine

as you can see, there is one chair only, so don't be late.

We usually finishing the evening sitting around the fire pit, discussing stonework in a more relaxed atmosphere.