My wall and patio project (with pics)

[jqgs214]

Just the latest of my pet projects. All laid by me by hand dry stacked, largest patio paver estimated at about 500-600 pounds.

 

[jqgs214]

some more pictires

 

[gpcollen1]

Looks like you had some good stones to work with. I've been doing walls at my place on and off for a few years. I'll have to dig up some pics. I still have my patio to do. I have about 8 tons of stone sitting next to the house just waiting to become a patio...

Nice job on yours. What did you set the flagstone on/in. I have a few inches of stone dust down already. Ill add what is necessary if any when I set the stones. Mine vary from 1.5 to 3 inches thick so Ill have to go piece by piece for sure. My buddy told me to wet the pile of stone dust prior to shoveling it and setting the stones to get a better finished product.

 

[jqgs214]

Set on about 10 feet of sand- it is what was there, used mulch for grout and plan on replacing that with different varietals of thyme or other steppables.

 

[gpcollen1]

Set on about 10 feet of sand- it is what was there, used mulch for grout and plan on replacing that with different varietals of thyme or other steppables.

I like the thyme idea. I did some on some of my stone steps - only half of it took but it does smell great when you step on some. Fortunate that you have that base of sand. My patio is getting tucked behind a corner of my house and behind that is ledge that rises at a 45 deg angle up the hill/mtn. I excavated what soil i could till I hit some boulders that they used for fill behind the house. Left it at that depth and added the stone dust to start the base.

 

[Bobbin]

Wow, timely pictorial for me as I'm facing the construction of a couple of drystack walls to define gardens this season, as well. I have an excellent book on it, "The Art and Craft of Stonescaping" by David Reed (c. 2000, Lark Books) and have to visit the stoneyard to select a couple of pallets of stones I'll be able to move myself ("girl power"). Your project looks great. Did you lay down perforated drainage pipe under the gravel base of your retaining walls?

Damp stonedust does shovel easier and makes less dust! The more time you fuss with getting a level base the better your project will turn out.

 

[jqgs214]

Walls are placed directly on sand that goes down many feet, the experts I talked to said the gravel base is mostly to add drainage. I have no drainage problems at all, only thing I would change is adding weed cloth behind the wal to stop some sand from filtering through but with time these gaps will fill in and it should not be an issue. Wall has seen 2 winters now and has not budged, patio just wen through its first winter and is holding up well also.

 

[jqgs214]

Good rule of thumb ilearned is 1 pallet of stacking stone makes 20-25 feet of wall 1 foot high, I have 5.5 pallets of stacked stone there and 3 pallets of patio stone, I have one pallet remaining for a small upper patio with 2 adirondaks chairs.