When building a rock wall, the following tools will be needed:
- Good pair of gloves
- Sturdy wheel barrow (I have used the same wheel barrow for over 30 years. (had to replace several tires)
- Heavy duty Pick Ax (fiberglass handles are the best… I have broken many a wooden handle.
- Good shovel and rake
- Five -gallon bucket or metal pail for carrying small rocks/gravel
- Carhart pants with a double layer for the knees and a good comfortable pair of boots sturdy enough to protect your feet when you invariably drop a large rock on them!
Sayings that will help you along the way:
- Never take a rock for granite.
- If you can’t find the rocks on your property for free, try and find them on shale!
- Some rocks just mean more, they have sedimental value!
- Sometimes igneous is bliss.
- Sometimes it’s all ore nothing.
When writing about rock walls always choose the boulder type print.
When building a rock wall try and find local rocks. They will always look the most natural on the landscape.
Try and collect rocks on your property in the late fall and winter. Cooler temperatures, no snakes, and a lot less vegetation. Just walk with a good pick ax and look for all different sizes of rocks. Remember all rocks are not created equal; sandstones will not last long in your wall.
Collect and haul the rocks in stages on the steeper slopes and categorize them into rocks for the base, middle layers, and top rocks that will complete your wall. Collect smaller rocks of all shapes that can be used to fill odd shaped openings in the wall.
You need a sturdy foundation and a somewhat level surface to work with. Just work one layer at a time and fill in behind each layer with a good mix of gravel and small rocks that will keep the dirt from filtering out in heavy rains.
Remember, when you start building a rock wall, it’s not rocket science, but it is always Gneiss when you finish!
Feel free to contact me if you need some help or advice,
David Ellwanger
