Building an Outside Stone Wall

• 1). Dig a footing 2 feet wide and deep enough that it goes below the frost line. (Your frost line is dependent on where you live. The place you bought your supplies should employ someone who knows this information.)
  
  
• 2). Pour in concrete to fill in the bottom quarter of the footing. Then quickly lay in 2 lines of 1/2-inch rebar to float on the concrete, then pour in more concrete, filling the footing to the halfway point.
  You want to lay the rebar so it will support the wall. Therefore, lay in the bars so they are 6 inches from the sides, making them 12 inches apart from each other.
  Let the footing set for 5 or 6 days while covered with sheet plastic or wet burlap bags.
  
  
• 3). Wet the cured footing. Using your trowel, spread on some mortar, about an inch or so deep. Note: You should be working below ground (as you want the wall set in the ground) and not just standing atop it.
  
  
• 4). Lay in the first/bottom row of stones. Use your eye to gauge which stones will best fit together, remembering that another row of stones must fit on top of the previous. Seat the stone firmly, gently rock and press it into place. Using your trowel, trim off excess mortar and reuse it around the edge of the rock so you will have approximately 1 inch of mortar worked into the space between rocks.
  
  
• 5). (If necessary) Use a small hammer stone to carefully break off any peaks or protrusions. Wear safety glasses. Also remember that the place where you have chipped off a piece of stone might not look the same color-wise as the rest of the stone. The inside may be lighter, lacking the natural aging effects that have darkened the outside of the stone. This technique usually is most helpful at peaks that occur on top that would make the next row more difficult to lay.
  
  
• 6). Build a layer or two. At the end of your work day, cover the wall with plastic sheeting or wet burlap bags.
  Uncover 4 to 12 hours later and brush the joints (where the rocks meet) clean, then recover.
  Wait at least two days for the completed layer(s) of your wall to partially harden before adding the next layer(s).
  
  
• 7). Plant stakes at the ends of the wall, on both sides, and stretch the string between the stakes once your wall is peeking above ground. Do not let the strings touch the wall, but rather run alongside close enough to provide you with a line so your wall is built straight on the horizontal. Use a level or plumb bob to make sure you are building the wall straight vertically.
  
  
• 8). Continue laying stones, following the previous steps. When you reach the last row (the top of your wall), select capstones with a somewhat flat side to them. Evening out the top of your wall with mortar should be kept to a minimum. If you can manage a fairly flat-topped wall, it will be more aesthetically pleasing.
  
  
• 9). Using a wire brush, brush out any excess and crumbly mortar. Brush at the joint areas deeper around jutting stones to even out the mortar.
  
  
• 10
  
  Fill in the rest of the footer with dirt. Pack it down firmly.