Need Advice on Building a Rock Wall Garden

[Cord]

We've built a couple of rock walls at our with pretty good results. I will say that I've learned a few lessons in the process as well. There is definitely a difference between a bunch of rocks piled up and a wall. You need the front face to align with the stone next to it and form the plane of the wall. The rocks also need to be turned so they fit tightly together. Finally, use smaller rocks to establish the top of wall so it follows the grade. Here is a wall the mrs and I built. This one was a bit tricky because I had to build it from above so I couldn't see where the rock was landing.

 

[oldballs]

I built a dry wall out of native stone using a BX2660 without a backhoe. Some of the stones were bigger than the FEL bucket. It is tapered with some loose rip rap down low behind it.

 

[Budweiser John]

My Quick Attach "quick claw mini grapple" mounted on my NH TC45 tractor worked like a champ grabbing and stacking wash tub sized rocks for several rock wall projects.
Don't forget to use a heavy duty landscape fabric behind the rocks to keep dirt from washing out from behind the wall.

 

[Eric67ct]

We've built a couple of rock walls at our with pretty good results. I will say that I've learned a few lessons in the process as well. There is definitely a difference between a bunch of rocks piled up and a wall. You need the front face to align with the stone next to it and form the plane of the wall. The rocks also need to be turned so they fit tightly together. Finally, use smaller rocks to establish the top of wall so it follows the grade. Here is a wall the mrs and I built. This one was a bit tricky because I had to build it from above so I couldn't see where the rock was landing.

Definitely much like what we're planning to do on ours. I need to stack them staggered above the bottom row since I have to go up at least 3-4'. I will need a thumb though on the BH since the rocks are way too heavy to lift on top of each other. I'm still digging though (only have a day if it's not raining here in CT a weekend), so it's a slow going project.

 

[Eric67ct]

My Quick Attach "quick claw mini grapple" mounted on my NH TC45 tractor worked like a champ grabbing and stacking wash tub sized rocks for several rock wall projects.
Don't forget to use a heavy duty landscape fabric behind the rocks to keep dirt from washing out from behind the wall.

Do you have a picture of it? I am looking to get a weld-on thumb to lift the larger rocks and dry stack them staggered. We're definitely looking at getting heavy duty landscape fabric for the wall too.

 

[Snobdds]

A mechanical thumb would work. It's just slower than a hydraulic, but the same principle applies.

I always like to do a row and back fill up to the top of that row. Then start the next layer of rocks about 6 inches (dependent on size) back of the first row. Each row locks in the other row once back filled.

Nothing worse than a retaining wall of rocks that crater after the first heavy rain. Always build a retaining wall at an angle back into the hillside.

 

[Eric67ct]

A mechanical thumb would work. It's just slower than a hydraulic, but the same principle applies.

I always like to do a row and back fill up to the top of that row. Then start the next layer of rocks about 6 inches (dependent on size) back of the first row. Each row locks in the other row once back filled.

Nothing worse than a retaining wall of rocks that crater after the first heavy rain. Always build a retaining wall at an angle back into the hillside.

Good point! I am planning to pitch the wall forward into the hillside, then build the racks inward. Slow process, but I think it'll work.

 

[ultrarunner]

I built one of native stone and so far so good... used the BX loader to stage and then rolled them into place after selecting just the right spot for each stone.

I'm sure it will be there long after I'm gone.

The plan was to lever off a little area for a horse coral should my brother come to visit...

Where steel toes... don't ask me how I know!

 

[Eric67ct]

I built one of native stone and so far so good... used the BX loader to stage and then rolled them into place after selecting just the right spot for each stone.

I'm sure it will be there long after I'm gone.

The plan was to lever off a little area for a horse coral should my brother come to visit...

Where steel toes... don't ask me how I know!

I have good steel toed boots. I still have to figure out how to size up a thumb for the John Deere 1050. I saw some generic thumbs for sale on eBay, but not sure if they are a rip off or not. My tractor didn't have a thumb as an option unfortunately. It's a 1983 model, so a weld on will have to do.

 

[Trials]

Be very careful, backhoes are the gateway drug to buying a 19 ton excavator

with a thumb :thumbsup: