How to Build an Uneven Stone Wall

In this video you will learn how to make an Uneven Stone Wall.

The tools that you will need are:

mortar pan

trowel

jointer

brush

plumb bob

string

mason’s hammer

and concrete block profile

The materials that you will use are:

Uneven Stones

and Mortar

Don’t forget to use Personal Protective Equipment, including:

Safety Gloves

Reflective Jacket

Safety Helmet

Safety Shoes

and Dust Mask

To build an uneven stone wall, first setup the profiles to guide the first course.

Here we have used concrete blocks as profiles. Smear cement slurry between the profiles so the ground doesn’t absorb the water from the mortar bed.

Ensure that you follow all the instructions specified in the mix design and method statement

Cement slurry is a fluid mixture made by mixing one part of cement to over two parts of water.

Lay a small section of the mortar bed wide enough to accommodate the thickness of the largest stone that you will employ.

Apply a mortar bed of about 12 millimeters thickness so that the final thickness after placing the stone will be 8-10 millimeters.

Place a stone with its most uniform side facing the front surface of the wall.

Adjust the mortar to ensure the stone is flat against the surface.

Lay the next section of the mortar bed. Place and adjust the next stone just next to the first one leaving an average gap of about 10 millimeters.

Continue the process till the end of the course.

If a certain stone is slanting away from the front surface, use a small piece of rock to support it in a straight position.

When using uneven stones, each unit that you lay may be different in shape and size from the last one.

A tall stone in the first course can be compensated by placing a shorter one on top of it in the second course.

The important thing to keep in mind at this stage is to ensure that each stone is flattened against the front wall.

Continue the process till the end of the course.

At this point, you will be left with a line of large rocks positioned such that they are making maximum contact against the front surface of the wall.

Using the trowel, fill up all the gaps below and between the rocks.

Insert the blade of the trowel between the rocks making sure that the mortar fills all gaps between the rocks

Fill up perpends along the surface of the wall with mortar and spread it smoothly with the blade of the trowel.

Always collect the excess mortar from the mortar bed when you finish a course.

Lay a section of the mortar bed for the second course on one end of the wall.

Place the first stone and adjust it against the front surface.

Ensure that it is balanced well on the first course, with a flat side against the front surface.

Do the same on the other end of the wall. If the first course is too uneven, use small rocks and additional mortar to support the stone.

Check the position of both stones using the Plumb bob.

Transfer the profile to the second course to guide the remaining stones.

Make sure that the guiding string is taut along the surface of the wall

Make sure that the guiding string is taut along the surface of the wall

Fill up the wall with a series of stones positioned along the string.

Check the stones and re-adjust them if necessary.

In case the dimensions of a particular stone does not fit a space, you may use a chisel and hammer to cut it into shape.

Remove the string and fill up all the gaps below and between the rocks.

Fill up perpends along the surface of the wall with mortar and spread it smoothly with the blade of the trowel.

Ensure that the front surface is completely level.

Repeat these steps till you’ve reached the desired height.

When the last course has been laid and filled with mortar, make sure that the top of the wall is uniformly levelled.

Fill up perpends along the surface of the wall with mortar and spread it smoothly with the blade of the trowel.

You may now use a Brick Jointer to outline the mortar joints so as to add definition to the wall.

Clean up the your workspace once you have completed your work.

You have now learned to build an uneven stone wall.