Field stone retainer walls are a popular choice for landscaping and outdoor construction projects. We are a stone retainer wall contractor which basically means we are laying stone with mortar joints. Stone retaining walls are durable, long-lasting, and provide a natural, rustic look that blends seamlessly with the surrounding environment. In this article, we will explore the process of constructing a field stone retainer wall and provide tips for ensuring a successful and stable end result.

Field Stone Retaining Wall Construction Steps

The first step in constructing a field stone retainer wall is to plan and prepare the site. This includes determining the location and dimensions of the wall, removing any existing vegetation, and leveling the ground. The base of the wall should be dug out to a depth of at least six inches and filled with gravel or crushed stone for drainage. A layer of landscape fabric can be placed over the gravel to prevent soil erosion.

Next, it is time to begin laying the stones. Field stones come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so it is important to choose stones that are well-suited to the task at hand. Larger, flatter stones should be used for the base of the wall, while smaller, rounder stones can be used for the upper layers. Stones should be placed tightly together, with any gaps filled in with smaller stones or mortar.

One of the challenges of constructing a field stone retainer wall is ensuring that it is stable and able to withstand the weight of the soil behind it. This can be achieved through the use of a “deadman” – a long, flat stone buried behind the wall and anchored to a stake in the ground. This helps to distribute the weight of the soil and prevent the wall from tipping over.

Another important consideration is drainage. A well-designed field stone retainer wall should allow water to flow through it, rather than accumulating behind the wall and putting pressure on it. This can be achieved through the use of weep holes – small gaps between the stones that allow water to escape. It is also important to ensure that the slope of the soil behind the wall is appropriate to prevent excess water buildup.

Overall, the construction of a field stone retainer wall requires careful planning, attention to detail, and a willingness to get your hands dirty. However, the end result can be a beautiful and functional addition to any landscape. Whether you are building a retaining wall to prevent erosion, create a raised garden bed, or simply add some visual interest to your yard, a field stone retainer wall is a versatile and timeless option that will last for years to come.

Fixing fieldstone foundation issues on old Michigan basements is about 90% of our work for about 4 months out of the year. We have a lot of fieldstone basements and crawlspaces in Michigan and they need some maintenance from time to time. I wanted to share some of the most common things we run into when inspecting stone foundations for repair. Below is a photograph of a fieldstone foundation wall that has some obvious issues:

You can see most of the mortar joints have crumbled away and some are missing altogether, this is actually pretty common. This wall looks like it is leaning pretty badly in the photo, but it actually wasn’t. If it were, addressing that type fieldstone foundation issue would be for another post all together.

Tuckpointing Is The Most Common Fieldstone Foundation Issue in Basements.

I would say 75% of the fieldstone foundation issues we see are mostly tuckpointing. In other words 7-8 out of ten fieldstone foundations we inspect are mostly just in need of tuckpointing. There are almost always an area or two that need some minor repair. Areas around windows or duct work pass throughs were a stone or two has come loose or fallen from the wall. The other 25% of he projects (1-2 out of ten) require more extensive work.

How we Fix Fieldstone Foundation Issues

Usually, like I mentioned above, the mortar joints between the rocks or stones will need to be given some attention. That attention in this case is tuckpointing. Here is a framework we use for evaluating fieldstone foundation issues:

• Is the wall safe to be and work around?
• Are the walls generally where they should be? Are they leaning, bowing, or shifted?
• Have the joints crumbled away and mostly missing?
• Are the mortar joints intact but loose and crumbling, are they failing?
• Is this fieldstone foundation a good candidate for tuckpointing?

Usually the outcome after going thru this checklist I use to evaluate fieldstone foundation issues is that the walls are good candidates for tuckpointing. I go over how we tuckpoint stone basement walls in another article and won’t go into that here. There is almost always some tuckpointing involved in dealing with fieldstone foundation issues, especially in basements.

Wall Collapses are a common Fieldstone Foundation Issue

Often there are other concerns as well. Many times customers have us update the windows in their old Michigan basements. We do a lot of crawlspace repair and it seems like most often the collapses occur in the fieldstone crawlspaces. It’s pretty common for the fieldstone crawl space foundations to almost be dry stacked on the inside portion of the wall. There is mortar there but it was very thin to begin with and was often un-tooled and unsealed. For this reason they don’t hold up as well as the fieldstone basement walls. Fieldstone wall collapses are less of an issue that they appear to be. They are usually localized and aren’t really that difficult to repair. I think I will follow up with another article on fixing fieldstone wall collapses. I have some pretty cool photos I need to find.