Mortared Stone Wall

The very first thing you will want to do is establish the wall's footing or foundation. The width and depth of your footing will depend on the ultimate height and width of your wall. But a good rule to go by is to dig your footing the same width and depth as one of your stones. You should outline your footing where you want your wall to be before you begin digging with the point of your spade. Then dig your footing. After your footing is dug lay your foundation stones in the trench to verify that your footing is the right width. Once you have verified that your stones will fit take them back out and place them along the edge of your footing.

Laying the Foundation

First mix your motar. The easiest to mix is a Ready-Mix; this type of mix already contains all you need to make your mortar. All you have to do is dump the bag out into your wheelbarrow and add water. Add your water a little at a time stirring each time you add some until you get the right consistency - not to thick and not to thin - it should look like a big bowl of grey mush or oatmeal. After your mortar is mixed put a little in your footing place a stone then repeat until your foundation is laid making sure that it is level as you go.

Building the Wall

The rest of the wall is pretty straight forward you place some mortar then you lay a stone and repeat building your wall up by layers. The important thing here is to make sure your levels are level. A good way to do this is to use some sticks and string. Find some sticks that are as long as you envision your wall to be high and some sting that is just a little longer than you plan on your wall being. Tap the sticks into the ground at each end of your footing and tie your string between the sticks. Use a level in the center of the string and tighten your string accordingly until it is level. You can now use the string as a reference point as you build your wall.

Finishing Up

Once you are finished building up your wall you will want to touch up the parts of the wall that will be visible - specifically you will want to clean the visible seams. You can do this with your finger, wire brush, broom, rag or a variety of other tools but ultimately you want to create a clean, smooth seam by removing the excess mortar from the seam with your chosen tool.