Comments on: Dry Stack Walls: A Pioneer Legacy, Part Four http://www.wickenburg-az.com/2009/06/dry-stack-walls-a-pioneer-legacy-part-four/ Your independent source of information about Wickenburg, AZ. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:15:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Allan http://www.wickenburg-az.com/2009/06/dry-stack-walls-a-pioneer-legacy-part-four/#comment-4265 Allan Tue, 05 Jul 2011 14:58:05 +0000 http://www.wickenburg-az.com/?p=986#comment-4265 Brad, Dry stack walls are, by definition, built without mortar and every example in these articles was constructed without a cement foundation. From what I could observe, the walls were generally not built below grade, except in cases where there was an intent to level a slope. Most of the heavy walls (not cabins) followed the contour of the terrain. Two observations that may be useful: 1) Heavy load walls (such as mine dumps, mill sites and roads) were usually of uniform thickness. That is, the top of the wall was about the same thickness as the base. 2) The rocks used in these walls were rough and angular in shape. This type of rock provided better interlocking resistance that smoother river rock could not. There are a number of web sites that provide tutorials on dry stack construction that should be helpful. Use the search term "dry stack wall construction" on Google or with other search engines. Thanks for reading the article. Allan Brad,
Dry stack walls are, by definition, built without mortar and every example in these articles was constructed without a cement foundation. From what I could observe, the walls were generally not built below grade, except in cases where there was an intent to level a slope. Most of the heavy walls (not cabins) followed the contour of the terrain.

Two observations that may be useful:

1) Heavy load walls (such as mine dumps, mill sites and roads) were usually of uniform thickness. That is, the top of the wall was about the same thickness as the base.

2) The rocks used in these walls were rough and angular in shape. This type of rock provided better interlocking resistance that smoother river rock could not.

There are a number of web sites that provide tutorials on dry stack construction that should be helpful. Use the search term “dry stack wall construction” on Google or with other search engines.

Thanks for reading the article.
Allan

]]> By: Brad Johnson http://www.wickenburg-az.com/2009/06/dry-stack-walls-a-pioneer-legacy-part-four/#comment-4264 Brad Johnson Mon, 04 Jul 2011 19:46:24 +0000 http://www.wickenburg-az.com/?p=986#comment-4264 What should be used as a foundation, and what depth, for a short dry-stack retaining wall? What should be used as a foundation, and what depth, for a short dry-stack retaining wall?

]]>