The Stone Age

I’m trying to build a stone all for retaining purposes along a garden I had created last year. The idea was mine. I thought a wall that followed the arc of the garden, tapering back into the hill would be a nice visual feature in the yard. At it’s highest, the wall might approach 2 feet or so- certainly nothing set in stone…

I had assumed that it would be like fitting a puzzle together. I’m pretty good with spacial relations so I thought I’d wouldn’t have to bad a go at it. The reality is that it’s a much different discipline, approaching art actually.

Putting all those pieces together, some weighing 150 pounds, and distributing them throughout the wall in that ordered-randomness that’s so appealing about a nice stone wall is exteremely difficult. I worked at it yesterday for about 7 hours and then another 3 today. I’ve got something to show for it, but I’m trying to figure out how exactly I’m going to be able to cap the wall off so that the top is a uniform surface.

I went and got some masonry tools today, but they aren’t much use on this sort of stone. The only tool I’ve got that’s been usable is a 4 pound hand sledge. The masonry tools aren’t hard enough to be effective on stone it turns out. The chisel I got already has it’s edge all marred up. So to with the claw side of the hammer I got.

Definitely a learning experience.