The StackStone® Collection features a 2-sided finish and the self-aligned, tapered stone design provides a structural interlock making straight walls, curves and corners easy to design and build. Maximum allowable height is 2.0 ft.
Stack stone is a stone veneer product measuring 1" to 2.5" thick and therefore thinner than traditional stone siding for easier, lighter handling. All our manufactured stone veneer products are suitable for interior applications such as stone accent walls or stone fireplaces as well as exterior applications such as stone veneer siding.
Sep 21, 2018 · Stacked stone is one of the various ways to incorporate the beauty of natural stone into your home. This natural-stone application has a timeless look that evokes a time when masonry creations strictly involved the careful laying of bricks, blocks, or fieldstone. Stacked stone used to be a structural aspect of residential construction.
Stacked Stone. The classic elegance and intricate detail of small stones combined with the simplicity of a panel system give this stone the appearance of a precision hand-laid dry-stack set. This stone type makes installation easy for expansive walls and column fascias alike. Corners available. For more information on product sizing see our ...
The stacked stone walls originally created by the Romans and still undulating over lush Welsh and Irish hillsides are significant features of this pristine land, marking borders and creating enclosures for the multitude of animals that pasture nearby. Built from native stone and created by hand, magnificent feats of architecture like the Roman walls have endured in countries throughout the world for hundreds, sometimes thousands, of years. Building stacked stone walls higher than the traditional 3 feet to use as a retaining wall requires ingenuity and responsible engineering.
It’s a matter of physics and good engineering that as you increase the height of the wall, the leverage between each stack, known as a course, increases. You are building strength, which enables you to build a taller wall.
The retaining wall is built against a backing of earth, preventing that earth from infringing on what is in front of the wall. The background dirt and conditions above the wall determine its safe height. Local building codes also have input.
The Ice Age had a lot to do with the number and distribution of the stones on the land. As the ice retreated, the earth exposed millions of stones, and the process continues to this day. When the winter frost and ice are met with the warmth of spring, newly revealed stones dot the landscape. This is known as “frost heave,” the reaction of Earth’s shifting under its layers and spilling upward. No, stone devils didn’t put them there. They were a gift from the Earth.
Both the straight ledger and trim pieces are 3.50 linear feet (42″) long. Corner ledgers are recommended anywhere you plan to install a corner and want to continue the ledger into the next wall and you can subtract one straight ledger for every two corner ledgers needed.
To determine how many stacked stone or brick ledgers you need, measure the length of your wall in feet or inches. Next, divide your measurement by 42 if using inches or 3.50 if you recorded your dimensions in feet.
Appropriate for all design styles, stacked stone can be used indoors and out. In an interior, it’s the perfect material for an indoor feature wall, such as around a fireplace, in a bathroom or in a foyer, or as a backsplash in a kitchen.
Because it’s made of natural stone, stacked stone will have a variation in color and this can dictate the look of your project.
RMQ Contemporary Ledge Stone. Photo courtesy of Northern Stone Supply.
Start by digging a trench about 4 inches deep and at least 2 feet wide. A straightedged spade will give you a nice, even edge. The first course must be very solid and tightly fit because the weight of the wall will rest on it. Take the time to find rocks that lock into place, without leaving gaps. Randomly lay your largest rocks along the front edge of the trench. Set the first stone, shifting it around until it sits securely without being rocked easily, and then fill with the remaining stones. If you are using rectangular stones, you want the height of adjacent stones to be the same, or of a difference that can be made up with a smaller stone. If the rocks are irregular, then the stones will fit together leaving a triangular gap for the next course to fit into. I find irregular rocks easier to work with than flat ones; with flat rocks you have to be more precise. Find a stone that fits well and then continue for a few more feet. A rule of thumb, passed down from my wall-building teacher’s mentor, is to try a stone seven different ways. If it doesn’t fit by the seventh try, use another stone.
The ideal height for a dry-stacked retaining wall is 18 to 22 inches —so you can sit on it when your gardening chores are done. Even if you don’t plan to sit on your wall, 3 feet is about as high as I would recommend building any dry-stacked wall; higher walls should be engineered for stability. Using your stakes, string, and line level, mark the height of the capstone. You’ll also want to check the level of individual stones as you go. It’s difficult to get the capstone perfectly level, but a 1-inch variance looks level overall.
For stability, walls should be at least 20 inches wide at the base. They can taper slightly toward the top, but you’ll want a wall that is at least two rocks wide in most places. This can be accomplished by mixing stones of different sizes or by backfilling with a combination of two-thirds rubble to one-third soil.