Dry laid construction, Butler stone with a mix of PA Blue stone along with local stone from the old wall. Left side retaining wall 3'.5" corner length with a 19'.5" length back to driveway. 8 PA Blue step stones built into both walls. Free standing wall 11' with vertical cheek end. All walls built with a 1:6 Batter. Average height of the walls are 3'. Two tie stones 3' in from corner before steps. Walling style corse with random jumpers. Project time 34 days
The original mortared wall/7 steps were replace with the same design but modified to be much more practical to the space. This old wall was damaged when a 100 year old Beech tree fell over lifting the wall/steps right up.
After weed wacking my work area you can now really see the old wall. The steps were built with mortar the old retain wall was built dry. Which was great since a gas line was directly under the structure. Had this been build wet I would have been a little concerned using any gas or power tools to remove such a wall.
Most of the wall shown in this photo would be covered later with screened fill dirt. You can really see the over all size along with much of the all which will soon be hidden. Cap stones can be best seen in this photo with the angle going up hill to hit top step. My thinking was being a driveway if snow plowed snow would only be push over and down the steps. Since the last cap stones hit the middle of the top step. No Snow being plowed or the plow would catch them. The only possibility would be the top step being moved.
Before photo from back yard. You can really see how the force of a 100 year old beech tree just up rooted these mortared wall/steps.
14" + Flat caps on corner to steps. One flat cap on wall head / Cheek end.
8 PA Blue stone steps feather and wedged. Bottom step #1 being 3' wide with the driveway step # 8 being 4' wide but really making a full landing with the stone total length of 80" seen below. Steps have 6" rise (height) with a 14" tread = very comfortable to walk up or down. The steps extend 112" out.
This photo looking down the steps really shows the left cap stones. The freestanding wall cap stones are 15". You will also noticed in the photo the rain gutter behind the retaining wall. After heavy rain fall I realized that the car port did not have one. Not something I had noticed before. Installing one on the structure would have cost big B$$$k's with the slate roof and no facing to install one. So I figure why not. This was a home owner bonus why because I can. Plus I really felt this one little thing would be a game changer long term with the longevity of the wall. Helping to remove water away from a wall is always a good thing. This part of the project was inspired by the local street drains. Blog: Calade - Dry Laid Road Gutters. Behind the rain gutter (to right) you will notice a PA Blue stone step 5' long by 20" wide. The home owner wanted something other the dirt to step on when they opened there door. The large the stone less chance for weeds to grow under their feet.
With the drain I was sure to have one large stone over hang past the wall in order direct the water out past the wall.
Screened fill dirt, grass seed and straw put down. Most of the new wall now hidden. You can also see the benefit of having a large flat step which matches the driveway when the car door opens. The client can step out onto something safe.
Full wall. I replanted to hostas from the property to help add a little color and height back to the space. In time grass will be sprouting up. The green grass will really make the brown stones pop.
Cheek end with steps.
Freestanding wall from inside.
Retaining wall from inside with steps.
Corner of wall with flat cap stones and tie stones.
A great view from the backyard. I believe each dry laid construction I design and build should fit the space. Otherwise I'm not doing justice to the stone's, myself and the client. This home was built a 100 years ago with craftsmen who took pride in there trade.
Hire a craftsmen for your next job.
Hey Mark --
ReplyDeleteThe walls and steps turned out great. Nicelooking job! Good work. -- Clark
Thank you Clark, I'm very pleased with the steps and wall. Was sure one big challenge for me making each step 6 inchs high and close to level. Well worth it. Great opportunity.
Deletethis is gorgeous! cannot imagine and the finagling to get that top step exactly level with the blacktop. adding the drain was genius! --patti
ReplyDeletePatti, Thank you as you saw the work in progress with the frames. If you start out level you should end up level. All the frames and string lines help guide me from the imaginary wall to the finished. I was a little scared when I took all the frames out to finish the last step and walls. Clearly everything worked out perfect. Yes the drain was genius good thing I work in the rain or I might not have come up with the idea. Funny how things work out sometimes all for the best.
DeleteI love your eye for detail
ReplyDeleteEggcellent job. Would love for you to build some projects in CA.
deb
Deb, I do like the idea of nice weather all year round in CA. I also know dry laid stone walls are flexible systems when those earth quakes hit. Yup I'll say east for now. Thank you for checking out the project. Wait till you see the project blog for all the down and dirty.
DeleteBeautiful! Loved the thought that went into the gutter - that made so much sense. And then to see the whole project with the house in the background, it was the perfect compliment. Your work is soooo impressive!
ReplyDeletePaintCrazy, Thank you on the gutter, Now I'm thinking about where I could build some of these at our farm. Our barn loves to flood every time it rains hard unless we put a piece of aluminum to pitch it way from our upper doors. I keep thinking about the idea of adding to create a stone moat. I felt a picture of the home with the wall really helps give a bigger picture to the space. I did a few G0-Pro video's might just have to up load them to You-Tube.
DeleteOk, I didn't understand most of the technical stuff but WOW, that is amazing work. Love it, wish you were closer to me, I would so have you fix my house.
ReplyDeleteSamantha, your right the technical 1:6 batter..... sounds like the recipe for some fancy dinner in french... ha ha...Thank you for your feedback I don't know much about houses but I do love to build walls around them.
Deleteawesome work Mark !!! Still would love you you to work in Georgia!!!
ReplyDeletePamela
Pamela, Thank you for the awesome words. Georgia- getting close just need to move about 50 miles out from Hampstead MD and I'll be right over. As long as unlimited sweet tea is included in the contract we might be able to come to some kind of terms.
DeleteAbsolutely STUNNING! I love your use of all the colors, as well as mixing old stone in. And the drain is brilliant. I love your work Mark. So clean and beautiful, but they fit right in as though they've been there forever.
ReplyDeleteWe're moving to a new farm in the upper part of lower Michigan and have numerous fieldstone piles just waiting for someone to use them. They are the round river rock style. They are so prevalent in the area that some of the farmers dig huge holes and rebury them. I can't wait to convince my hubby to do some rock gardens with them. Wish we could afford to have you up!
--Shelley
Shelley, Thank you too. I love mixing stone colors just make the wall a little more interesting. I believe having my BFA in Visual communication graphic design background gives me a little edge on some of the local talent in my area. One color of stone can some times look a little sterol on small walls. Larger walls it might be a little over kill.
ReplyDeleteYou should start stock piling those river rocks. They pay big bucks for those in our area. Funny its like that saying the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. When your so use to seeing the same thing over and over you just turn a blind eye. You don't think it would be to much to ship those UPS do you? Can you email me some photos? A rock garden would be a great idea. Or use them to make a raised garden bed.