A stone wall is an amazing asset to your beautiful home. Most owners have over the years learnt to appreciate a well-built stone wall around the house. However, building an impressive stone wall is easier said than done since some people find themselves asking-what do different rock sizes mean? You need to be a meticulous planner and have some patience in executing the perfect design. Ideally, there are so many designs to experiment with when it comes to a stone wall. You need to first establish whether you are looking for a dry wall also known as stacked wall or you will go for the mortared wall design. Whatever decision will ultimately influence the shape and sizes of the rocks used. So what do different rock sizes mean? If you decide to either go for the stacked stone wall or the mortared one, the question-what do different rock sizes mean? – should not even occur as each design has a specific kind of rocks to be used.
Dry-Laid or Mortared Walls
Making the decision on whether to build a stacked stone wall or a mortared wall is a personal choice guided by the physical appearance of the house. The decision however should be made early enough as it helps in the implementation process and construction. If you choose a mortared wall, you will be required to dig a footing using either landscaping rocks such as crushed gravel. You can buy crushed or drainage gravel from gravel delivery seattle. One of the reasons why most homeowners prefer mortared wall is because it is easier to hold the stones together using the mortar. Instead of having to ask what do different rock sizes mean-all you need to do is choose rocks that tickle your fancy. These can be river rock for landscaping or pea gravel to act as the mortar. Mortared wall gives you the freedom to experiment with different stone sizes, shapes and the overall tableau is more forgiving. Dry-laid stone walls on the other hand are less costly to build; however, their maintenance is very high. If the wall gets damaged, you will be required to rebuild the entire wall using the same stones. In most cases, dry-laid stones do not go higher than four feet. This generally means that the type of stones to be used should have flat faces and rectangular or square in shape. If you choose irregularly-shaped stones for a dry-laid stone wall, your work will be more difficult in terms of layering and at some point; you will be required to use mortar.
Look and Feel
When you walk into your home, there is something that tells you that you have just had the best landscaping wall for the entire place. If the feeling is not there, then there is the likelihood that the wall does not resonate with your style. If you imagine the stones on the wall around the house as old and rusty, how do you feel? Do you feel like they shouldn’t be there or you are fine with the entire look. Imagining these scenarios is what gives you an idea of how you feel about old and reclaimed rocks. In some instances, reclaimed rocks are used for beautifying the home garden area. However, you need to know the exact areas where such stones can be perfectly placed. Big and blocky rocks give a feel of sturdiness while the smaller rocks could have been reclaimed from an older building. Whatever the circumstances you come across these rocks, old and weathered rocks are not a bad idea to a stone wall depending on their placement. If they are placed randomly and in no specific design, the results won’t be too pleasant. If you are perfect in arranging the big stones among the relatively smaller ones, the end results are a sight to behold.
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