Over the weekend we unexpectedly found ourselves repairing our rustic retaining wall. It was a beautiful New England day so I suggested we quickly repair the wall while the girls happily bounce in the trampoline. Wrong, there was nothing easy or quick about it. In fact it was back breaking but like most DIY’s it was totally worth it in the end!
We started with a crumbling mess which I actually caused! Last summer I pulled a ton of ivy and ferns from the left-hand side. Turns out those plants were giving the wall some much-needed stability. Throughout the summer, fall, and winter the wall started to fall apart. We would haphazardly place the rocks back but they would eventually fall out again. So, we just ignored the problem until I naively said, “let’s quickly repair the wall.”
We started repairing the right-hand side first. Having built a few walls as a teenager with his Grandfather Ryan took the lead. We removed every single rock and sorted them into small, medium, and large groups. We then dug a trench for the wall to sit in. We used the dry fit method which is a stone wall assembled without mortar. Building a dry-fit wall is like a jigsaw puzzle. A ton of trial and error. You are constantly turning, flipping, and wiggling the rock checking for minimal rocking and a secure feeling. Once it feels secure then you backfill with smaller rocks and dirt. Rinse and repeat making sure you stagger the vertical joints for strength. The span pictured below took about 8 back-breaking hours!
We decided to leave the center of the wall alone and hopefully, we don’t regret this decision. The left hand side took us another day using the same technique. In the end it was back breaking work (my body is still recovering) but totally worth the two days it took us.
And because I can’t help myself and project creep is real I can’t stop thinking about a patio here. Outdoor dining, fire pit, and a spot to lounge all lit by cafe lights. It’d be perfect. Maybe it’s time to look for some solutions for the patio floor because I just ordered an affordable patio dining table and bench!
