Finishing Construction of a Dry Stone Wall
Adding the Cap Stones
It is difficult to say that any single part of a dry stone wall is more important than any other. However, the importance of the coping stones cannot be over estimated. Because the integrity of the wall depends so much on this top layer, it should not be made up of whatever stones are left over from building the rest of the wall.
In fact, it is good practice to select the coping stones before any construction work begins and keep them at one side. If this means that smaller stones have to be incorporated into the lower courses of the wall, then so be it.
The capstones are extremely important to the integrity of the wall since they tie everything together.
Position the heaviest capstones at either end of the wall and at intervals in between. Each capstone must span both component walls, which should have been built together without any gap between by the time the wall has reached its full height.
If the type of stone permits (i.e. is not too hard), you might prefer to dress each stone to provide a rounded top to the wall. Whilst this makes for a more attractive finish, you need to appreciate that it is hard and time consuming work, so may be impractical for anything more than a very short stretch of wall.
Once the heaviest capstones are in place, lighter stones can be used to fill the gaps, packing them in as tightly as possible so that they will be difficult to dislodge, either accidentally or deliberately. If necessary, hammer in smaller slivers of stone or pebbles to ensure the capstones are a really tight fit.
Safety Matters
A dry stone wall project should not be embarked on lightly. It is heavy work and although there should be little risk associated with it if approached in a sensible manner, it is also easy to cause injury unless correct lifting techniques are understood and rigorously followed (See Safety in the Garden).
If more than one person is employed, ensure everyone is aware at all times what others are doing. Each person should be watching out for fellow workers to ensure they are not becoming sloppy in the way they handle the heavy materials.
Also do not be over ambitious in what you aim to achieve. Even a skilled and fit professional only expects to complete the equivalent of two or three yards of wall in a day so as an amateur you should set yourself realistic targets and stop immediately if you start to feel any significant degree of discomfort.
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