Learning To Build Dry Stone Walls

Learning To Build Dry Stone Walls BUILDINGS Miscellaneous The Dry Stone Conservancy DSC is the place to go to learn how to build or restore old stone walls The organization restores free-standing and retaining walls and stone structures It’s also teaching a new generation of masons to do the work “All you need is a hammer a chisel and a strong back and you can make it happen ” says Russell Waddell The DSC does the rest They have been doing workshops for the past 25 years holding from four to six classes in the spring and again in the fall In the spring of 2022 several classes will be held in N Y state and a few in Kentucky with one possible in Kansas “Classes sell out pretty quickly ” says Waddell “We’ve trained 5 000 to 6 000 dry stone masons over the years ” Dry stone masons lay up two courses of face stones with small stones hearting stones filling in the gaps and pin stone wedges Larger face stones are usually laid in the first lift on a foundation of crushed rock Smaller stones are used in the upper or second lift A top layer called cope stones adds height and cap the wall all without mortar The classic stone wall narrows as it goes up The DSC was created in response to the pending loss of such walls In the mid-1990’s a roadway called the Harris Pike near Lexington Ky was to be widened Doing so was impossible without destroying miles of historically significant tourist-attracting scenic dry stone walls to either side of the roadway The state funded the training of masons to tear down and reconstruct the walls The people involved established the DSC modeled on the Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain “They put us in contact with masons there who were brought over to train masons here ” says Waddell “Dry stone walls are a pretty significant part of our region and soon people who owned farms or managed cemeteries were contacting us as to how they could rebuild their failing walls ” From there the organization grew finding demand for expertise and training around the country “We have worked in Georgetown D C and a large number of national parks We recently put in 800 ft of dry stone wall in the Tall Grass Prairie in Kansas and have rebuilt a CCC Civilian Conservation Corps wall at a small roadside park in Minnesota The CCC did dry stone retaining walls all over the country ” Each year the DSC holds a gathering of masons In 2021 they had 33 masons build 52 ft of 4-ft tall wall in 25 hrs working in 2-hr shifts “Workshop participants include homeowners who have retaining walls and want to maintain them to landscape contractors who want to offer the service to engineers who want to incorporate dry stone walls into their designs ” says Waddell “We offer three levels of courses from introductory for people who are curious to intermediate and higher levels for those with some experience ” For those who don’t want to build or restore walls themselves the DSC maintains a list of trained masons around the country Prices will vary by site stones and the equipment needed “We have old stone walls getting hit by cars or otherwise in need of repair ” says Waddell “Repair is pretty straightforward but can run $150 per linear foot It could be more if building a new wall ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Dry Stone Conservancy 1065 Dove Run Rd Suite 6 Lexington Ky 40502 ph 859-266-4807; www drystone org

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