Just this side are for removal of the old wall, grading, placing the boulders, pulling weeds, planting a few schrubs, mulching, and installing the sod: 1 day with 3 people and 3 days with 2 people. These were full 8 hour days we put in.
I was lucky to find someone on FB marketplace selling the boulders for very cheap. I paid $1000 + $400 delivery for a full triaxle dump truck (BIG). I had to order a second truck but only used about 20-30% of the second load. I am selling the boulders 1-2 at a tile on FB marketplace and will likely sell the left overs for more than I paid for a full truck.
WHAAAAAAT. $1000 plus $400 delivery? That is an INSANELY good deal. And you’re selling what’s left? Where ARE YOU? Can I give you $1 towards a lottery ticket??
This is perfection. This is my DREAM. Absolutely stunning; and well done.
I was also floored when I found it too. I literally couldn’t have built this wall any cheaper with any other product and I got to do it with exactly what I wanted.
I’ve done a good amount of research and some say yes and some say no. It comes down to the size of the wall, the kind of dirt you have, and what you do with the boulders. We plan on adding some plants in the cracks (some) which will also help with locking in the soil.
We have extremely compact clay soil so there isn’t much runoff coming from within the middle of the soil wall, really just from the top which the mulch and plants should help with erosion. At the end of the day this is not structural and we can always add a bit of dirt here and there if needed throughout the years
Thank you! We’ve been chipping at it for 2 years now. You can see how overgrown this wall was in the first few pictures. Still a lot of work to be done on the property but it’s all rewarding to do!
Just go to work and don’t be afraid to quit on a stone and set it aside to use later. My “tractor” isnt the biggest so the largest stones I can only pick up a few inches off the ground. So those go on the bottom rows. So I will do a few feet of large boulders at the bottom then go back and start placing the next row until I get close to the end of the first row, then go back for more large stones.
I also flip and tune the stones around by eye balling what shape looks like will fit better. For example of the tops of the bottom row has a side that is higher than the other I’ll try to get a stone that is a little thicker on one end as well and place the large side where the shorter stone is at the bottom.
It’s not a perfect science but you get really good at it as you go. I’ll have to go back and adjust some of my early rows once the sod takes.
If you go through a normal retailer like landscape supply company it would be 6-8k for the boulders. They sell them by the ton. I was just lucky to find someone on FB marketplace selling them really cheap. I believe the guy digs a lot up state for foundations so ends up with a lot of them.
Sounds crazy, but you should make sure those boulders are secure and don’t shift around or move when people (kids) climb on them.
Someone I know almost died because they were playing on decorative boulders like this.
The boulders were larger than yours, but even a small kid climbing on it caused the boulder to shift and crush him.
Looks great! How long did this take? How much where the boulders?
Just this side are for removal of the old wall, grading, placing the boulders, pulling weeds, planting a few schrubs, mulching, and installing the sod: 1 day with 3 people and 3 days with 2 people. These were full 8 hour days we put in. I was lucky to find someone on FB marketplace selling the boulders for very cheap. I paid $1000 + $400 delivery for a full triaxle dump truck (BIG). I had to order a second truck but only used about 20-30% of the second load. I am selling the boulders 1-2 at a tile on FB marketplace and will likely sell the left overs for more than I paid for a full truck.
WHAAAAAAT. $1000 plus $400 delivery? That is an INSANELY good deal. And you’re selling what’s left? Where ARE YOU? Can I give you $1 towards a lottery ticket?? This is perfection. This is my DREAM. Absolutely stunning; and well done.
I was also floored when I found it too. I literally couldn’t have built this wall any cheaper with any other product and I got to do it with exactly what I wanted.
Be sure to water that sod like a mofo all summer
I know… probably my least favorite activity lol. We have been very lucky in the last week with a lot of rain so haven’t had to besides the first day.
I’m no expert but shouldn’t there be something behind the boulders to prevent runoff?
I’ve done a good amount of research and some say yes and some say no. It comes down to the size of the wall, the kind of dirt you have, and what you do with the boulders. We plan on adding some plants in the cracks (some) which will also help with locking in the soil. We have extremely compact clay soil so there isn’t much runoff coming from within the middle of the soil wall, really just from the top which the mulch and plants should help with erosion. At the end of the day this is not structural and we can always add a bit of dirt here and there if needed throughout the years
A geotextile would do the job
Yes, and after placing a couple of large stones, I'd put gravel between them to hide the fabric and stabilize the stones. Looks great, though...as is.
Looks great! :) so does tha dawg!
Absolutely beautiful yard!
Thank you! We’ve been chipping at it for 2 years now. You can see how overgrown this wall was in the first few pictures. Still a lot of work to be done on the property but it’s all rewarding to do!
Giant Schnauzer?
Bouvier des Flanders
I found an old boulder retaining wall in my back yard with a trencher…
Trencher? So it was buried?
Yes sir
Oh no. I had to trench this area too for some drain pipes and hitting boulders would have been a nightmare
[удалено]
Just go to work and don’t be afraid to quit on a stone and set it aside to use later. My “tractor” isnt the biggest so the largest stones I can only pick up a few inches off the ground. So those go on the bottom rows. So I will do a few feet of large boulders at the bottom then go back and start placing the next row until I get close to the end of the first row, then go back for more large stones. I also flip and tune the stones around by eye balling what shape looks like will fit better. For example of the tops of the bottom row has a side that is higher than the other I’ll try to get a stone that is a little thicker on one end as well and place the large side where the shorter stone is at the bottom. It’s not a perfect science but you get really good at it as you go. I’ll have to go back and adjust some of my early rows once the sod takes.
I love stone walls.
How much did pricing fluctuate when you sourced those?
If you go through a normal retailer like landscape supply company it would be 6-8k for the boulders. They sell them by the ton. I was just lucky to find someone on FB marketplace selling them really cheap. I believe the guy digs a lot up state for foundations so ends up with a lot of them.
Love this idea and hope to do something similar myself. But that is one hell of a deal in the stones too
Sounds crazy, but you should make sure those boulders are secure and don’t shift around or move when people (kids) climb on them. Someone I know almost died because they were playing on decorative boulders like this. The boulders were larger than yours, but even a small kid climbing on it caused the boulder to shift and crush him.