This is a badge bit (
BB) that is part of the
PEP curriculum. Completing this BB is part of getting the sand badge in
earthworks.
A dry stack wall is simply stacked rocks that form a wall without using mortar or other type of cement.
They are very useful simply as walls or for retaining soil, letting
water drain freely through the rocks. Here is a cool use for one!
Interesting keyhole hugelkulter design
Here is a dry stack retaining wall that meets the criteria:
More about dry stack retaining walls.
Here Paul discusses a dry stack wall that he and Jocelyn put up in just a few hours that will probably last for decades! The dry stack part starts at 2:10.
To get certified for this BB, the minimum requirements are:
- Your wall
should be at least 2 feet tall and 4 feet long
- Primarily built using 2 rocks over 1 and 1 rock over 2 technique
- Gravel foundation with good drainage to prevent puddling of icy water
- Wall is much thicker at the bottom than at the top
- This will give the wall the appearance, in the end, that it is leaning into the dirt
- There is a sharp gravel fill between the wall and dirt
- Not rounded gravel or sand
- The gravel is compacted and some of the rocks might rest on some of the gravel
To show you've completed this Badge Bit, provide proof of the following as pics or
video (less than two minutes):
- Your area before starting
- Your gravel foundation with drainage
- Progress about half way through, showing some of the rocks stacked and with the gravel behind the wall
- Finished
project showing the size of the wall