Tried a dry bond on a garden wall and it held better than mortar

I was building a low retaining wall in my backyard in Columbus last month and ran out of mortar halfway through. Instead of making a run to the store, I figured I would just dry stack the last few rows to see what happened. To my surprise, the dry stacked section actually stayed solid after a heavy rain. I learned that if you cut the stones tight enough and use a bit of crushed stone in the gaps, the friction does most of the work. The mortar section actually shifted a little from ground moisture, but the dry part held steady. Now I am thinking about using this method for small decorative walls where drainage is key. Has anyone else here tried dry bonding for garden projects and had it work out better than expected?

2 comments

2 Comments

robertsmith1d ago

Last spring I dry stacked a 3 foot wall and it hasn't budged through two Ohio winters.

alexj991d ago

Used to think dry stack was a gamble in freeze-thaw climates but that two winter test is hard to argue with. Honestly I figured you'd get some shifting at least from the ground heaving. Guessing your base prep was solid and you left enough gap for drainage. Might have to try a small retaining wall myself now.