Boulder wall building is not that complicated, just labor intensive.  Boulder wall building is much easier than building a retaining wall using cement block.  Boulder walls are like a giant puzzle, each piece is differently.  Before you start your boulder wall project, make sure that you have a variety of different size boulders.  Using only large or only small boulders will not produce a solid wall.

Boulder wall building, a step by step guide:

• The first step in boulder wall building is to excavate your site.  Determine the height of your wall before you begin to dig.  The height of your wall will determine how much stone needs to be buried and how much dirt you will have to dig your wall back.  The size of your boulders will also determine how much dirt that you will have to remove.
• If you are only building a small wall (under 5 feet in height), dig your wall back at least two feet farther than your largest stone.  Dig your base out at least half as deep as your largest stone is wide.  When you dig out your base, make sure that the front of your base is six inches higher than the back of the base.  This slope will help hold your boulders in place and keep them from leaning forward.
• Before you set your first stone in place, line the back of your excavation area with fiber erosion mat.  The fiber mat will keep dirt from seeping through your boulder wall.  Since boulders are irregular, it is important to seal up the areas between the pieces as best as possible.
• When boulder wall building, make sure that you use your largest stones first.   Look for the flattest side on the stone and put that side towards your base.  Using a flat side will help keep your stone from moving.

Continued on build a boulder wall Part 2