I asked this question on the NG some time ago but the suggested solution of rebuilding in the same fashion does not appeal.
Would it be feasible to use "casing" or a couple of wood sheets nailed approx 750mm apart, then fill thes with a gravel/ cement mix along with most of the original stone.
My thoughts are that the more stone that goes in the stronger the final wall.
Or might there be problems with the ingredients expanding and contracting at different rates?
Regards
HN
No, it would look like s*it. You will have to GOYA and do a proper job. It will be time consuming and/or expensive. And you will need a proper concrete footing.
The strength of any cement/aggregate mix depends on how strong the aggregate is and how much cement there is in the mix. There's no point in putting lots of cement in a mix where the aggregate is weak. Most concrete fails due to voids in the mix, ie, not properly tamped/vibrated down.
If you are happy with something that does not look like the rest of the wall (and it won't), it would probably be simpler to replace it in brick or block work.
Which look like dog turd after dog has eaten sweetcorn and s*it. I doubt it would stay up very long either. First decent frost would have bits falling out of it.
A decently built drystone wall will stand for decades if not centauries with no maintenance. Slopes will shorten the life if winters have hefty freeze/thaw cycles. The stones are lifted by the freeze and put back down just ever so slightly further down hill.
Drystone walling isn't that hard to do, once you know how a drystone wall ought to be constructed (GIYF) but it is physical. It's the latter aspect that has us paying a waller to rebuild about 100m of wall here. On a good day he'll manage about 5 m/day (6 hours ish) taking down and rebuilding. A good day for me would be 1 m at best and then a rest day...
You too, huh?
I have always rather wanted one at the bottom of my garden where there is a lane as I presume that they are indestructible, or can be reconstructed at a low cost. As the stones are not readily available in Kent I have settled for a hedge instead.
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