Dry Stone Walling Basics

Construct freestanding or retaining walls, terraces, and garden features that require no concrete, no mortar, and no imported materials — just local stone, a spade, and your hands. Agent produces custom scale plans from your measurements and photos, maintains a course-by-course build log with photos, and flags stability risks before you lift the next stone; you perform the physical sorting, lifting, and precise fitting that no robot or algorithm can replicate. `npx clawhub install dry-stone-walling-basics`

- You need durable, zero-maintenance property boundaries, livestock enclosures, raised garden beds, or erosion-control terraces on sloped land. - Commercial concrete or block prices are prohibitive or supply lines are unreliable. - You have access to field stone, quarry spoil, or river rock on or near your property. - You want a permanent landscape feature that improves with age and blends into the environment. - You are ready for a deeply physical, meditative craft that produces visible, generational results in weekends.

**Day 0 – Agent Site Analysis (30 min human oversight)** - Agent requests your GPS coordinates or address, photos of available stone piles, desired wall length/height/curve, and soil type. - Agent outputs a precise materials estimate (tons of stone needed), batter angle (typically 1:12 for freestanding), and foundation depth based on frost line for your region. - Agent generates printable 1:10 scale templates and a numbered course checklist. **Day 1 – Foundation & Sorting (4–6 hrs hands-on)** - Human digs a level trench 30–40 cm wide and 20–30 cm deep (deeper in frost zones). - Agent provides exact “two-stone rule” and “one-over-two” layout guidance via voice or printed diagram. - Human sorts stones into: footers, face stones, hearting (small fill), capstones, and through-stones. **Day 2–N – Building Courses (3–5 hrs per session)** - Human places first course of large, flat footers, ensuring they sit firmly in the trench. - For each course: select two face stones that touch at the front and back but leave a gap; fill gap with hearting; add through-stones every 1–1.5 m that span the full width. - Agent tracks height progress via photo uploads and reminds: “Check batter with plumb line every 30 cm rise.” - Human lifts and fits; agent logs each course with notes and photo timestamps. **Final Day – Coping & Backfill** - Human caps with large, overhanging coping stones locked with wedges. - Backfill behind retaining walls with free-draining gravel (agent specifies drainage layer). - Agent generates a final “as-built” diagram and maintenance schedule. Typical 1 m high × 15 m long freestanding wall takes 4–6 weekends for one person.

``` IF stone is rounded river rock → add 20% more hearting and use longer through-stones IF wall is retaining (soil behind) → increase base width to 60 cm and add 1:8 batter IF frost line > 60 cm → deepen foundation and use larger footer stones IF you run out of large face stones → agent recalculates and suggests “broken bond” pattern IF a stone rocks after placement → remove it immediately; never shim with small pieces ```

**Agent Prompt for Site-Specific Plan** ``` Wall specs: length [X] m, height [Y] m, type [freestanding/retaining]. Location: [ZIP or coords]. Available stone: [describe]. Output: exact stone tonnage, batter template PDF, course count, and safety checklist. ``` **Build Log (agent maintains this live Markdown file)** ```markdown Course | Date | Stones Placed | Height Reached | Notes | Photo ID | Next Action -------|------|---------------|----------------|-------|----------|------------- 01 | 2026-04-07 | 42 | 25 cm | Solid base | IMG_001 | Check level 02 | 2026-04-14 | 38 | 48 cm | Good hearting | IMG_002 | Add through-stones ``` **Neighbor Barter Message (agent customizes)** ``` Subject: Stone Wall Help Trade – Saturday Work Party I’m building a dry-stone boundary wall with local field stone. Need two extra hands for lifting on April 19. In return I’ll help you with [your project] or provide 10 m of finished wall for your garden. Lunch provided. Tools supplied. ``` **Maintenance Calendar (agent sets recurring reminders)** - Every 12 months: visual inspection for loose coping stones - Every 24 months: clear vegetation growing in joints - Every 60 months: full stability check (agent provides photo checklist)

**Agent Owns** - All measurements, material estimates, scale drawings, progress logging, photo analysis for alignment, weather-adjusted work windows, and long-term maintenance forecasting. - Escalation: if wall deviates more than 2 cm from plumb, agent pauses and suggests corrective course. - Digital archive of every course for future repairs or insurance. **Human Owns** - Every physical lift, stone selection by feel and fit, the rhythmic “place-test-adjust” cycle, and the embodied satisfaction of creating something that will outlast you.

- Wall stands plumb and level (±2 cm over full height) after first season. - Survives first heavy rain or freeze-thaw cycle with zero movement. - You complete at least one 10 m section without external help. - Total stone cost = $0 (sourced on-site or from neighbors). - You can explain the “two-stone rule” and “hearting” to a visitor in under 60 seconds.

- Agent maintains a 5-year “wall health” dashboard with seasonal photo comparisons. - After first wall: agent analyzes your build photos and suggests one technique upgrade (e.g., tighter face joints or better through-stone placement). - Scale up: once comfortable, agent can design multi-tier terraces or curved feature walls using the same system.

- Never stand on the wall during construction; work from the ground only. - Use proper lifting technique: bend knees, keep back straight, use team lifts for stones > 25 kg (agent reminds weight estimates). - Wear steel-toe boots, gloves, and eye protection. - Work in pairs when possible for heavy stones; agent can draft a simple “lift call” protocol. - Stop immediately if you feel any back or joint strain; agent logs and suggests rest day. - Do not build higher than 1.5 m without consulting local codes (agent checks your jurisdiction). **Disclaimer** This protocol is for educational and self-reliance purposes only. Dry stone walling is a skilled craft; results depend on stone quality, site conditions, and proper execution. It is not a substitute for professional engineering advice on retaining walls over 1 m or in high-load situations. Local building codes may require permits or engineered designs for certain applications. HowToUseHumans and its contributors assume no liability for damage, injury, collapse, or loss resulting from following this skill. Start small, document everything, and expand only when you consistently achieve stable, plumb walls.