October 5, 2008
Consider "Dry Stone" for Patios, Steps, and Retaining Walls In Cold Climates
If you live in a climate that sees extremely cold winters, that weather can take a hefty toll on landscaping features such as stone or brick patios, retaining walls, walkways, and steps. Exposed to damaging freeze and thaw cycles, these structures can be vulnerable when built with traditional mortar methods.
An alternative is dry stone walling, which is building without mortar. Just about any stone can be used, and the resulting patios and structures stand up well under extreme weather conditions.
"Well-built dry stone walls do not dominate a landscape, they become a sympathetic part of it. These are not merely narrow stones loosely stacked without mortar, but tightly-fitted parts of a whole. The result is a structurally stable mass which can move with the earth, adapting as required without falling down. These walls can reach a height of five or six feet, and be two or three feet thick at their base." ~ Whistling Dwarf Stone Work in Canada
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