Stone retaining wall help

[mowgli789]

Hi,

 

I am have taken down an old stone retaining wall and am moving it to another part of the garden. I'm guessing it may well originally been pointed with hydrated lime as they cleaned up really easily.

 

However, when I started looking around the internet for help with what type of mortar to use with stone ( I'm fairly sure these are Sussex sandstone) I came across a lot of different opinions on how it should be done, so I thought I'd come here for some advice.

 

The wall will be about 3' high, maybe a little higher, but no higher than 3.5'. It will be laid next to a drive way which has a kerbstone already in place. My plan was to use the kerb as part of the footing then dig a trench behind it. 

 

My questions are as follows:

 

Should I use mortar at all, or would a dry stone wall be better for drainage?

 

If I use mortar, should I use lime given they are natural stone, or is cement ok?

 

Should the footings behind the kerbstone be concrete? Some people were suggesting gravel might be better for a dry stone wall.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Thanks

[Redbeard]

Use lime mortar if you are mortaring, and if you are not, have you built a drystone wall before. I have not, but I have worked with enough people who teach it to know that I would not do so without tuition.

 

I am not a retaining wall expert but I should have thought a gravel footing to a retaining wall was asking for it to rotate and fall flat on its face, but then if you mean for example consolidated crushed limestone then it is probably much less of an issue than I foresaw with round washed river gravel.