How to Build a Base for a Stone Column
Stone columns are both decorative and functional parts of exterior home landscaping. They often house mailboxes and light fixtures, or sometimes simply designate the entrance to driveways. The most important part of constructing a stone column in your yard is creating a durable base for the stone to reside on. The base is the strongest part of the column and if properly prepared, prevents the column from shifting or tilting in the future. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Spray chalk
- Shovel
- Level
- Gravel or crushed stone
- Hand tamper
- Concrete blocks
- Concrete, optional
- Water, optional
- Trowel, optional
Instructions
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1
Walk to the area of ground where you are installing the stone column and use spray chalk to draw an outline of the column shape on the ground.
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2
Dig out the grass and soil inside the perimeter of the chalk line using a shovel. Remove at least 4 inches of soil and try to get the bottom of the area as level as possible. Place a level on the bottom surface at various locations and dig out additional soil as needed.
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3
Insert a 4-inch layer of crushed gravel or stone into the area until it reaches the top of the hole. Smooth the top of the stone out with a bow rake and then compact it tightly. To compact the stone, hit the surface of it repeatedly with a hand tamper tool, which has a wide flat base.
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4
Place the level on top of the stone to ensure the air bubble centers, meaning the stone is level. If needed, remove or add additional stone until the base is perfectly level.
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5
Install the first base course of the column by placing four concrete blocks inside the stone area. Arrange each stone along the sides so that an open square of space remains in the center of the blocks.
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Tips & Warnings
Some types of stone require a mortar bed. If yours does, then skip the gravel and instead mix up a bag of bagged concrete and water until it looks like peanut butter. Pour the wet concrete into the hole and smooth the top out evenly with a trowel.
