Fast Stone Wall Construction

Dressing stone, even with modern tools, takes a great deal of time that is not always available in big projects. For construction projects that must be done quickly, stone masons often use slip-forming to build their walls. This method was developed centuries ago by masons, but it originally used only mortar and stones. Modern masons now use concrete and rebar for additional strength in their finished product, but the basic methods have remained unchanged.

This method of creating a stone wall quickly requires a form approximately two feet tall where the stone and concrete are added together inside the form, and they are then allowed to dry. Once the drying is done, the form is slipped up off the wall. If it needs to be higher, the form is set on top of the existing wall and another course is added. While it is fast, the finished wall may have drips and dents where the stones and concrete do not completely fill the form.