Stone pitching is a method of retaining soil in a slopping ground or terrain. When landscaping lawns, the ground is prepared and then pitching is done before vegetation is planted. This involves laying broken pieces of stones or hardcore on the soil in different patterns.Jointing is done with cement and sand mortar. For stone pitching to be laid, the soil must be at its angle of repose. This means slopes not exceeding seventy degrees from level ground.
In stone pitching laying, the use of differently sized stone slates is advised. The thickness should be at least twenty five millimeters. No dressing is required for this and therefore cost effective. Left over stones are broken into pieces. The ground is prepared by cutting soil back to the required slope. Its then wetted and compacted by with a ramming board. If the soil embankment is near a parking, a flat surface of two feet cut then make the slope.
The stone pitching commences at the slope bottom. First put a strip of lean concrete at the bottom. Place the stones onto the concrete as a base.Pattern large and small stones one by one. Erect short pieces horizontal and long pieces vertical. Cut slates of about one foot square and lay at the center of wall to give a feature. Lay up to the top.
When laying stone pitching, note to have points for adding vegetation in between the joints. Add mortar to the joints with a trowel and ensure it fills. Scrap off excess mortar and do key pointing. This follows the staggered joints. At arbitrary places no filling is done. This will allow plant roots to be pushed into the soil. Mostly this vegetation will be creeping plants. At the top and ends line with concrete as a stopper. Clean and cure the wall.