Stone by Stone: The Art of Dry Walling with a Loader
Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2026 3:25 am
Dry stone walling is an ancient craft, a testament to patience and geometry. A well-built wall can stand for centuries without a drop of mortar. However, the craft involves moving literal tons of rock. The "waller's back" is a common ailment. To preserve your body for the skilled work of fitting the stones, you need a way to get the rock to the wall. The Little Green Monster loader is the perfect apprentice, handling the brute labour of stone transport so you can focus on the art of placement.
Unlike large excavators which can damage the surrounding landscape and crush the stone supply, a garden tractor is nimble. It can deliver stone right to your feet, even in tight garden spaces or uneven pastures.
Sorting and Transporting Stone
A wall needs three types of stone: face stones, hearting (fill), and through stones. These are often delivered in a mixed pile. Sorting them on the ground is tiring.
The loader allows you to move piles of mixed stone along the length of the wall build. Instead of walking back and forth to a central pile, you can bring a bucket-load of "face stones" to the section you are working on. This logistical support speeds up the build massively.
Placing "Through Stones" and Coping
The most important stones are the "throughs" (which tie the wall together) and the "copes" (top stones). These are often the largest and heaviest rocks in the wall. Lifting a heavy coping stone to chest height is dangerous.
The Little Green Monster loader can lift these heavy stones for you. You can raise the bucket to the height of the wall, allowing you to slide the heavy rock into position rather than lifting it. This saves your energy and reduces the risk of dropping a rock on your toes.
Backfilling and Hearting
The core of a dry stone wall is filled with small stones called "hearting." This needs to be poured into the centre of the wall constantly as it rises.
Using the loader, you can keep a supply of hearting close by. While you shouldn't dump directly from the bucket into the delicate wall cavity (precision is key), having the material raised at waist height in the bucket makes shovelling it into the wall much easier.
Site Restoration
Building a wall makes a mess. There are chips of stone, mud, and trampled grass.
Once the masterpiece is finished, the Little Green Monster loader is your cleanup crew. You can scrape up the stone chips and debris. You can bring in topsoil to re-grade the base of the wall. It ensures the finished product looks established and pristine.
Conclusion
Dry stone walling is a dialogue between the stone and the builder. The Little Green Monster loader ensures that the conversation isn't interrupted by exhaustion. It enables you to build heritage-quality structures on your own property.
Call to Action
Build walls that last forever. Get the tool that moves the heavy stone.
Visit: https://lgmusa.com/front-end-loader/
Unlike large excavators which can damage the surrounding landscape and crush the stone supply, a garden tractor is nimble. It can deliver stone right to your feet, even in tight garden spaces or uneven pastures.
Sorting and Transporting Stone
A wall needs three types of stone: face stones, hearting (fill), and through stones. These are often delivered in a mixed pile. Sorting them on the ground is tiring.
The loader allows you to move piles of mixed stone along the length of the wall build. Instead of walking back and forth to a central pile, you can bring a bucket-load of "face stones" to the section you are working on. This logistical support speeds up the build massively.
Placing "Through Stones" and Coping
The most important stones are the "throughs" (which tie the wall together) and the "copes" (top stones). These are often the largest and heaviest rocks in the wall. Lifting a heavy coping stone to chest height is dangerous.
The Little Green Monster loader can lift these heavy stones for you. You can raise the bucket to the height of the wall, allowing you to slide the heavy rock into position rather than lifting it. This saves your energy and reduces the risk of dropping a rock on your toes.
Backfilling and Hearting
The core of a dry stone wall is filled with small stones called "hearting." This needs to be poured into the centre of the wall constantly as it rises.
Using the loader, you can keep a supply of hearting close by. While you shouldn't dump directly from the bucket into the delicate wall cavity (precision is key), having the material raised at waist height in the bucket makes shovelling it into the wall much easier.
Site Restoration
Building a wall makes a mess. There are chips of stone, mud, and trampled grass.
Once the masterpiece is finished, the Little Green Monster loader is your cleanup crew. You can scrape up the stone chips and debris. You can bring in topsoil to re-grade the base of the wall. It ensures the finished product looks established and pristine.
Conclusion
Dry stone walling is a dialogue between the stone and the builder. The Little Green Monster loader ensures that the conversation isn't interrupted by exhaustion. It enables you to build heritage-quality structures on your own property.
Call to Action
Build walls that last forever. Get the tool that moves the heavy stone.
Visit: https://lgmusa.com/front-end-loader/