{"id":4846,"date":"2026-01-10T12:24:03","date_gmt":"2026-01-10T11:24:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/murodeescollera.com\/services\/stone-masonry-walls\/"},"modified":"2026-09-30T19:13:09","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T17:13:09","slug":"stone-masonry-walls","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/murodeescollera.com\/en\/services\/stone-masonry-walls\/","title":{"rendered":"Stone Masonry Walls"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

SERVICES<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t

Stone masonry walls in the Axarqu\u00eda<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

A stone masonry wall is a wall of natural stone laid by hand, with mortar or dry-laid<\/strong>, used to retain soil, build terraces or enclose a plot. In the Axarqu\u00eda it is the traditional way of building “balates” (terrace walls), and it is still the option that best suits the landscape.<\/p>

We build new masonry walls, rebuild collapsed balates and put up dry stone walls the way they have always been made, with more than 20 years in the trade.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Muros\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Mortared masonry, dry stone and balates<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Mortared masonry<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The stone is bedded in cement or lime mortar. This gives a more solid wall and allows it to be built higher. If it is retaining soil, it needs foundations, drainage behind it and weep holes to let the water out.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Muro\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Dry stone<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

No mortar: each stone is fitted to the ones around it. It is an ancient technique, recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage, and it drains naturally. It takes more skill and more time, but done well it lasts for centuries.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Muro\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Balates<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

This is what we call the stone walls that hold up the farming terraces on the hillsides of the Axarqu\u00eda. Many have collapsed after heavy rain or years of neglect. We rebuild them reusing the original stone whenever possible.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Masonry or escollera: which one do you need?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
<\/th>Masonry<\/th>Escollera<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Stone size<\/td>Stones you can handle by hand<\/td>Blocks from 50 kg to over a tonne<\/td><\/tr>
Laying<\/td>By hand, stone by stone<\/td>By machine<\/td><\/tr>
Typical height<\/td>Low and medium walls<\/td>Medium and high walls, embankments<\/td><\/tr>
Look<\/td>Finer and more traditional<\/td>More rustic and massive<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

For high embankments or ground that pushes hard, an escollera rock wall<\/a> is usually the sensible choice. For terraces, boundary walls and garden walls, masonry looks better. You can see all the options compared on our retaining walls<\/a> page.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

What a stone retaining wall must have<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t