Abstract: An apparatus and the method of using the apparatus to form a wall. Initially, a pair of vertical wall guides are mounted upright at selected locations. The guides are made in two parts, a front guide and a rear guide, so the guides can be moved toward and away from each other to compensate for uneven walls and thicknesses of stone. Staves or forming boards are mounted horizontally between the wall guides by threaded bolts, to form a guide for the stones. The stones are set sequentially in a horizontally disposed course using the staves as a guide to lay the wall straight and level. Additional staves are fixed to the guides as necessary. Once, it is determined that a particular row of stones has set, its restraining stave can be removed. This action usually starts at the bottom course and moves upward until all staves are removed.