About

Specializing in the ancient art and craft of dry stone walling, we combine creative ideas with traditional building practices to bring your vision to life.

We build stone walls & retaining walls, patios, steps, walkways, fireplaces, hearths, and other custom stone masonry to enhance homes across New Hampshire’s Lakes and White Mountains regions.

Our Team

Victoria Merriman, Partner

Victoria transitioned into stone masonry in 2019 after 20 years of working in website design. Having grown up on a dairy farm, she was eager to get back outside and work with her body as well as her mind. Stonework appeals to her love of puzzles and her desire to build beautiful and long-lasting outdoor spaces for people to enjoy. She appreciates the sense of peace and stability that natural stone brings to any environment.

Victoria is a professional member of The Stone Trust in Dummerston, VT, an organization dedicated to the art and craft of traditional dry stone walling. In September 2020, she became the 4th woman in the US to attain the Level 2 Certification through the Dry Stone Walling Association. She also completed a 3-month stone masonry apprenticeship in Australia that year. She founded Friction and Gravity in 2021.

Victoria holds a Bachelor’s degree in Visual Design from Harvard University. Her background as a web and graphic designer means that she brings creativity, an eye for detail, and aesthetic sense to the work that few tradespeople can.

Justin Walsh, Partner

As the son of a mason, Justin has been on job sites since age 5. Having worked in construction most of his life, he finds great satisfaction in building things to last a lifetime. He is happiest outdoors, physically and mentally engaged with his work, and finds that the creative process of stonework leads to interesting challenges and satisfying solutions.

Justin worked for Dutcher Masonry in his early 20s while pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management at Wentworth Institute of Technology. He went on to work for Eycon Construction as a builder and assistant project manager, and later at John Moriarty Associates as an assistant superintendent.

In addition to his construction and masonry background, he co-founded the Notch Hostel in 2013, and in 2018 helped launch Burgeon, a startup outdoor apparel company in Lincoln, NH, as their Operations Manager. He has worked in real estate and owns several investment properties. He brings a wealth of business experience, strategic thinking, and long experience in the trades to Friction and Gravity, which he joined as a partner in 2023.

Our Name

In so many endeavors, we strive to eliminate friction and defy gravity. In building dry stone walls, we embrace both. The friction of each stone with its neighbors keeps them in place. Gravity pulls each stone toward the center of the wall so that it becomes stronger over time. Learn more about dry stone construction practices.

Our Philosophies

Form and function. Aesthetics matter, and so do strength and longevity. We seek to balance both in all that we do.

Listen to the stones. We embrace the natural beauty and imperfections of stone to create something truly special.

Elegant problem-solving. We love the challenge of finding the simplest and most effective solution to every problem.

Clear communication. We bring you into the process. We listen and clearly communicate at every step to ensure we’ve met or exceeded your expectations.

Reliability. We take one project at a time and don’t leave until it’s done. We do what we say we’ll do.