The answer to your problem is quite simple. Use a commercial grade weed fabric to line the backside of your wall to prevent dirt seepage. This is the same method used in block retaining walls also. Just to note there are 2 types of commercial weed fabric out there, good stuff and JUNK!! The GOOD commercial grade weed fabric is a plastic MESH with fuzzy black material on one side, I highly recommend using this stuff. The other "commercial weed fabrics" out there look like a big sheet of perforated plastic and they are flat out JUNK, it doesnt hold up for long and it tears very easily so stay away from this stuff. The good stuff is available at Davis Seed Co. and its a 3ft x 250ft roll for $101. Smaller rolls of the same stuff may be available elsewhere. If you dont mind me saying so, I see a problem with your current plan. That problem is that clay retains alot of water, if you live in a area that drops below freezing during winter months the clay is going to freeze and heave(expand) during the winter. Which will in turn push you wall over eventually. To stop this from happening what you need to do is build your wall, line it with the weed fabric, than instead of back-filling with clay, use "Pea stone" as a back-fill. Pea stone is very small rounded stone. It has good drainage which helps prevent water build up directly behind your wall, and also has the ability to shift. When the clay behind it heaves rather than pushing your wall out, the pea stone will shift alleviating some of the pressure put against the back of the wall. This prevents ground heaving from pushing your wall over. Pea stone is very inexpensive per yard and will make your wall last alot longer. Stone drip edges are also a good solution for what your trying to do. All you need for that is plastic or metal edging, roll of plastic(for use as a weed barrier)and a decorative stone. If there are not plants inside your drip edge using plastic is the way to go, if there are plants inside your drip edge you will need to use the weed fabric I discussed earlier that way the plants will still recieve water. Hope this helps. Good luck with the project. If you need any other pointers on the wall or drip edge drop me a email at dlarose@nycap.rr.com

Wow, thanks so much, all! We lived so long in the partial remodel we got so used to rock walls and cherry paneling (and furniture to match). edeevee: it was a challenge to combine all the old furniture without buying too much new (two chairs). We ended up with a lot of warm undertones (derived from the paneling) that we had to try to blend with some grey ones (from the rest of the house). kiki_thinking: I think your wall will turn out just fine. We did a little paint washing on the most offensive rocks, but we also had lava rock in the mix that there was no other fix for. It was messy and cost a whole lot more than expected to fix that wall of rock. After tear down, we were left with a pile of bricks.

In the part of our remodel where we had to do new sheetrock, my husband and I installed all the sheetrock together and I did all the tape/bed/prime/paint. I'd say we had maybe 70 linear foot to do, 7.5' ceilings. Installing the sheetrock wasn't too bad. Got that all done in one day. I did the rest and it probably took me a week or more to do. Drying time stretched things out. (There are probably better methods, but I went with what I knew.) I did a flat finish. No texture on my walls. I did multiple coats at the seams, sanding in between, and getting wider and wider as I went. The sanding is a nightmare. In the end, I have one inside corner I could not get right (it's behind a couch, so no one can see it, but it still bothers me, and one place above a window where I only had a few inches that I can see a transition mark where I wasn't able to sand properly. Am I proud of it - certainly. Would I ever do it again - not a chance in he!!. For an entire house, this is one area I would not consider having an amateur do.

i was writing this on my phone while trotting through home depot! I am shocked you understood my gibberish haha. We are using the rigid duct. Shockingly enough, the hood came with a flex pipe. The wall we are punching through is sheet rock, fiberglass insulation, wood clap board siding, finally composite shingle then outside air. : <at 19 inches = hole punches out to exterior. the duct goes 90' out of it > : : : : chimney / duct for 19 inches straight up : : : : _________ <top of fan portion (the big triangle piece) It is 13 inches from bottom baffle to chimney start> _________________ 28 inches ___stove top____ O O O O The duct is 6 inches - The top fan of the hood is made to receive 6 inch duct so assuming that is the correct diameter. We will be using the high heat tape to connect the duct together unless there is a better method. Thank you for all the input. I just wanted to clarify everything in case anyone else had some tidbits of wisdom. HAHA I couldnt figure out how to edit my original post. not very tech savvy :-P