Abstract In the present study, experiments were conducted using model testing to explore the load-carrying capability of horizontally and vertically reinforced end-bearing stone columns. Single columns with three different diameters, i.e., 50 mm, 75 mm, and 100 mm, were tested under compressive loading in both unreinforced and reinforced circumstances. This study examined three different variations in horizontal reinforcement. In the first case, the geotextile was evenly distributed at regular intervals along the entire height of the column (L). Secondly, horizontal layering was implemented from the column head to the centre of the column. Lastly, in the third case, horizontal layering was applied from the centre of the column to the base of the column. For vertical reinforcement, four different lengths of reinforcement ( Lr) were used, i.e., L, 0.75 L, 0.5 L, and 0.25 L. According to the experimental results, using horizontal as well as vertical layers of reinforcement improved the bearing capacity of the stone columns. In addition, the process of layering as well as vertical encasing served to mitigate the lateral bulging of the columns under examination, as it capitalised on the interlocking and frictional interactions among the stones that comprised the columns. Numerical modelling with a finite element (FE) code, Plaxis 3D, was also performed to validate the experimental results. An exhaustive comparison of all the cases was performed, and the experimental results demonstrated a high level of concurrence with the numerical findings. Keywords: soft soil; stone column; geosynthetics; finite element; horizontal reinforcement; vertical reinforcement