I READ A BOOK ON THE TOPIC CALLED "BUILDING WITH STONE". I WOULD RECOMMEND IT TO JUST ABOUT ANYONE BUILDING AROUND STONE. ITS AS CHEAP AS ANYTHING IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO MOVE IT VERY FAR AND IT IS NOT AS SKILLFUL AS YOU MIGHT THINK...JUST ALOT OF HARD WORK. IF YOU ARE BUILDING OFF OF BEDROCK ESPECIALLY IT IS A GREAT IDEA.
There are some lovely stone buildings in this county and an adjoining one. They're very charming, and vary in style from ranch to craftsman to Mediterranean castle. :) The one problem I have heard about older stone buildings is that snakes like them a lot, but I'm sure that's something one could overcome with good maintenance and good construction.
Just curious, though... does the book address structural strength issues like earthquake reinforcements, etc?
Sara :D
THE BOOK REALLY DIDN'T ADDRESS EARTHQUAKE STRUCTURAL ISSUES. STONE WOULD PROBABLY DO QUITE POORLY IN THE EVENT OF AN EARTHQUAKE. A ROCK WALL FALLING OVER WOULDN'T BE THE BEST SCENARIO FOR A HOMEOWNER. ITS RELATIVELY TOP HEAVY AND NOT FLEXIBLE AT ALL. BUT IT IS BEAUTIFUL AND EASILY ACHIEVABLE AND CHEAP...AS LONG AS ITS REALLY CLOSE BY.
I wonder if that would preclude new (permitted) construction of stone buildings in an increasing number of areas? Seems like earthquake requirements are getting more stringent in areas where they are a consideration. Perhaps local regs are another reason for the increasing use of the manufactured stone-like facing products?
We live in the highest earthquake zone, so we'll probably never do more than a short dry-stack wall or something like that. Though we did talk at one point about building a smoke house, and I think stone might work well for that. :wink:
Sara
Building a small outbuilding like a smoke house would be a great way to get the technique down and see if you like the way it looks. We live in a county with no permits whatsoever, so we want to give it a shot and see what it looks like with a storage building. Snakes? Hmmm. I need a bigger cat.
Have you thought about getting a Liger?Originally Posted by WillandHelen
The average male Liger stands over 12 feet tall and weighs over 900 pounds. I think one of these would chase those scary old snakes away.
It depends on what type of building you do. Most modern stone construction is block with stone veneer. There is a method called slip forming that can give a hand layed stone wall look to some degree Thomas Elpel used it in his book Living Homes. It doesn't require the skill of a stone mason. But it also doesn't look as good as hand layed up close but it really is personal preference and depend on what kind of stone you use.
Most earthquake codes can probably be met with the proper steel in the stone work. I am considering doing a slip form basement when I build our personal log home.
Blayne
I would really recommend "Building with Stone" by Charles Long. The old method of building a stone wall by laying courses of stone and not using a veneer or slip forms definitly looks the best and it doesn't take a pro to do it. It all depends on your proximity to the material...unless your really determined. But if you've got the stone nearby then look at this building technique.
Will
CORRECTION...THE NAME OF THE BOOK IS: THE STONEBUILDER'S PRIMER. WHERE DID I GET "BUILDING WITH STONE"? :D
Some of the veneer products look great, Blayne, but that does add another cost element. I think that for a lot of people who use stone it's a combination of the cost factor (or lack thereof) and the charm of using indigenous materials. I think you're right that earthquake can be accounted for with steel within, with natural or with veneer. I remember seeing a natural stone addition (a craftsman-style turret entryway) being built in a nearby tourist town, and they were using steel someway or another (would HAVE to around here to pass code in the middle of town), but can't remember just how they did it.
Sara :D
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