BUILDING WITH STONE

**rkissinger** · 08-31-2010, 07:22 AM

This looks awesome, I was thinking of a stone over ICF foundation myself and hadn't considered dry stack like this. How high can you stack those and still be stable without any attachment to the wall? As far as your 18" above ground level is concerned I don't believe you have a problem. The stone and gravel is basically the same thing that your concrete foundation itself is made of, Termites won't like it and it won't hold moisture. One thing though, it looks like the stones are simply stacked on the ground without any kind of footer below the frost-line so if you are somewhere that freezes much you might get some movement in the winter. Oh the other hand you hired a mason and I would think he should know what he's doing. I say go for it.

**loghousenut** · 08-31-2010, 07:43 AM

Good lookin Masonry! I'd let that boy stack rocks at my place anytime. I think it looks cool as long as the cap rock is narrower so it tapers back toward the sill log. Dry stack is great because it drains and there is no problem with frost heaving cracking mortar. I have never worked with ICF's but I'd check and see if you should seal the styrofoam above ground. I'm wondering how to make the transition at the sill log and I think I'd have your roofer make up a custom flashing that matches the roof that attaches to the sill log down low and slants down and out to cover part of the cap rock. Unless you are sitting the rock on the footing I'd be sure the backfill is tightly packed and the rock is sitting on gravel. I have a feeling your guy knows how to keep settling to a minimum and since it is not srtuctural it doesn't matter if it settles a bit anyway.
I don't know the answer to your 18" above soil level question. This certainly is a path for termites etc to gain access to your logs. maybe if that flashing attached to the PT sill plate and covered the top 1/2 of the top rock? Maybe a rigorous application of boric acid every year or two?
Sure wish I had a pile or two of that good looking rock. Below is a shot of an old dry stacked rock/block wall on my place. The block is 22R.

**ramblinman502** · 08-31-2010, 12:53 PM

thanks for the input/comments folks. ive been doing a little reading on it..and cant find any reason why doing it this way would be a problem..as long as we can come up with a way to incorporate the termite shield. the splashing could be a problem if the shelf is too big.
and the answer to the question of how high can you dry stack..im not sure to be honest. ill ask the mason when he gets here tomorrow. hes good at what he does thats for sure. here is some more of his work on the property ( stone porn if ya will )

**ramblinman502** · 09-12-2010, 06:06 AM

stone work is moving along..still working out what to do about the termite shield.

**loghousenut** · 09-12-2010, 06:23 AM

Sure looks slick! Haha Rocklock. I made ya look.

**Captn** · 09-12-2010, 01:45 PM

This looks fantastic!

We had the same idea for our stemwalls ..... can you give us an idea of cost?

**ramblinman502** · 09-12-2010, 03:18 PM

for the one side of that stem wall, 32' long ( thats not finished ) i got a bill on friday for $1350. hes not cheap. n that doesnt include the stone, which came from a stone house we took down on the property. i would imagine that the stone would be pretty expensive.
but ill say..ive been watching him do it on n off n it isnt rocket science. hes gonna do these two houses...on the next house, well be doing it ourselves.