Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Sep 30, 1999 04:36am | #1

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   I also don't know anything about stonework, because everything around here is vinyl-clad, but I do remember an article, perhaps 10 years ago in Fine Homebuilding about a builder who used stones out of Lake Superior in the Upper Penninsula of Michigan to build a cabin. It seems to me that it was quite a detailed article. What strikes me is that everytime I go to the UP, I think of that article, and what a pain that must have been. Anyhow, I'll look for that article-perhaps your library has back issues you can see. Any others out there with lots of old FH issues that can help the guy out with this article?

1. 
   Guest_ | Oct 02, 1999 07:53am | #2

   *The major concern about building this type of structure is the weight issue. The foundation needs to be engineered to be able to hold up all that stone. Now, from an engineering standpoint, no big deal.However, from a consumer point of view an all stone exterior is quite costly. The material and labor alone will cost a substantial amount. Add the cost of the engineering,the beefed up foundation,the custom windows and jamb extensions, and the cost can easily exceed your wildest dreams. My suggestion to you is to look into cultured stone.You can not tell the difference if you tried.The cost and ease of installation are much greater.

2. 
   Mad_Dog | Oct 02, 1999 06:37pm | #3

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   Or are you thinking of a stone foundation?

   As far as it goes, do you have time to learn this trade, at
   least a little on the side? Could be a fun "hobby" for a
   while. Or just go find a pile of rocks, mix up some mortar
   and start making stuff. Firepit? Bird Bath? Garden walls,
   work up to an archway for the entrance? Why not, you have
   three years!

   Dog

3. 
   Guest_ | Oct 02, 1999 08:01pm | #4

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   Richard - I know a family who built a house with this same idea. They had a bunch of native stone and several kids. They divided up the house and all agreed to lay up the stone siding in their area. By the time the kids all left home, several years later, it was done, but no one enjoyed he work after a short time.

   I used stone to veneer my chimney a while back. I would come home at night, mix a batch of mortor (sometimes two) and lay enough stone to use the mortor. It took me all summer. It is a lot more labor intensive than you might think. That's probably why you don't see much of it anymore.

   The earlier suggestions about looking into cultured stone and starting with smaller projects are good ones. You might get halfway into it and realize how much you hate stone work. Even if you really like the look and the work though, it will take a LONG time to do a whole house. - jb

1. 
   Guest_ | Oct 03, 1999 01:38am | #5

   *Stone is more fun to work with than block or brick.IMO. It is more work. Do like the Dog said and start with some small jobs . That will help you learn how you want your mortar mixed and how dry/wet you like it.

1. 
   Guest_ | Oct 03, 1999 07:10am | #6

   *In our area (Central/Western New York) there are several stone houses that are solid field stone with a veneer of small flat stones laid herringbone style. Some of these houses will have 8 or 10 rows per foot. I think I would become insane after a few minutes. I feel sorry for the poor guy collecting all those little stones. Most appear to be natural stone as opposed to chips off of the bigger stones inside the wall.www.culturedstone.com has an impressive enough of a collection to make me keep piling my stones in the corner of my field, or burying them under new driveways.-Rob

4. 
   richard_hayes | Oct 04, 1999 06:58pm | #7

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   Thanks for the responses fellas, didn't mean to sound like I thought it was an easy task by any means. I have worked on mortarless stone walls before. You can't go anywhere in Vermont without seeing stone walls. Thats where my land is. Unfortunately I currently live in Virginia,so working on it all summer is out for the time being. My wife and I are planning to move back, to be close to our families in the next 3 years. Been looking at different styles of construction and always loved stone and there's just so damn much of it. You can't put a shovel in the ground without hitting rock. The key would be enlisting all the relatives. At least I got 3 years to figure out what to do. By then my wife will probably be in love with cedar or logs or etc. Take Care and thanks, Rich

1. 
   richard_hayes | Oct 04, 1999 09:19pm | #8

   *I posted that last message then went and looked at the cultured stone web site, pretty stuff, installation looks pretty straight forward, but does anyone have a ballpark for just material cost? Probably save tremendously on labor but up front costs might be steep. Thanks again

5. 
   Guest_ | Oct 05, 1999 05:25am | #9

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   I actually believe (but have no real data on this) That the cultured stone would hold up better to the weather then real stone. This would be because the stones and mortar are portland cement based and would react to moisture and freezing in a uniform matter, where some stones might freeze/absorb water at different rates causing popping.

   -Rob

1. 
   Guest_ | Oct 06, 1999 09:52am | #10

   *For cultured stone, around $5 a sq ft here in CT. Corner pieces are $1 a foot more. Give or take $.50 a foot.

1. 
   Guest_ | Oct 07, 1999 12:03am | #11

   *See a number of older stone houses out here in the Northwest, but nothing of recent vintage. There are also miles and miles of old stone fences running up and down the steep hillsides - makes my back ache just looking at them and thinking about how much work it must have taken to stack them up about three feet high and up to two feet wide on slopes that make it difficult just to stand up... Don't see them doing that much anymore either...You might want to do a quick search on the Fine Homebuilding index of back issues:http://www.taunton.com/cgi-bin/artresult-fh.cgiI typed in "stone" and got over a hundred references - including a "cobblestone cottage" in issue 54 and many references to "stone masonry"Might also want to check out the books at http://www.amazon.com - ran a quick check and got a list of books on stone construction including:Build Your Own Stone House : Using the Easy Slipform Method The Stonebuilder's Primer : A Step-By-Step Guide for Owner-Builders

6. 
   Mad_Dog | Oct 07, 1999 07:13am | #12

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   The stone work is interesting and a great craft to learn. I
   would want to have an expert to work along with when it
   comes to load bearing situations.

   Have a crumbling wall in my barn as a good example of my
   concern, but there is also a huge stone chimney there too,
   and that had to be some major work for someone.

   But I'll go out on a limb and say, "You could be the first
   one on your block to build his own stone house!"

   MD

   xxxxx

7. 
   Guest_ | Oct 07, 1999 07:24am | #13

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   Yep, about the same price in OK . Chuck

1. 
   Guest_ | Oct 07, 1999 07:38am | #15

   *I've got a copy of that one book about slip forming stone houses and a couple others from my hippie back to the land days. Helen and Scott Nearing promoted the slip form method for building with stone for DYIers in the 70's and I always wanted to try it. One of my goals for this winter is to overcome my aversion to all things cement.JonC

8. 
   richard_hayes | Oct 07, 1999 07:38am | #14

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   Planning on building a house in the next 3 years. Single story, size 2000 sq. ft. I'd like a stone exterior, built around Stresskin panels, modified post and beam, more than enough stone on the property,and my brother owns an excavator. I have no idea what stone work costs, how much I could do myself, where to go to find out proper techniques etc. Any info appreciated. thanks