Masonry

Studying Stone Masonry For Building Walls

Doing it yourself has become an important facet of home ownership, but there are still many crafts that are far beyond casual work. Electrical wiring is not usually done by people who do not practice it for a living, and this is due mainly to the danger as well as the inspections required to get permits. Plumbing can be simple or complex, so some people can do it on their own while others will hire a tradesman to do it for them. Saving money is usually the reason, but some people do want the experience. When it comes to building with stone, it is not as easy as it looks.

Stone is used in many areas of the home and these include the walls of the house, fireplaces and walls at the edges of the property. Some of them require mortar, but others can be built without it. Many people already know the difference, so they already know that studying stone masonry will be more complex. Much of what people need to learn is about choosing the right type of stones as well as knowing what the best mortar is for their project.

Walls that edge a property or area are often done without mortar, but the stones must fit correctly or the wall will collapse within a few years. Fitting the stones together must be done with an eye towards making a flat surface, and those who want to learn how to do it correctly will do as much research as possible before beginning.

Home walls and fireplaces require mortar as they must keep out heat, cold or the elements. The mortar will fill in all the cracks and gaps between stones, so there is less emphasis on having stones that will fit almost perfectly against each other. There are many different mixes for mortar, so choosing the right one depends upon the project being built.