Building from stone is one of the oldest construction practices, where this highly durable, versatile material can be applied to a range of essential projects. This process, known as stone masonry, can be utilised to construct walls, arches, paving and roofs, as well as decorative statues and ornaments.
Generally stone masonry involves the bonding together of stone pieces or blocks using mortar, where this useful joining product can be made from variable mixes of sand and cements.
Read on for a comprehensive overview of different types of stone masonry, with a look at how these methods are used.
Types Of Stone Masonry
The two major types of stone masonry can be divided into rubble and ashlar methods, where each includes a variety of subcategories:
Rubble Masonry
Also known as rubblework, this masonry method uses undressed or rough stone, which is laid in an irregular pattern. Rubble masonry of all kinds is usually used for exterior wall construction.
Coursed rubble masonry involves laying broken stone in rough rows, shaped into loosely equal sizes using hammers. In contrast, uncoursed rubble masonry takes stones directly from the quarry, where only the weakest corners are hammered away, allowing whole stones to be laid.
Dry rubble masonry is a further method that utilises irregular shaped rock to build traditional compound walls. This technique doesn’t require mortar, where the stones are placed carefully to form a durable structure.
Ashlar Masonry
This masonry type uses finely cut, uniform stones to lay regular wall patterns in geometric rows, where this building method is commonly used for impressive structures such as wall fortifications, churches and castles.
Various methods include ashlar fine-tooled masonry, where each block is completely regular with a smooth service. Ashlar rough-tooled masonry involves a similar technique using even block sizes, but where the exposed rock faces are finished with a rough texture.
Ashlar chamfered masonry is another building type where each regular block has a strip cut out of the perimeter at a depth of 25cm, creating a raised brick effect.
B & D Roofing & Building: Meeting All Your Essential Construction Needs
At B & D Roofing & Building, we offer a range of local building services across East and Central Scotland, where our experts can carry out a range of stone masonry methods to restore or rebuild your brickwork. Additionally, our team can deliver lime repointing and rough casting services to suit your individual requirements.
We also provide a variety of traditional roofing services, as well as commercial roofing solutions for your business. Our roof restoration professionals are fully equipped to manage slating, tiling and lead work on any scale, where we also fit environmentally friendly green roofs.
Contact us today for more information about how we can help, or to arrange an assessment of your property.
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