| Mountain Stone and Wood Fence |
From "Build a Fence"
episode DBAF-105 |
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Materials:
2x6's
Mountain stone rock
Fast-setting concrete
3" galvanized decking screws
Mason string
Chalk line
Protective gear: face mask, gloves, safety goggles
Grout bag
Mortar
Lime dust
Cement Tools: Variable speed drill
Level
Tape measure
Shovel
Post hole diggers
Wheelbarrow
Circular saw
Wire brush
Trowel
Framing square
Rock hammer
Brick hammer
Hoe Before You Start: - Building with stone is not as difficult as you think. Besides mountain stone, you can use creek rock, limestone or thin stack. The fence we built is designed to accent a portion of the homeowner's driveway. It consists of four mountain stone columns with two rails installed between each column (figure A). The total length of our fence is 28' with each column located 7' on center; the pillars are 3' tall and 18"x18" around.
- Determine the property boundary. This is done by a survey and will verify the actual property boundary.
- Determine setbacks. Contact your local codes office to determine the proper (and legal) setback for your location.
- Contact local utility companies to come out and mark all underground utility locations. This is a free service and is essential before any digging takes place.
- Determine the total linear feet of the fence and order materials.
Getting Started - Measure in from property line to the proper setback distance and place a stone where each pillar will go (figure B).
- The first thing you need to do is dig the holes for the footers. Ours were 2' by 2' and approximately 6" to 8" deep. You have a couple of options when it comes to digging your holes -- a post hole digger, or if you have just a few to dig, you can use a shovel (figure C).
- Mix fast-setting concrete in a wheelbarrow with a hoe. The concrete can be purchased at local home centers and comes in 80 pound bags and yields about 2/3's of a cubic foot per bag. Mix water with the concrete according to package instructions until it has a cake batter type consistency (figure D).
Tip: It is a good idea to set the wheelbarrow on an old piece of plywood to prevent any spills on driveway. - Pour the concrete into the holes and then smooth it out using a trowel (figure E).
- Let the footers cure for a few days.
Laying Stone - Use a framing square and marker to draw the layout for the columns (figure F).
- The basic ingredients for making mortar are lime dust and cement. It takes 15 shovels of lime dust mixed with one-half bag of cement. Pour it into a wheelbarrow and mix it. It needs to be thick enough so that it will stand up on the trowel without falling off.
Tip: You can also purchase bags of premixed mortar at your home center. All you have to do is add water and mix thoroughly. - Trim the rocks using a brick hammer (figure G) and rock hammer so you have flat surfaces to work with.
Tip: When shaping rocks, make sure to wear safety glasses. The idea is to trim off any uneven surfaces. Start small and gradually chip away until the face is relatively square. - Using a mason's trowel, spread a bed of mortar on top of the footer about 2" thick. For your first cornerstone, select one that is uniform and square and using rock chips, place a couple at the base of each stone (figure H). They will be used as temporary shims and will be removed before grouting the joints. Keep a level handy to check for plumb and level and then move onto the next corner and repeat this process on all corners. As you lay each cornerstone, measure from outside corner to outside corner to make sure you have the proper distance.
Tip: Since the mountain stones have uneven surfaces, it is a good idea to occasionally use a framing square to verify that sure all corners are square. - Once you get the sides done, you can fill in the middle with chips and stones and mortar.
- You do not want to imbed the wooden rails into the stone column because over time the wood will weather and rot, etc. You have a couple of options. You can make or buy a bracket to imbed into the mortar (figure I) and then bolt the wood into the bracket. Or, you can drill with a masonry bit into the column and use anchors.
- Place a layer of mortar on the top of the columns and smooth it out.
- Once the columns are finished, cover each one with heavy-duty plastic and wire so you can keep it dry until they have cured.
Setting Capstones, Grouting Columns and Installing Rails - When placing the top caps on, use a masonry trowel and start by applying a generous amount of mortar for the capstones. Start in the corners. It is okay if excess grout seeps out because you can go back and remove it when it has had a chance to cure for a bit. Lay the capstones so that they overhang 1". Position all four capstones (figure J) and then fill in the middle with the final one. Let the stones cure.
- Take a brick hammer and knock out the small scotch rocks (figure K) before you grout.
- For the grout, mix sand and type "N" mortar cement, or you can buy it premixed. All you have to do is add water and mix until the consistency of cake batter.
- Use a grout bag to fill in all the gaps (figure L).
- Use a trowel to smooth out the grout (figure M).
- For the rails, we used 2x6 treated pine. Drill a couple of pilot holes in the end and use a couple of 1-1/2" galvanized screws and washers to set them in the brackets you imbedded in the mortar (figure N).
Note: You can use whatever type or color of wood you desire. - The last step is to clean up the columns. After you apply the grout, let it cure for approximately two yours and then use a wire brush to brush out just enough grout to reveal the edges of each stone (figure O). Finally, use a whisk broom to sweep out any brush marks.
RESOURCES :
Fences, Gates and Bridges: A Practical Guide
Model: 0911469087
Author: George A. Martin
(1992)
To order this title from Amazon, click here.
Alan C. Hood and Company
Building Stone Walls
Model: 0882660748
Author: John Vivian
(1986)
To order this title from Amazon, click here.
Storey Books / Storey Communications Inc.
Website: www.storey.com
GUESTS :
Jim and Terry Mitchell
Masons
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| ALSO IN THIS EPISODE: | | Mountain Stone and Wood Fence |
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