| Building a Stone Column Mailbox: Finish Setting the Stone and Installing Light Fixture |
From "Weekend Remodeling"
episode WKR-102 |
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Materials: Two 80 lb. bags Quikrete
Eight 18" No. 4 rebars
Six 12" x 16" cinder blocks
Two 12" x 16" solid caps
2 mortar bags
2 pallets stone (4" thick pieces)
16 brick ties
6 bags of type S mortar
Mailbox
Newspaper holder (round ceramic chimney flue used in show)
Light fixture
Tape measure
Fluorescent marking paint
100 ft. underground non-metallic building electrical wire
Electrical box and switch
Ditch digger (rental)
Shovel
Hoe
Masonry hammer
2' square of plywood
Level
Framing square
String
Grinder with masonry blade
Additional masonry tools
Additional electrical tools
Sand (enough sand to mix the appropriate amount of type S mortar for the job) - Set the stones as you did before, working the non-metallic building electrical wire between the stones and the block (figure A).
- Use small pieces to wedge between the stones to hold them in place (figure B). When the mortar has set up enough, the wedges can be removed and the holes filled in.
- Using them as a guide, place the edges of the stone along the string line.
- Backfill voids with mortar and smaller stones (figure C).
- When you get to the top, remove the board and fill in the last remaining areas.
- You can use a single stone for the top and cut it to size using a grinder (figure D).
Note: A diamond tipped blade is ideal for cutting through stone. - Measure a square hole in the exact center of the top stone for the light flange.
- Feed the non-metallic building electrical wire through the flange for the light. Place an inch of mortar on top of the pillar (figure E).
- Use a smaller stone to hold the top up so you can make any adjustments before setting in place. Remove the small stone and center the large stone on the pillar.
- Connect the light with one electrical line coming through the center of the top stone. Strip the wires and connect the ground, neutral and hot wires together. Black to black, white to white and ground to ground (figure F).
Expert Tip: As with any electrical project, safety should be your primary concern. If you are not 100 percent comfortable with making an electrical connection yourself, please contact a qualified electrician to do it for you. - Attach it to the flange in the center of the cap stone.
- Lay the electrical line in the trench and cover it with dirt.
Note: Direct burial non-metallic sheathed cable (wire) was used on the show, so there was no need to run a conduit. Always check your local codes. - Drill into the crawl space at the house (figure G) and feed the line through the hole (we used a 1/2-inch masonry bit).
- Turn off the power to the circuit that the outside light switch is connected to. Unhook the switch from its box to give you room to work.
- Connect your grounds together -- the white to all neutral wires, and the black to the switch leg side, opposite the wires on the switch (figure H). Put everything back in box and put cover plate on.
RESOURCES :
Masonry Skills
Model: 0827371764
Author: Richard T. Kreh
(January, 1997 -- 4th Edition)
To order this title from Amazon, click here.
Delmar Learning
Building with Masonry: Brick, Block and Concrete
Model: 156158228X
Author: Richard T. Kreh
(November, 1998)
To order this title from Amazon, click here.
The Taunton Press Inc.
Website: www.taunton.com
The Art and Craft of Stonework
Model: 1579902189
Author: David Reed
(March, 2002)
To order this title from Amazon, click here.
Lark Books / Altamont Press
Website: www.larkbooks.com
Fieldstone (Castone LLC)
Castone LLC
Website: www.castone.org
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