STONE MASONRY is a type of building masonry construction that uses stones and mortar, this construction technique is used to build foundations, floors, retaining walls, arches, walls, and columns. In masonry construction, these natural rocks are cut and prepared in proper shape.Nowadays landscaping works, outside walls and sculptures are made using stone to give a more beautiful structural appearance.
Stones can be found abundantly in nature, on chopping and dressing to the correct shape, they provide cost-effective materials for the manufacture of various building elements such as walls, columns, footings, arches, lintels, beams.
General principles of stone masonry:
- The stones used for stone masonry should be hard, tough and durable.
- The stone should be completely prepared according to the requirements.
- The mortar used should be of good quality.
STONE MASONRY TERMS:
Face: The exterior of a wall exposed to the climate is called the face.
Back: The inner surface of a wall that is not exposed to the weather is known as back.
Hearting: It is the interior of a wall between the face and the support.
Through stone: In stone masonry work, some stones in one stone or two pieces are placed right in front of the walls at regular intervals, such stones are called through stones or bonding stones also called a stone header.
If the fine thickness is quite thick, then the overlap is provided through the stones.
Joint: It is a junction of two or more stones in wall construction.
Course: A course is a horizontal layer of stones in a wall.
Stretcher: It is a stone with the longest characteristic parallel to the face of the work.
Header: It is a brick or stone situated on the face of the work with its greatest size at right angles.
Plinth Course: It is the uppermost layer or course of the masonry.