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Stone House Construction is a comprehensive study of Australian stone building techniques in a residential context, for people with an interest in building or renovating, including property owners, architects and builders. It has a strong theme of historic stone buildings, as traditional forms of building respond to the need for structural integrity and stability over time against weathering.

The book covers aspects of building in locally sourced stone, from quarrying on-site to building arches over openings for upper storey walls, and is a source book of examples and methods to help the reader to carry on a tradition of building in local stone.

Stone buildings inspire people because they transfer a natural beauty to a human achievement. The book shows many examples of Australian stonework that have not been given exposure in previous architectural references. It promotes Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) through the continuation of a stonework tradition in Australia.

Features

• Gives examples of Australian stone houses
• Describes classic stone construction techniques
• Provides a comprehensive study of building in stone and includes a specification guide
• Shows stone as used in different parts of building and landscape
• Promotes ethical use of a readily available local material

Contents

• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• Chapter 1
  • Stone house design
  • Thermal comfort
  • The basics of passive solar house design
  • Room layout
  • Daylighting
  • Construction considerations
  • Thinking outside the square
  • Cost-effective house design
  • Perimeter proportions
• Chapter 2
  • Geology of building stones
  • Building stone
  • Igneous rock
  • Sedimentary rock
  • Metamorphic rock
  • Qualities of building stone
  • Stone for heritage work
• Chapter 3
  • Siting and stone availability
  • The choice of stone
  • The site
  • Variety in stone or other materials
  • Where to quarry
  • The characteristics of a stone
• Chapter 4
  • Small-scale quarrying
  • Machine quarrying
  • Quarrying with hand tools
  • Quarrying with explosives
  • Granite
  • Basalt
  • Sandstone and other sedimentary stone
  • Slate
  • Limestone
  • Loading and unloading
• Chapter 5 Shaping stone
• Chapter 6
  • Techniques of wall building
  • Footings
  • Differential loading - doors and windows
  • Damp-proofing
  • Weatherproofing window openings
  • Setting out
  • Laying the stone
  • Rubble walls
  • Measuring
  • Ashlar
  • Mortar
  • External walls
  • Cavity stonework
  • Stone veneer
  • Formed masonry
  • Flagg's mosaic rubble
  • Framed formwork
  • Slipforms
  • One-sided formwork
  • Services
  • Finishing joints
  • Cleaning
• Chapter 7
  • Upper wall construction
  • Wall thickness
  • Scaffolding
  • Lintels
  • Flat arches
  • Arches
  • Arch stones
  • Windows
  • Dormer windows
  • Wall flashings and drip moulds
  • Arched windows
  • Arch centring
  • Vaults and domes
  • Roof fixing
  • Parapets and upper walls
• Chapter 8
  • Stone in the landscape
  • Quarry reclamation
  • Water and rock
  • Symbolism
  • The stone barbecue
  • Garden spaces
  • Garden walls
  • The landscape as structure
  • Natural landscape
• Chapter 9
  • Fireplaces and chimneys
  • Proportions
  • Dampers
  • Construction
  • Storing heated air in a rock bed
  • Chimneys
• Chapter 10
  • Floors and steps
  • Floors
  • Heating and insulation
  • Steps
• Chapter 11
  • Drawings and specifications
  • Sketch plans
  • Working drawings
  • Specifications
• Appendix 1: Stone footings
• Appendix 2: Retaining walls
• Appendix 3: Arches
• Glossary of masonry terms
• Endnotes
• References
• About the photographs
• Index

Author

Sarah Gunn studied architecture at the University of Melbourne. Her first involvement in building with stone was on a job for her mother. The project was a country house with a tower, near Hepburn Springs. Sarah and her husband travelled around Victoria and New South Wales seeking out stone houses and quarries to photograph, and to learn from people who were building in stone. She continued her architectural work in Castlemaine, VIC, then South West Rocks, NSW. She has contributed to the Good Wood Guide and grows rainforest trees on her property.

Code No. 016128, ISBN 9780643096370