The fence can be built from different materials and using several technologies, but it is the stone fence that is the most reliable. In addition, the stone makes the design attractive in appearance. Most often, natural material is used in the construction of fences, but in recent years, artificial substitutes have also gained popularity.
What are the advantages of a stone fence:
- fire safety,
- immunity to any precipitation and natural phenomena,
- no rotting, corrosion, oxidation, etc.,
- environmental friendliness,
- the ability to select the desired shade,
- material availability,
- durability.
It may seem to a beginner in the construction business that only a professional can make a stone fence on his own. In fact, this is not the case and almost anyone will cope with the task. Before proceeding directly to work, it is necessary to determine the type of future fencing. When building a fence, it is used:
Training
So, there is a goal to build a stone fence, it remains to find out what is required for this. First of all, you need to take care of the materials. Suppose that the stone has already been purchased, then it remains to have a concrete mixer or a tank for mixing cement mortar. Also for this mixture you will need crushed stone and sand, the volume of which depends on the length and height of the fence. It is better to choose cement with the marking 300, as it is better suited for such construction. By the way, for the dosage of the components you will need a shovel (scoop), and for laying out the finished mixture, a construction trowel.
Next, you definitely need boards and nails for the construction of formwork, as well as reinforcement to give the structure good rigidity. If the fence is high, then you will need another welding machine. With it, steel rods can be extended to the required size. Be sure to purchase a pipe with a diameter of 50 - 80 mm. It is she who will be the "heart" of future pillars.
For marking work, you need a tape measure, small stakes and ordinary twine. Once the location of the fence is determined, you can proceed to the next step.
Attention ! Before starting any work, you need to take care of safety precautions. Perform all actions with gloves and boots. If the stone will crack right on the spot, then it is better to wear goggles. Just in case, you can prepare a first aid kit with bandages and disinfectants.
We build the foundation for the fence
First you need to dig a trench along the width and length of the stone fence. In this case, a bayonet shovel or even a crowbar may come in handy. The depth of the trench depends on the specific conditions, but it does not make sense to make it more than 700 mm. Do not throw away the soil from the pit, as you will later have to fill in the edges of the foundation.
The next step is to hammer the boards to the desired configuration. At the same time, the rods are welded in the same shape and laid in the trench. Along the entire perimeter, you need to drive in stakes, and from above, after 1.5 - 2.0 meters, nail the transverse beams. This is done so that when pouring the boards do not disperse to the sides.
Concrete mixture can be poured into the resulting structure. If there is no experience in kneading it, then here is a small instruction. It is always necessary to proceed from the volume of the binder and only after that add other components. So, for one part of cement you need two parts of sand and four parts of crushed stone. All ingredients are poured into a concrete mixer and mixed.
When the mixture is ready, it can be drained into a container and spread around the perimeter of the fence with buckets. But you can do it smarter and pour the mixture directly into the formwork using a gutter. At the same time, each new batch involves the movement of the concrete mixer!
Pre-mark the points for the pillars and weld a pipe to the reinforcement in each of them. Height is better to do with a margin!
After completion of all concrete work, the structure must be left alone for 15 - 20 days. For better and uniform hardening, an insulator (film) is placed on top of the formwork. Otherwise, the top of the foundation will dry out quickly, and the strength of the concrete will be worse.
Inexperienced builders at this stage can make one fatal mistake. After pouring the foundation flush with the ground (or even lower), you will not face problems with water later. Rain, melting snow, etc. will accumulate along the fence, thereby eroding the soil and promoting the formation of slime and mold. It is better to make the foundation just above ground level, and then decorate the concrete or cover it with a thin layer of soil (decorative stone).
Making stone fence posts
The erection of pillars begins with measuring the distance between them. If it is different, then you can slightly tighten or stretch the pipes with a rope. The stone columns for the fence are made slightly wider than the spans, which visually divides the entire wall into sections.
Next, formwork is made in the form of a square with the required width of the column. At the same time, the height of the formwork should not exceed 40 - 50 cm. When everything is done, a layer of cleaned stones is laid out and this is done as close (parallel) to the plane of the boards as possible! After that, all cavities are filled with a moderately thick solution. By the way, the solution for the stone fence itself is done like this: 1 part of cement, 1.7 parts of gravel and sand! It is important to ensure that all the gaps between the stones are filled with a binder mixture, but the solution itself does not spread over the column.
Thus, this procedure must be done on each pillar and left to harden for one or two days. With the formwork for the pillars of the stone fence, you can also cheat a little. In order not to collect a new square each time, you can simply pin another one to the bottom row and so on! Gradually, the height of the pillars will reach the desired level, and then you can start laying the walls!
Laying down the fence walls
Walls can be made in different ways. Experienced builders simply pull the string, which becomes a guideline for the height and deviation of the fence. They lay one layer of stones around the entire perimeter of the fence, after which all voids are filled with mortar. A day later, the second layer is laid out, etc. But in this case, there is a high risk of getting a wall that is too uneven, so it is better to use the formwork.
Tip: If large round stones are used for the fence, then the formwork will not help. It is better to lay them out "by eye"!
Formwork is done similarly to pillars, but here it is no longer necessary to apply stones tightly to the boards. Some irregularities are acceptable, they give the fence asymmetry. After laying out the first layer, the stones are covered with mortar and left for one or two days.
Important: It is better not to make the formwork too high, as this will lead to voids in the mortar and poor quality of the entire structure. All seams must be hammered with a trowel!
In order for the spans of the fence to turn out to be the same in height, closer to the end they need to be measured with a tape measure. By varying the size of the stones, you can come to a single level of the entire wall. After completing the laying and dismantling of the formwork, it is important to carry out the jointing in time, otherwise the mixture will harden strongly.
Fence jointing
After pouring, you need to wait about 5 hours and start grouting. First, all the remnants of the solution are cleaned with a rough brush, after which a special tool, a scraper, comes into play. It is a metal rectangle with a protrusion equal to the desired width of the seam.
TIP: To give the fence volume, it is better to make the seams deep. If you need the effect of a single monolith, then the deepening of the seams should be minimal (no more than 2 cm)!
The jointing step is quite simple, but here it is important to be accurate when deepening the tool. Experienced builders recommend that, after jointing, the seams and stones be treated with a solution of hydrochloric acid (no more than 30%).
The same seam significantly improves the appearance of the fence and allows you to better process it.
Fence details
The natural stone fence is ready, the seams are embroidered, the formwork is removed. But at this stage, the design still looks unfinished! It's about the details that will ennoble the rough shape of the material and give the wall a well-groomed look.
Firstly, a so-called cap must be installed on each pole. They are sold in stores or made to order in blacksmith workshops.
Secondly, the seams of the pillars can be shaded with some kind of waterproof paint, which will visually divide the fence into spans.
Conclusion
Making a fence is not easy, but, as the classic said, there would be a desire! This material clearly shows that even a person who is far from manual labor can perform all stages of construction. A few things are enough and you can start building!
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"My home is my castle!". But in order to fully realize a competent saying, you should seriously think about the fence - reliable, safe and aesthetically beautiful. Which building material to choose and the technology for erecting the structure itself is the first thing to be decided by applying the maximum of creative ingenuity and skills.
It is important to remember, "everything new is a well-forgotten old." Hundreds of centuries ago, our ancestors knew exactly how to build a carefree and at the same time durable fence. It is the fragments of stone fences that have survived to our time, demonstrating their excellent stable characteristics. And all because the stone is a material of natural origin, the reliability of which has been tested by time. But back to the main point. How to build a stone fence with your own hands?
Construction technology
The technology of erecting a stone fence provides:
- marking the fence;
- laying the foundation;
- erection of a railing.
Foundation stone fence
Before you start building a fence, the first thing to do is to make a markup, which includes creating a preliminary plan-drawing indicating the length and height of the fence, not forgetting the gate and gates, and then proceed to dig a trench for the foundation. It should be borne in mind that natural stone is a fairly strong and heavy building material, so the foundation must be designed for the appropriate load in order to ensure the strength and reliability of the structure.
As shown in the photo, to build a stone fence with your own hands, it is enough to adhere to a trench width of 35-40 cm and a depth of 70 cm. When erecting a fence with a height of more than 2 meters, it is recommended to increase the depth of the trench by 10 cm with each meter of the fence. In order to avoid the appearance of cracks in the foundation, it is worth sprinkling the bottom of the trench with crushed stone or sand 3-5 cm thick and laying the reinforcement frame. Having installed the formwork, proceed to filling the solution.
IMPORTANT! The finished foundation should completely grab, so stone laying must begin after a week.
Do-it-yourself stone fence laying
After approximately 10 days, it is necessary to proceed with the construction of the formwork for the supporting pillars, after which it is installed on the foundation with fixing to the grillage and the next stage is carried out - laying.
To build a stone fence with your own hands, you should use a solution of cement with sand in a ratio of 1: 3. For the purpose of aesthetic decoration, you can use brown pigment: 4 tablespoons of pigment are used for 10 buckets of cement mortar.
The implementation of the masonry is carried out by installing the stones with the flat side outward, tightly fitting to each other and adjusting the shape with a hammer. Voids during masonry are filled with sand-cement mortar. Care should be taken that this mixture does not get on the very surface of the stone, and if this happens, wait until it dries completely and remove it with a special metal brush. In no case should water be used, as it can, together with the solution, get into the inside of the stone and change the color of the natural color of the stone block.
Based on the fact that the speed of erecting a stone fence by specialists is about 35 days per 100 meters, it is necessary to call for help from several assistants so that the masonry is not subject to solidification. In the event of termination of masonry due to any forced circumstances, it is worth spraying it with water before starting work.
A fence around a house or a country cottage can be both just a beautiful addition to landscape design, and a reliable shelter from prying eyes and outside interference in personal life. The choice of one or another material for construction determines the characteristics of the future fence and its durability. A fence made of stone has always been considered the most reliable and durable option. If you responsibly approach its formation and choice of material, the fence can also become one of the decorations of the site.
Features of stone fences
The construction of fences to protect the house of stone began several centuries ago. At the same time, even the development of technology and the emergence of new materials did not greatly affect the popularity of this type of fence. There are several reasons for this, and all of them are caused by the features of the barrier.
- Durability (the higher, the better the solution connecting the stones).
- Environmental friendliness.
- Large selection of materials (fences are made of both natural and artificial stone).
- Fire protection without additional processing.
- Versatility in relation to the design of the house and suburban area.
How and from what stone can a fence be built
Choosing natural stone as the main material for creating a fence, you can be sure of the strength, reliability and durability of the structure. However, the variety of shapes, colors and types of this raw material can add other positive aspects. That is why, before forming a stone fence, it is necessary to study all the varieties of decorative stone on the market and choose the most attractive option, based not only on aesthetic preferences, but also based on objective factors - the characteristics of groundwater, soil, climate, and so on.
Boulders or cobblestones
Cobblestone and boulders are the most budget options that are used to make a stone fence with your own hands. At the same time, it has the main feature of materials of its kind - high strength. The most common color of boulder stone is gray, but it is not very attractive. When choosing raw materials, it is recommended to give preference to rounded samples of red-brown shades. Such a cobblestone will give the fence an attractive and original appearance. If desired, the samples that form a fence of decorative natural stone can be leveled by breaking with a sledgehammer on a chipped flat surface.
Gravel
A few years ago, pebbles and gravel were of little use in the construction of fences. This is due to the small size of the material and the inconvenience of laying. Today it is more common, as it is used in gabion nets. Gravel of large fractions is used for the erection of fences autonomously. Some designs involve a combination of fine and coarse raw materials. In order to achieve maximum strength, gravel is combined with brick.
Dolomite
Dolomite is a wear-resistant and reliable material with high strength characteristics. Construction around sections of stone fences based on it is widespread in suburban villages. Its extraction takes place in mountain mines by rock explosion. This leaves a certain imprint on the properties of the material, making it resistant to mechanical damage. To give dolomite an attractive appearance, it is carefully processed with a grinding machine before sale. With its help, the dimensions and shape of the stone are formed. The surface of the treated dolomite is smooth. If desired, you can choose the material in such a way as to form a geometric pattern during masonry.
Limestone
Limestone is one of the most common variants of natural stone and is found in several varieties: marble-like, shell rock, bryozoan. All types of limestone, due to their natural softness, are excellent for processing. Because of this, many "novice" builders choose this material to practice on the construction of the fence. With insufficient pre-treatment, it is brittle and prone to destruction under the influence of dampness and moisture. To extend the service life, limestone must be treated with a water repellent before the construction of the fence.
Sandstone
Fences made of shell rock or Dagestan stone are not very durable. However, processing with special compounds removes this drawback, which, however, is easily compensated by the affordable cost of the material. Due to this, as well as the colorful appearance, the decorative wild stone fence is widely used in the construction of houses and fences. Among the advantages of such fences are moisture and frost resistance.
rubble stone
The irregular shape of the buta gives the stone fence an original and unique appearance. It is mined from dolomites, limestones or sandstones. The length of the rib varies from 15 to 50 cm. In some cases, but is used exclusively as a lining for a fence made of another material.
Stone of artificial origin
Artificial materials are increasingly competing with natural ones, largely due to their lower price. At the same time, it is difficult to distinguish the externally finished product from natural raw materials. This also applies to fences. When choosing an artificial stone to form a fence, you may encounter three main types of this material:
- porcelain stoneware - made on the basis of clay and special mineral additives;
- agglomerate - a combination of polyester resin and stone chips, used for cladding;
- concrete-based stone is the most common material made from concrete with the addition of various fillers.
Especially popular in recent years are fences made of French stone. It is formed from concrete by vibrocompression followed by coating with waterproof compounds.
Advantages and disadvantages of using stone for fence construction
Before purchasing material and erecting a stone fence, it is recommended to carefully study its strengths and weaknesses.
pros
- Long service life, usually more than 50 years.
- Fences made of natural stone do not harm the environment and do not harm humans.
- Large assortment and, as a result, a wide price range.
- Fire safety.
- The attractiveness of the finished fence.
- The stone naturally and organically combines with other materials.
Minuses
The main disadvantage of a stone fence is the need to fill the foundation. At the same time, the higher and more massive the fence, the more solid it should be. Another negative side is the high cost of some varieties. True, if you take up the construction of the fence on your own, you can save a lot.
Combining stones with other materials
The stone fence is attractive in itself. However, the addition of other materials during the design will give it originality and help distinguish the fence from a number of others.
The fence, formed on the basis of wood and stone, loses its protective functions, but is particularly attractive. This is a classic that harmoniously fits into any landscape. The standard construction consists of stone pillars about 2 m high with a concrete cap and wooden sections. Before laying, a foundation is formed, the depth of which should be at least 1 m, and the width - 0.5 m. The process of building such a fence is not easy, therefore, it is impossible to do without drawing up a project, appropriate knowledge and skills.
The advantages of this type of fence are the ventilation of the site and the lack of shading. The negative side is the fragility of the wooden part of the fence and, as a result, the need to constantly update it.
The combination of brick and stone is widespread in the formation of fences for cottages and country cottages. This combination is distinguished by presentability and reliability. The fence has good protection against weather disasters and mechanical damage. In addition, it provides security from outside interference. Today, on the sites you can often find fences made of brick and French stone.
To equip such a fence, a foundation is poured, after which brick pillars and a low base are laid out. The formed sections are filled with a decorative stone of the selected type. The final design looks expensive and solid.
Gabions, or caged stones, are a new approach to building fences. They are a metal mesh made of large-diameter wire, filled with small crushed stone, pebbles and similar medium- or fine-grained raw materials. Thanks to the combination of steel and stone, a strong and reliable construction is obtained, which does not require much effort in terms of maintenance. The shape of the fence can be arbitrary. Often gabion structures are used as a frame for hedges.
How to make a stone fence
Regardless of what material the fences are made of - natural or artificial (for example, French) stone, their construction requires a careful approach.
Training
First of all, for the fence you will need the main material. In construction, rubble or hewn stone can be used. Hewn blocks include blocks of clear sizes and shapes. They are more comfortable and easier to lay. For beginners, it is better to prefer them. Booth has an irregular shape, so that the fence looks especially attractive and original.
In addition to stone, the following tools and raw materials will be needed to form the fence:
- cement (it is recommended to choose the M300 brand);
- sand;
- crushed stone;
- nails and boards (for formwork);
- reinforcement (to give the foundation rigidity);
- metal pipe with a diameter of 50-80 mm (for laying inside the pillars);
- concrete mixer or container for manual mixing of the solution;
- shovel;
- construction trowel;
- welding machine (for welding fittings together);
- level and plumb;
- tape measure, rope and stakes.
Choosing a location and marking the future fence are also part of the preparatory stage. Before proceeding to the "field" work, you need to draw a fence diagram indicating the locations of the support pillars, gates and gates, as well as all dimensions, including height (usually 2-2.5 m). The area where construction work will take place is cleared of debris, excess vegetation, leveled, after which the drawing is transferred to the area. Pegs are installed along the perimeter of the fence, between which twine is pulled. This will become the contour of the erected fence.
Construction stages
- Foundation formation. Since any stone fences are heavy, this stage is indispensable. The width of the foundation should exceed the width of the fence by about 15 cm, the height of the base is chosen at the discretion of the owner (it is better that it be at least 10 cm). The depth of the trench under the base is from 70 to 130 cm (depending on the characteristics of the soil). The bottom of the pit is covered with a sand cushion, which is carefully compacted. To create a foundation, you can use concrete and a reinforcing base, or a combination of cement mortar and buta. The first option is preferable, since concrete tends to strengthen over time, while rubble is prone to destruction, although the technology for organizing this type of foundation is simpler. You can proceed to the next stage of construction work only after the concrete has dried and hardened.
- Waterproofing installation. It is carried out in two stages. The first occurs before pouring the foundation and consists in placing a roofing material around the perimeter of the trench. You need to process both the bottom and the walls. After the foundation is filled and completely dry, another layer of roofing material is laid on top of it. These manipulations are performed in order to prevent moisture from entering the structure in order to avoid its destruction.
- Section formation. This is the main stage during which the laying of the stone takes place. During the process, care must be taken to ensure that the stone fits each other in size and shape. If necessary, the contours of the cobblestones can be corrected, but this is a long and laborious operation. Detailed masonry technology depends on the type of material. Laying natural stone is different from using artificial raw materials. Sandstone and cobblestones can be laid using the same technology as bricks, but for rubble, you will probably have to build formwork. The general requirement is the primary formation of pillars. Their width should be greater than that of the main spans.
- Seam processing. This stage is important for the aesthetic beauty of the fence. If the seams are too deep, the voids between the stones are filled with additional mortar. The excess is removed with a metal brush, which should be carefully processed stones on the fence. Depending on the type of material used, the solution is removed immediately after the formation of the row or after complete drying.
Finishing work
As a rule, do-it-yourself stone fences have flaws and flaws of various sizes. In some cases, this causes surface roughness. The most common way to finish hedges is to apply chipped granite over the stone. The finishing process in this case takes place in several stages.
- Processing a completely dried fence with a facade primer.
- Application of cement mortar with the addition of a plasticizer. Instead of cement, the use of special glue is allowed.
- Fixing granite chips. For a more budget option, structural plaster or other flat materials can be used.
- Sealing and smoothing seams.
- Surface grinding.
Building a reliable fence is a laborious process. At the same time, you can make a stone fence with your own hands, even without prior preparation and special skills. If you approach the matter with all responsibility, the result will be an attractive and reliable fence of the site, which will delight the owners for many years.
Fencing in summer cottages or suburban areas is not only a way to protect against uninvited guests, but also a visiting card of the house, decorating the main building and allowing the owner of the house to express himself.
An example of a fence made of natural granite stone
A stone fence just favorably distinguishes a personal plot from the total mass. In addition to superiority in aesthetic terms, such fences have a lot of advantages. We will analyze what the construction of a stone fence on a personal plot will allow to achieve, and also whether it is possible to cope with it on our own.
Features of stone fences
Our ancestors built a stone fence to protect their homes far before us. Despite the fact that such fences have a very ancient history, they can give odds to some fences made from modern building materials. Let's take a look at what makes these buildings so special:
Materials for the construction of stone fences
Consider what types of stones can be used in order to make a stone fence.
Boulders or cobblestones
If it is done, and there is a need to save as much money as possible, then this version of the stone is most suitable. The price of such material is very low, especially since it can be obtained for free at all, for which you just need to look under your feet.
Such fences do not differ in bright appearance and look quite simple and concise.
boulder fence example
You can slightly embellish such a fence made of natural stone by buying cobblestones of bright colors. For example, you can find red boulders in the construction market, which will definitely make your site stand out among many others.
Gravel
This type of stone is the smallest of those used for the construction of fences. Most likely, you will rarely see such a fence made of wild stone on your way: the size of the pebbles does not make its laying convenient. In this case, a fence is built of stone and brick, where bearing duties are assigned to brick in the form of pillars, and gravel - a decorative plan.
The price of gravel, as well as cobblestone, is low, so if it is decided to make such a stone fence, the main expenses during construction will be associated with the purchase of bricks.
Dolomite
This type of decorative stone has a flat outline. Its extraction is carried out with the help of blasting in special quarries.
Original dolomite fence with forged elements
As a rule, if it is necessary to finish the fences with stone, then the choice is made in favor of this material. The price per square meter is noticeably different: depending on the size and composition of the stone, it is 200–3000 rubles.
Limestone
This type of stone, like the previous one, is mainly used for finishing finished fences. Its soft texture makes it very easy to work with. You can buy such material for 250-300 rubles / square meter. It is necessary to note some of its negative aspects. The structure of this stone is porous, which makes it hydrophobic.
In regions with a damp climate, such a decorative stone fence will quickly become unusable: moisture will penetrate into the pores and destroy the limestone from the inside. Thanks to moisture-proof impregnations, the problems associated with this can be avoided, however, it must be understood that this will entail additional costs.
Tiger sandstone fence using metal elements
Sandstone
This type of stone is used not only for the construction of fences for suburban areas, it is also actively used in the construction of houses. Sandstone is not afraid of water and cold, so the life of the fences of this decorative stone is very high. Thanks to all the advantages, it is very popular and very expensive.
To buy a cube of such material, you need to pay about five thousand rubles.
If you only need to finish the fence, then you can buy tiles made of this material, which will cost up to a thousand rubles per square meter.
rubble stone
A rubble stone fence can be built completely or it can be lined with it. This material is very common in the construction of fences due to its strength characteristics. You can buy rubble stone at a price of about 250 rubles per kilogram.
Stone of artificial origin
Thanks to the development of modern technologies in the construction industry, new materials are increasingly appearing on the market. Artificial stone is very popular for finishing fences, using which an imitation of any natural stone is achieved.
It looks no worse than fences than from natural materials, and its cost is significantly less. Due to the variety of colors, textures and shapes, such a fence can fit into any exterior of a personal plot.
Construction of a stone fence
Building a stone fence with your own hands is not easy. You need to have a lot of free time, as well as be prepared for some difficulties. We will analyze the process of erecting fences of this type in stages:
Let's talk about each of the stages of construction in more detail.
markup
Determination of the boundaries of the future fence is carried out in the case of the construction of fences from any materials. At this stage, you can determine the consumption of materials, for which you need to calculate the length of the fence, its height and width.
Foundation construction
Usually provide for fences. Work begins with excavation along the border of the erected fence. The trench is made up to 600 mm wide and up to 800 mm deep, after which it is poured with a solution. It is necessary to equip the foundation even where the gate will be located, to ensure the integrity of the structure.
It should be noted that it is mandatory to reinforce the foundation with reinforcement to prevent cracking in the future.
Installation of formwork for pouring the foundation
After pouring, the base is left to dry. If work is carried out in hot weather, it is necessary to periodically wet the hardening structure so that the foundation does not dry out.
Preparatory work
Since there are about three weeks before the foundation hardens, you can devote this time to preparing the building material. To begin with, it is necessary to sort the stones by size, which will allow in the future to produce masonry much faster.
If very large elements come across, then it is better to crush them, because they may not fit anywhere. You should also clean the stones of dirt and wash them.
Pillar installation
The pillars are needed for the construction of the fence to ensure the reliability of the future structure. It is recommended to install them in glasses pre-mounted in the foundation. The core of the pillars should not be left hollow, it is best to lay stones there and pour the mortar.
An example of a natural stone fence post
To save money, you can use cheaper stones or use unnecessary leftovers. The height of the pillars can be equal to the height of the fence or be greater at the discretion of the builders. After finishing work, you need to let the pillars stand for two weeks, and only after that begin further work.
It is not in vain that a fence made of profiled sheet won the title of "folk" - today this type of fence can be found everywhere. But stone fences, although more expensive and complex in execution, do not give up their positions. Many developers dream of just such a high-strength structure and consider it both more reliable and more worthy, especially for the “facade” part of the territory.
In the article we will consider the following questions:
- What are the nuances you need to know before starting the construction of a stone fence.
- What foundation to choose for a stone fence.
- What construction "tricks" will save.
- What can be done to build.
Construction features
Any developer who decides to build a stone one, first of all, thinks about what material to build it from, what technology, and how much it will cost. To avoid mistakes, it should be remembered that a full-fledged a stone fence is a heavy and responsible construction. Therefore, its construction should begin, if not with the development of a project, then with a detailed plan.
The finished plan will help to avoid mistakes, making changes to the design on the fly, marriage by workers and, as a result, costly rework.
First, let's deal with the definition. For clarity, we group all types of fences depending on their weight:
- Lungs. These fences include structures made of mesh, profiled sheet and with filling spans between metal poles, boards.
- Medium. The basis of the design are brick, monolithic or stone pillars. Filling between spans can be made of profiled sheet, wood, forged elements.
- Heavy. The entire structure, including the filling between spans, is made of bricks, concrete mortar, natural stone, sand-cement blocks with a decorative stone-like finish, etc.
If everything is clear with the type of fences from the first and third groups, then developers have questions about the second. To simplify the task, the fences from the second group are also considered stone, despite the fact that in the second version the filling between the spans is made of relatively light materials.
This is due to the fact that you can’t just put a fence with a stone pillar on the ground. Under it, you need to make a quality foundation. The spans between the brick pillars are connected with metal veins (a rigid connection is formed), on which a profiled sheet, wood paneling, etc. are hung.
If, due to the forces of frost heaving, one of the pillars will stick out in the spring, and the second, on the contrary, will sag, the whole structure will come into an emergency state.
Unlike a metal pole hammered or stuffed into the ground, which, if necessary, can be corrected with a sledgehammer, a brick pole cannot be repaired so easily.
The service life of a stone fence depends entirely on the reliability of its foundation and the foundation on which it stands. Therefore, construction should be based on the general principles of building a foundation for a cottage, including the collection of the total load that the fence will have on the foundation. This is especially important if the spans between the posts are filled with materials such as bricks, sand-cement blocks, etc.
Hence: first we study the soil and its bearing capacity, and only then we decide on the possibility of building a heavy stone fence. In special cases, with “bad” soil, it may turn out that the necessary construction costs will exceed all reasonable limits, and you will have to abandon it in favor of easier options.
The choice of foundation and construction "tricks" to reduce the estimate
When it comes to building a stone fence, the first thing that comes to mind is to make a columnar foundation (under brick pillars) or pour a full-fledged tape. Although widely used, these methods have various drawbacks. Stone pillars, each of which stands on a separate columnar foundation (monolithic concrete pedestal), "live" on their own.
We have already written above what this can lead to - uneven bulging or settling of stone pillars, which automatically leads to a violation of the geometry of the entire span.
It seems that pouring a full-fledged strip foundation for a stone fence will solve the problem, because. all pillars will be rigidly connected to each other by a single reinforced concrete beam.
The main question is how deep to fill such a foundation. The answer is below the freezing depth in order to avoid the effects of frost heaving forces, i.e. by 1.2-1.5 m (depending on the region of residence). And if the freezing depth is even greater (northern regions)? Do not forget about the tangential frost heaving forces acting on the side walls of a deep foundation.
In addition to the unreasonably high costs of such a foundation (on which you can even put a stone cottage), there are no guarantees that the tape will not break in the end. We recall the need for geological research of the soil.
Based on these results, you can make an informed and rational decision.
If the soil on the site is “good”, and the groundwater level is low, then with proper preparation of the base, you can use a shallow tape, and not swell cubic meters of concrete into the ground.
Or, if the soil is "bad", then change the type of foundation, which will also save money.
KaMaZik Member of FORUMHOUSE
I want to build a brick fence. The length of the fence is 18 meters. Height - 2000 mm. I was wondering what kind of foundation to choose for it. The neighbors have a fence on a strip foundation. The "tape" is buried 600 mm into the ground. Above the ground 400 mm. Foundation width 400 mm. The foundation overwintered several times, nothing happened, but I want a foundation for myself for a long time, so that I definitely don’t have to redo it.
Note that the soil at the user site consists of the following layers:
- Chernozem on a shovel bayonet.
- Clay.
GWL is low, in fact, there is no water. thinking KaMaZik I decided to make the foundation like this: pillars, with a section of 380x380 mm, deepen into the ground by 1500 mm. The grillage, with a section of 380x300 mm, is deepened by 150 mm.
Or build a second version of the foundation. Drill and pour piles with a diameter of 200 mm. Pour the grillage on the piles. In places where there are pillars, make the section of the grillage 380x380 mm, and in places under the fence canvas 130x200 mm.
The user still has questions: to deepen the grillage into the ground or make it hanging, how to organize the foundation at the entrance group.
It should be noted that among the "specialists" from the construction, the mythical type of pile-strip foundation gained great popularity.
That is, “legs” are attached to the tape buried in the ground - piles, which, in turn, are buried in the ground by 1.5 meters. When asked why a full-fledged strip foundation needs piles, "specialists" usually answer - to make it more reliable.
In a pile-grillage foundation, the grillage should hang about 150-200 mm above the ground. In this case, due to the air gap (emptiness), the soil that has been raised during frost heaving will not have an effect on it (grillage).
piles such a foundation, in turn deepen below the freezing depth, at the pile, the so-called. "heel" - anchor extension.
With conditions KaMaZik(low GWL) there is no need to dig, following the example of neighbors, a trench almost a meter deep under the fence and, thereby, bury money in the ground.
Groundworkturf Moderator FORUMHOUSE
In my opinion, in this situation, building a pile-grillage foundation is an excess. In the absence of water and heaving of the soil under such a fence, it is enough to make an MZFL (shallow-depth strip foundation) on a well-prepared base of sand and gravel.
Those. the fertile layer is removed to a solid ground (about 1 bayonet of a shovel). Under the gate we remove the fertile with 2 bayonets, with launches of 150 mm for dressing with the main “body” of the tape. Next, a trench is dug 300 mm deep. The width of the trench is 3 times wider than the width of the foundation tape (about 1 meter). Sand (layer thickness 5 cm) and crushed stone (layer thickness 20 cm) are poured onto geotextiles with a rammer. The formwork is placed, the tape is reinforced with additional reinforcement at height differences. At the end, the foundation is concreted.
This is just one of the options for the foundation for a stone fence.
ran 76 Member of FORUMHOUSE, Moscow.
I thought about building a fence. The barrier pillars will be brick, the filling between the spans has not yet been decided exactly - either, or a thin foam block for further decorative finishing. I re-read the entire portal and I can’t understand which foundation to choose. GWV is high. In August, the water stands at 300-400 mm from the surface. The site is on a slope.
The situation and questions are classic. To solve them, you must immediately decide what the spans will be filled with - boards or foam blocks. If in the first case you can get by with a columnar foundation, but with a “secret”, which we will discuss below, then in the second case (under the foam block), the construction of a strip foundation will already be required. Moreover, pouring it below the freezing depth is a completely irrational waste of money.
costeapechnik Member of FORUMHOUSE
A columnar foundation for a brick one can be done like this. We drill holes in a mechanized way (a hole drill should be used here) below the freezing depth, with a diameter of 350-400 mm. At the bottom we throw a shovel of crushed stone, we ram, we install a metal frame, tightened with clamps, bent from wire with a diameter of 6 mm. Moreover, the frame reinforcement, “eight” or “ten”, is bent in the form of the letter “G”. Next, we pour concrete about 30 cm, put a 120-ku plastic sewer pipe on the frame. We concrete the pipe with a reinforcing cage, and we fill the gap between the pile and the walls of the well with CGM with a layer-by-layer rammer.
The difference between this technology and TISE piles is a well-reinforced heel.
Reinforcement is produced 300 mm above ground level. Next, a brick masonry is being carried out, and instead of a traditional metal pipe, we launch a reinforcing cage inside, which is associated with the release of reinforcement from a pile. Then the cavity is concreted. For further welding of the veins, on which a profiled sheet or wood paneling is hung, metal embedded elements are removed from the “body” of the column.
As an option, in order to connect bored piles with each other and, if a combined filling of spans is planned (brick column, brickwork + profiled sheet or wood paneling), a classic hanging grillage is arranged.
You can close the “hole” under such a fence using the experience of the portal user with the nickname Vzik.
Vzik Member of FORUMHOUSE
I built a house on TISE piles with a hanging grillage. This foundation construction technology allows you to save money, because. the consumption of concrete and the volume of earthworks are reduced. Therefore, I thought that this option would also be suitable for a brick fence sheathed with a vertical board, organically placed apart. I will say right away - it was built several years ago. It is stable, during this time nothing stuck out and did not warp. The gate and the gate open like clockwork, despite the snowless winters with severe freezing of the soil and further heaving of the soil.
To close the gap from the ground to the grillage, the user installed a sheet of flat slate close to it. In the slate, cuts for self-tapping screws are made on top. Thus, the sheet “walks” and does not crack during seasonal raising of the soil.
For decorativeness, earth is sprinkled on the slate and the lawn is broken.
Stone fence as an element of decoration of a suburban area
In addition to the enclosing function, with the right approach, a stone fence can become an element of the decor of a country house and a plot. Interesting user experience of the portal with a nickname Tetra59, which was finished with a fence made of foam blocks, under the natural "rock art", and now it looks like a fence made of natural stone.
To do this, the surface was plastered and prepared for painting.
It took the artist at least two weeks and a large amount of paint to paint 40 meters of the fence.