using natural stone in brickwork - web viewthe water absorption of natural stones is in sandstone...

Construction Trainers Training – CT Train

Using natural stone in brickworkCrust consists mainly of natural stones, which have come into being by result of geological processes from the remains of living organisms and minerals and differ from their origin.

Natural stones are the oldest building materials in history of mankind. Natural stones are used as building materials all over the world. Using natural stones in construction differs by regions, depends on kind of stone, climate, nature, also from cultural- and technical standards.

In different regions are developed certain traditions in using natural stones. The main natural construction stone in Estonia is limestone, what is mainly used in foundation building of houses. Limestone is the national stone of Estonia.

Production of natural stonesNatural stones are taken from open quarries or mining by breaching, blasting vertically canting or sawing.

Constructional requirements to natural stoneUsing natural stones like building materials is important to follow all needed conditions. According to the using place, the stone must endure the weather conditions, load and other external factors (example fire).

Hardness of the rock is important in processing The strength of the rock is affected by grain size (fine-grained is harder) and crystals shapes

(rough- surfaced and stranded are stronger bounded than smooth- surfaced and round). Impact of water to the rock

Volumetric change by moisture to the natural rocks is relatively small, except limestone and marble. The water absorption of natural stones is in sandstone 0,2-9, limestone 0,1-2, marble 0,2-0,6, granite 0,2-0,4 percentage of mass. Usually after drying the stone acquires its former form, but thin plates may curvature. Stones what may get softer by effect of water must be taken into account their softening coefficient. In case the water absorption is bigger than 0, 5 percentage of mass the product has low resistance to cold.

Some stones (example dolomite) contain different salts, what may cause after contact with water and drying a hoarfrost residue on their surface. These salts do not cause the stone’s decay, but breach of surface exterior and promote the accumulation of moisture and dirt.

Projekti on rahaliselt toetanud Euroopa Komisjon.Publikatsiooni sisu peegeldab autori seisukohti ja Euroopa Komisjon ei ole vastutav selles sisalduva informatsiooni

kasutamise eest.


The thermal capacity and thermal conductivity of natural stones are relatively high, that is why they have high expansion to temperature and must be taken into account while building (example flexible joints).

Types of brickwork

Illustration – dry brickwork from limestone

Dry brickwork is slightly conically inclined, some stones must reach through and the top layer must be from full stones. Bigger stones can be supported by smaller chipped stones.


kasutamise eest.


Illustration- dry brickwork from cobble

Every next row’s center of gravity should be inwards. The wall can be filled with smaller stones inside.

Illustration- the brickwork from broken stones

By skilled matching natural stones is possible to build an eye-catching and designed wall, also with nice joints. In the edges and corners are placed big and possibly angular natural stone blocks. Smooth and flat sides of the stones are placed outside. To follow the stability, make the joints as narrow as possible. Avoid crossing and upright joints. The wall should be narrower upward. The rows should run more or less horizontally, the last row must be horizontal.

Illustration- the brickwork from broken stones with irregular rows

In this form you can recognize leveled rows. To achieve it, after every other row’s or the third row’s checking is needed. Edges and corners are diminishing straight. Bigger stones are below.


kasutamise eest.


Illustration- the brickwork from field stones

The wall from the field stones consists of irregular round or angular stones, which are broken into arbitrary pieces. In this kind of wall granite or limestone is used, and it is not usually possible to cut them to quadrangular. Facetted and round stones are placed on each other that the outside wall should be more or less smooth and straight. From the other side you have to fit the stones next to each other very well. The small gaps between the stones can be filled with chipped stones to make the wall firmly stay. Big field stones are usually laid up with mortar mixture, but it cannot be seen in outer side. There should be feeling like the wall is laid up like a dry wall, what is held together by its weight.

Preparatory work in foundations and constructing wallsBefore starting with foundation the preparatory work is needed. For the beginning the ditches for foundation must be cleaned. Water and waterlogged surface must be removed and tighten the surface with 5-8 cm gravel layer, with splinters or coarse sand by mashing it in.

Laying the limestone foundation and wallsBrickwork’s strength is acquired by the right laying the stones in the wall. The stones are laid in rows and the gaps will be filled with mortar.

The stones in the brickwork must be crosswise to the forces applied to them. The neighbor horizontal joints cannot be in the same places, you have to follow the joints bonds. The superficial rows of the walls, the corners of foundations and intersections are laid from bigger and better field stones. The direct contact with another stone without mortar is forbidden, also is not allowed to use dirty stones.


kasutamise eest.


The make and structure of mortar is chosen by needed strength, time (winter or summer), foundation’s ground, also the purpose of structure and other requirements.

Laying walls consists of the following work what is connected- beacons setting, layer bars installation and direction cord clamping.

Illustration- constructional stones- a- constructional limestone, b- socket with broken or sliced edges, c-

rough socket

Illustration- structure of brickwork

a- reliance of stones in brickwork without mortar, b- reliance of stones in brickwork with mortar, c- the

brickwork from irregular field stones


kasutamise eest.


When the ditch or trench for the foundation is ready the right location for the foundation will be placed by using the plummet. After that in the bottom of the ditch the lower layer will be laid by using the bigger stones. The bottom layer will be stomped. The gaps will be filled with chipped stones and mortar. Before starting with the new layer, the laid stone layer should be covered with 2- 2, 5 cm mortar layer.

Limestone foundations and walls are laid as double- wall brickwork. In outer and inner superficial lines are used stones with longer edges and are more or less straight. Inside the brickwork the smaller stones and chipped stones are used. For each layer the stones with equal thickness are chosen and the next layer stones must cover the underneath seams. To avoid the breakage the upper row’s surface stones must bind the opposite row’s surface stones. Building the foundation on different heights, you have to start from lower places and go upward by steps. The ratio of height and length may be 1:1 at dense soil. The height of the step cannot be more than 1m and in other soils 1:2 and the step’s height till 60 cm. During bricklaying the sole under the wall must be covered with insulation layer.


kasutamise eest.


Illustration- a- construction limestone, b- structure of brickwork from limestone

Laying foundation from graniteConstruction granite is in different sizes and shapes. That’s why it is not possible to build from granite so regular walls as from limestone. Building granite walls is more complicated and needs skilled bricklayers.

The walls are laid similarly to limestone walls, with inner and outer surface lines and with layers. To save mortar as much as possible the filler and chipped stones are used. While laying granite walls at least the mortar type M50 is needed.

ToolsThe productivity of bricklayer’s work depends on tools and their quality. The same tools are used in laying natural stones as we use in bricklaying. By purpose the tools are divided into two- producing, and control- measuring tools.

Producing tools are a brick hammer, trowel, mortar shovel, shovel bucket and jointers. In addition you have to use the heavy hammers with 4- 10 kg, which are used for splitting and squaring the natural stone’s edges.


kasutamise eest.


With mortar shovel the mortar is mixed in the box and raised to the wall. With combined trowel is possible to fill horizontal joints and hew bricks. With a hammer the stones are cut and hewed. With curved and concave jointers the surface joints can be given a needed shape.

Control- and measuring instrumentation are- plummet, spirit level, direction rope and its attachment clamps, ply racks, square, folding ruler, measure tape, inventory beacon, rod. For high quality brickwork is recommended to use a four-meter long rod.

Illustration- a- brick hammer, b- trowel, c- plummet, d- metal measure tape, e- wooden folding ruler, f-

spirit level, g- mortar shovel, h- shovel bucket


kasutamise eest.


Illustration- the shape of the stone wall, measuring height and width with needed tools.

Organization of work in constructing limestone foundations and brick wallsBrickwork is still a handiwork and that’s why its rationalization has a big importance.

Stones can be taken to the construction site by trucks or cranes. Before they have stacked onto desk stands from big piles and the stands are lifted on the bricklayer’s working place. The stands are made of 5cm thickness boards, with measurements 80x80 or 100x100cm. The stand must have four strong hooks and is raised with a four-pronged wag. The crane can also use a scoop and tip out the stones onto he bricklayer’s working area. Limestone is usually loaded to the ground in piles over the working object or on the one side of building.

To cart the stones to every needed place on the construction plot, the path must be built, which is at least one meter width and the distance of 8-10 m. From the piles the stones with different sizes will be set into the barrow and from there the bricklayer can choose the right size stone for his work. The stones are tipped out by slides exactly to the bricklayer’s working place. Mortar is also carried by the path and fell by slides to the mortar box.


kasutamise eest.


Used literatureSaville, L. 2009, Kivimüüritised õues, Tormikiri, Tallinn, lk 102.

Skaarer, N. 2007, Koduõue kivid ja sillutis, Varrak, Tallinn, lk 53

Volker, F. 2012, Kõik looduslikust kivist. Sillutised, müürid ja trepid aias, Varrak, Tallinn, lk 98 - 99


kasutamise eest.

using natural stone in brickwork - web viewthe water absorption of natural stones is in sandstone...

Documents