When planning the construction of the fence, initially it is necessary to determine the material that will be used for this. And if stability, strength and durability are considered the main quality criteria, then stone is the best of all possible options.
Stone fences have been used by people since ancient times. They were powerful walls that could withstand the onslaught of bad weather and delay the enemy. They were built over the years by the forces of thousands of people!
What if you decide to build yourself reliable protection too? It is quite possible to build a stone fence with your own hands! So you get not only protection from any unwanted penetrations, but also a beautiful element of the landscape.
Varieties and advantages of stone fences
So why is it worth choosing to stop on this type of fence? Consider its advantages:
- stone is a natural material, which means it is safe and environmentally friendly for nature and others;
- the service life is not limited, it will depend only on the quality of the mortar used for construction;
- wide range of prices;
- a stone fence can be installed alone by force;
- high fire safety;
- the appearance of the fence will harmoniously fit into any landscape surrounding it.
A natural stone
For such a stone fence, the price is quite affordable - 1 kg of material costs about 4 rubles. The cheapest option is boulder stone or cobblestone. Despite being cheap, it has very high strength. Of course, you can save by assembling it yourself, but this way you get the fence in the only possible gloomy gray color. But this is your business, and, as they say, they don’t argue about tastes! The stone looks red-brown in color, having a rounded shape. It gives the fence a slight roughness. If you want to have a fence with a completely smooth surface, you need to break a stone with a sledgehammer.
Pebbles
Less commonly used are materials such as gravel and pebbles. Since they are small in size and the erection of a fence of such material requires a lot of time and labor. To make such a stone fence strong enough, its base and corners are made of brick. But, it should be noted that such a combination of stone and brick looks quite interesting. The cost per 1 kg is an average of 15 rubles.
Limestone
It can be of several types: bryozoans, shell rock, marble-like. The cost for 1 m of lining is about 250 rubles. This is a fairly soft breed, it is easy to work with. But before you build a fence of stone of this kind, you should first process it with a water repellent. Since limestone absorbs moisture, it quickly collapses in wet and cold climates.
Rubble stone
This stone is often irregular in shape. For example, the length of one rib can reach 50 cm, and the other 10 cm. It is obtained from limestone, sandstone and dolomite. Used for construction and cladding. In addition, now there is an opportunity to choose whether this stone will be - wild or processed.
Sandstone
Sandstone has been used for a long time, and it is also quite popular. Such a stone fence is durable, moisture resistant, and tolerates frost. The surface can be polished and hewn. In addition, it can be specially chopped material.
Artificial stone fence
Today, artificial stone is gaining more and more popularity, since it is much cheaper than natural and is ordinary concrete in essence, which has been given the appearance of natural material. Such a stone-like fence will last at least 50 years. But it should be remembered that the level of wear resistance of the material will be slightly lower than declared if it is used to erect a fence near a road or in lowlands.
If you are not a professional, you are unlikely to distinguish such a stone from a natural one. On the market, you can choose an artificial stone of any texture and color (chipped, smooth, ragged, rough, etc.).
French stone
Recently, French stone has become widespread. By choosing it, you can save on material and build a beautiful fence made of artificial stone. This type of cinder block received immense popularity directly in the Crimea, making serious competition to shell rock.
Decking
The fence made of "under the stone" outwardly looks like a stone wall. It is an inexpensive material used to finish various surfaces. Externally, the flooring does not differ from natural stone due to offset printing. A pattern is applied on a galvanized sheet coated with a transparent protective layer. It turns out such a fence is quite colorful!
We build a stone fence with our own hands
If you plan to build a stone fence, you need to know that this process is quite long, difficult and time-consuming.
Construction Technology:
- we mark the fence;
- laying the foundation;
- erect fences.
Everything seems to be easy, but let's look at the above steps in more detail.
The first stage does not depend on the material used and is equally performed for each type of fence. It is necessary to make a preliminary drawing, select the length of the fence, determine the amount of necessary materials. In parallel, we reveal the level of height on each side of the site.
The erection of the fence involves the construction of a strong strip foundation, with waterproofing, with a frame made of reinforcement. Then they make formwork for the construction of support pillars. It is better to make it from the boards. Next, install the formwork on the foundation, attach to the grillage and make masonry.
If you are building from cobblestone, then pick up stones of the same diameter. The solution for bonding is done in the following way: mix sand with cement in a ratio of 1: 3. For beauty, you can add the dye of the desired shade (10 tablespoons 4 tablespoons). The finished mixture should not spread. The shape of the stone in the course of work can be adjusted with a hammer.
We put the solution on the foundation, then we install stones on it, fitting them tightly to each other. Appeared voids need to be repaired with a solution. But you need to do this very carefully so that the solution does not fall on the front of the stone. It is very difficult to clear the hardened mixture! And water in this case is better not to use, since there is a risk of its penetration into the stone, and this will lead to the loss of its natural color.
After completing the masonry of the first row, you must wait at least a day before proceeding to the second. The solution should harden well. Until you finish the series completely, you cannot stop the work. But if you still suspended it, then it is necessary to constantly water the masonry so that it does not freeze in any case.
Having completed the construction of the fence canvas, you can carry out the jointing. She will give the fence attractiveness and volume. This is done with a narrow spatula 1-1.5 cm. For beauty, an arch can be made above the gate.
A specialist will need about forty days to erect a 100 m fence. From sandstone, dolomite, limestone will be faster, because they are better processed. It is possible to build a fence with your own hands, but still do not be lazy to find yourself a few helpers!