Hammerhead Stoneworks

This drystone wall connects two columns in a Montford backyard. The redial steps are visible in the distance. Another wall segment will continue from the furthest column and turn at the bank. Most of the stone is a granitic gneiss: heavy, sharp and cantankerous. And it makes a lovely wall. Quarried a few miles outside of Asheville, it looks like it belongs here because it does.

In the photo below, find the green marble tucked in the joinery. In the bottom photo, there’s a pool ball.

This is the start of a drystone wall that runs between two columns in the radial steps project. One column is visible in the image; the setback and batter of the wall are clearly shown.

High temp on Wednesday was about 35. I’m looking forward to the day when I can swing the hammers unimpeded by so many layers- at least seven in this photo.

The radial steps are all in place, awaiting some serious clean-up and grouting. The two columns that frame the steps are up to height, awaiting caps. The third column in within inches of completion. I have shifted my focus to the drystone retaining wall between the columns.
PIctured above: looking down one of the columns next to the steps.

I’m almost done with the radial stone steps I’m building in the Montford district of Asheville. The sixth riser is in place, awaiting the final tread, which I still need to fabricate. The image above is a panorama looking down onto the left hand column and the steps. A wall connects the top radius and the column. You can see the shape of it in this image, but it is not completely built up yet. The columns will be a few inches taller than the wall/steps and will have capstones.

This was the view Monday. I’m using the propane heater to warm up the stones in the area I was planning to work.

This is a shot from behind the steps. From here you can see the overall shape and get a clear picture of the structural nature of the stonework. This is a not a veneer. By my very rough calculations, there will be 12+ tons of material in the steps and columns when I’m done. The backside of the steps is ugly as all get out, but it’s solid as a…

The prettier side of the stone steps.

I am starting my class prep for the Stonework Special Projects: Making A Bench session at the North Carolina Arboretum in May. Here’s a section of the slideshow focusing on making a bench in a drystone retaining wall.

The new class schedule for the North Carolina Arboretum was recently announced. I am leading three stonework classes this spring. DIY Flagstone Paths & Patios will be offered twice, on Saturday April 10th and on Friday April 16th. In the morning session, we discuss the basics of drystone flagging: necessary site prep, the principles of good structure and varying joinery styles. In the afternoon we go outside to the stone classroom and practice the essential skills: moving stone safely, shaping individual pieces and leveling the patio.

I am offering a brand new class this spring, called Stonework Special Projects: Making a Bench on Saturday May 15th. In the morning we will discuss the design and structural issues of building a stone bench. In the afternoon we will build a freestanding bench ourselves. Topics of note including cutting stone with feathers and wedges and how to move large stones safely.

Register via the Arboretum’s on-line calendar.

Progress continues on the radial stone steps. Mid-week, before the rain really got going, I cut and installed the third tread. Even though the volume diminishes with each step, there’s still a huge amount of fill going into each riser. The columns are 2′ by 2′ and are starting to look like something.

This project was designed by Steven Lee Johnson of Sitework Studios. Steven Lee and Sitework Studios have been great to work with, as they have a clear vision of what the space should be, but give me room to roam with structural and aesthetic choices. They were kind enough to let me use this drawing as well.

This is an early sketch. Some things have changed since it was completed. The wall and columns are structural stone, not a veneer. There will be another step above the landing, and the treads are cut stone, rather than a random pattern. The area below the steps will be paved in brick.

It really did take two weeks to get this step installed. We had a wicked cold snap, with at least a week’s worth of days that didn’t go above freezing. But the last two days have been in the fifties and it’s felt like summer. In the image above, you are looking down onto the bottom two steps. The lowest step is eight feet across. The landing narrows down to six feet. There are small points on the outermost stones on the landing, that almost look like little horns, pointing back at the camera. Those will be cut square and columns will rise up alongside the step. Four steps will rise above the landing, with the radius reversed, curving back into the hillside.

A mason friend is restoring a chimney around the corner. I scored a whole mess of scrap bricks from him, which I have been using for fill. Because the bricks are old and some are breaking down, I am only using them inside the structure. No bricks will be used where they will be vulnerable to moisture

The image to the right is of the bluestone laid dry to test the fit of the stones. So far the templating system has worked beautifully.

I built this walkway last fall using Pennsylvania bluestone. In this image you can see both the true and full-color bluestone. The path is 42″ across and laid dry. There’s a small set of steps in the middle; the very straight line at the bottom of the image is the back edge of the top step. The steps are Tennessee sandstone, but they fit the color palette well. The path is drystone, with no mortar or concrete at all. It leads to the main entrance of a private residence.