I am a new poster to this forum. I am building a house in northern Wisconsin from lumber processed from logs harvested on the site with our Woodmiser. I have done a lot of boulder and large rock walls and want to do a set of fieldstone & mortar steps to the lake through them. The ground is pure sand in excess of 20 ft. depth-good drainage. The first steps would be 20 feet long dropping 5’ in elevation. I have a lot of flat faced fieldstone as well as a lot of corner stones. I have been getting FHB for 20 years and after looking through the back issues still have a question for this group.
Is this a do-able job for a beginner who is not afraid of hard work and a quick learner?
If so could I be pointed in the right direction with advise or websites with information.
Thanks in advance, George
Replies
Completely rebuilt some stone steps once. It's tricky to get just the right corner stones to form both a flat riser and a flat step at the same time. Really tough to shape hard granite-type stone we have here in New England. Helps to set form boards for the risers to guide placement of the riser face, and something to rest your level on for the step top. In this way you can potentially build it sort of like a slip-form stone wall, backfilling with concrete as you go. Then come back and grout the gaps with mortar after everything is locked in place.
For new work, I would be tempted to purchase off the shelf flat stone for the treads. Then you could use the fieldstones just for the riser face. Easier and safer that way.
There is a reason why fieldstone steps are rare...
Thanks for the reply.
I think I will follow your advise and check on flat stone at the quarry for the threads.
George
the way i did my job wasto use rock for the riser then brick for thetread .they really complement eachother was my impression i also carved desighns in the rocks it added some interest to the job