Curry & Co Resource Page
On this page you will find information about stone construction & restoration that we hope is helpful.
Masonry terms
Mortar: A building material that binds stones. Mortar is comprised of cement, lime and sand. It can be dyed and laid in numerous ways to compliment stonework.
Stucco: A material made from a combination of cement, sand and lime that can be used as an interior or exterior coating. Stucco can be dyed, rough or smooth.
Footing: Concrete base that is required for all stonework: fireplace, veneer, garden wall. Because stones are so heavy they must be laid on a substantial concrete foundation.
Dry stonewall: Stonewalls laid without mortar. Farmers in England, Ireland and America cleared their field of stones and laid them in long property defining walls. These walls look beautiful in pastures but are not appropriate for most homeowners because they collapse over time and invite rodents, snakes and insects to borrow.
For
advice on building a dry stone wall, consult: British Trust for Conservation
Volunteers
http://www.btcv.org/skills/walls/drystone.html
or buy their
wonderful book
http://shop.btcv.org.uk/shop/level2/59/stock/948
Fireplaces
Fireplaces are part form part function. For a fireplace to draft well, it must be correctly sited within the room, the smoke shelf and flue must be the correct size for the firebox, and the chimney must extend beyond the roof lines - easier said than done. Fireplace design begins with a foundation and should be an integral part of your architectural plans.
You can find
a brief description of these workings at wikipedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fireplace
Your architect or mason may have expertise with this, or you may have to hire a consultant.
You will need a chimney cap. The cap keeps water and animals out. Caps can be simple and inexpensive, constructed from stones / brick, or elaborately fabricated in clay.
You can learn
more by reading Fireplace Designs by Gerald L. Weaver
http://www.popula.com/st/no_606/2696865.htm
Flue: The pipe that leads from the firebox through the chimney to the outside. The flue size should be 10% of firebox opening.
Damper: A metal plate that closes the opening to the smoke chamber.
Smoke Shelf: space above the damper.
Draft or Draw: a device that regulates the flow of air through the chimney by opening [allowing more oxygen, fueling the fire] or closing [offering less air and smaller flames but more heat].
Cultured Stone
Fabricated from poured concrete, these tiles are easy to apply and offer the homeowner a stone veneer without the necessary foundations and expense of 6 — 12” real veneer.
Eldoradostone.com offers a number of styles that can look as good, or better than the real McCoy if properly laid and well pointed.
In Hunterdon County you can see cultured stone styles at H.K. Buzby on route 22. You will be hard pressed to find the cultured stone veneer that I laid vs. the original stone at The Grand Colonial on Route 78 at Exit 12
Links to sites about construction:
Restoration
Trade
http://www.restorationtrades.com
Traditional
Building
http://www.traditional-building.com/index.htm
Custom
Building and Restoration Catalogue
http://www.traditional-building.com/rte999.htm
Suppliers in our area
H.K.
Buzby
www.hkbuzby.com
Block, Pavers, Masonry materials, great service / knowledgeable sales
help.
Delaware
Quarries
http://www.delawarequarries.com.
A large selection of stone.
Finkles
http://www.finkles.com
A family run hardware store with expertise in plumbing, electric and steel.
The best neighborhood hardware store, no matter what neighborhood you
are from.
Eldorado
Stone
http://www.eldoradostone.com
Manufacturers of cultured stone and brick facing.
Roll
Rock.com
http://www.rollrock.com
The biggest distributor of stone on the east coast.
Suggested Reading
MyUrbanSherpa
http://www.myurbansherpa.net
Is a Fabulous New York Directory with concise and well-written descriptions of restaurants, shops, bars, museum listings, jazz clubs, and a great list of shops and boutiques in New York City.