Stone Foundations

cArNaGe · Post by **cArNaGe** » Thu. Sep. 04, 2008 9:17 pm

Looking at everyone's coal bins, I see several people with stone foundations. Anyone have to repoint theirs? I just started on mine today with a buddy. We got a 16 x 6 foot section done in about 6 hours. I have to finish another short section then I can start building my coal bin.

CoalHeat · Post by **CoalHeat** » Thu. Sep. 04, 2008 9:22 pm

No repointing yet, still trying to keep this old place from collapsing!

cArNaGe · Post by **cArNaGe** » Thu. Sep. 04, 2008 9:33 pm

Hence the reason for me repointing. I replaced the windows in my house about 4 years ago. All 40 of them. Huge savings in heating cost. I just did the seven basement windows this year. Two windows needed new casings and everything. All the windows were single pane and only one wasn't broken. Some sections of my foundation you can see light through. I figure if I can seal up the holes I will be warmer.

Motorbike · Post by **Motorbike** » Thu. Sep. 04, 2008 9:35 pm

My stone foundation is pretty bad. I didn't feel like re pointing it. I don't know how much it would actually help.
I just made 4 walls for my bin. I didn't want the crap from the old joints falling in my coal.

CoalHeat · Post by **CoalHeat** » Thu. Sep. 04, 2008 9:42 pm

The quality and workmanship of stone foundations varies greatly, from very good to nasty. Mine I would say is fair to good.

One comment, though: My cellar was dug by hand with shovels, there was no machine to do the hard work. That's probably why there is only a half-cellar and the south wall is farther from the north wall at the east end then the west end with a "V" shaped projection halfway that sticks out several feet. Along with the axe cut timbers it gives me an appreciation for the time we live in and how really hard "hard work" was 175 years ago.

cArNaGe · Post by **cArNaGe** » Thu. Sep. 04, 2008 9:54 pm

Same here Wood. There is a stone on the outside of my house with 1895 engraved on it. My basement is big. My inlaws pour a concrete floor when they bought the house about 25 years ago. I have at least 8 feet of space. The timbers around the whole house are about 12" x 16". They are long also. 15 footers, I wonder how in the hell they lifted those things.

Motorbike...... Mine is that bad here and there. But the majority of the basement is still solid. Just the mortar they used is like dirt now. I was using the shop vac to clean the walls and stones kept falling out. That convinced me to repoint.

I'll have to got down and snap a picture of two.

CoalHeat · Post by **CoalHeat** » Thu. Sep. 04, 2008 10:03 pm

We love pictures!!!

SMITTY · Post by **SMITTY** » Thu. Sep. 04, 2008 10:10 pm

The previous owner of my place did some extensive foundation work on the small part above ground. Below ground level however is pretty nasty. I think if I were to dig down to put in drainage, it would cave in! Water comes in every part during a rainstorm. So many projects.......and no time...

cArNaGe · Post by **cArNaGe** » Thu. Sep. 04, 2008 10:20 pm

Wood'nCoal wrote:We love pictures!!!

Ok here's pictures. The first is the part we did today. My buddy pretty much did this in Jersey for years, or so he says.

He said it was an ok job but not that nice. I think it looks great! He also said my foundation was built good and tight. Anyway to the pictures.

I'm going to finish around the windows tomorrow.

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This one is the other wall its 8 feet long.

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So this is also where I plan on building my coal bin. 16 x 8 and up to the two windows. I don't know if I want to make the whole bin out of wood or only two walls and use my foundation as the other part of the bin. I'm also going to divide the bin in half with slats so I can separate the coal if I want or need.

CoalHeat · Post by **CoalHeat** » Thu. Sep. 04, 2008 10:21 pm

Been dry in the cellar since the spring when the pond filled up and the "really big pump" was over there. Now everything's dry and we need rain.

CoalHeat · Post by **CoalHeat** » Thu. Sep. 04, 2008 10:24 pm

Lots of flat rock out there, C. Out here it's bigger rocks that are harder to move and fit together.

cArNaGe · Post by **cArNaGe** » Thu. Sep. 04, 2008 10:29 pm

Good ole PA Bluestone.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania_Bluestone

http://fieldstone2001.tripod.com/bluestone.html

SMITTY · Post by **SMITTY** » Thu. Sep. 04, 2008 10:48 pm

That is a PERFECT stone foundation!

They did a nice job on that one! Much smaller & flatter stones than we have out this end.

You can see part of it next to the cat -- I took this last winter when the stove was running -- I can't get any pics of it now 'cause my cellar is full of coal

!

Adamiscold · Post by **Adamiscold** » Fri. Sep. 05, 2008 8:50 am

cArNaGe

That's the best foundation I've ever seen, it looks so perfectly laid out. You know who ever built that really took their time to do it right. Around here all the foundations that I've ever seen is more like smitty's a bunch of round rocks trying to pretend that they are flat.

billw · Post by **billw** » Fri. Sep. 05, 2008 9:07 am

Our first house had a stone foundation. I nailed metal lathe up and parged it. It wasn't the greatest job but it leaked a lot less.

Stone Foundations

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