Construction Trainers Training – CT Train
Using natural stone in brickwork
Crust consists mainly of natural stones, which have come into being by result of geological processes from
the remains of living organisms and minerals and differ from their origin.
Natural stones are the oldest building materials in history of mankind. Natural stones are used as building
materials all over the world. Using natural stones in construction differs by regions, depends on kind of
stone, climate, nature, also from cultural- and technical standards.
In different regions are developed certain traditions in using natural stones. The main natural construction
stone in Estonia is limestone, what is mainly used in foundation building of houses. Limestone is the
national stone of Estonia.
Production of natural stones
Natural stones are taken from open quarries or mining by breaching, blasting vertically canting or sawing.
Constructional requirements to natural stone
Using natural stones like building materials is important to follow all needed conditions. According to the
using place, the stone must endure the weather conditions, load and other external factors (example
fire).
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Hardness of the rock is important in processing
The strength of the rock is affected by grain size (fine-grained is harder) and crystals shapes
(rough- surfaced and stranded are stronger bounded than smooth- surfaced and round).
Impact of water to the rock
Volumetric change by moisture to the natural rocks is relatively small, except limestone and
marble. The water absorption of natural stones is in sandstone 0,2-9, limestone 0,1-2, marble
0,2-0,6, granite 0,2-0,4 percentage of mass. Usually after drying the stone acquires its former
form, but thin plates may curvature. Stones what may get softer by effect of water must be taken
into account their softening coefficient. In case the water absorption is bigger than 0, 5
percentage of mass the product has low resistance to cold.
Some stones (example dolomite) contain different salts, what may cause after contact with water
and drying a hoarfrost residue on their surface. These salts do not cause the stone’s decay, but
breach of surface exterior and promote the accumulation of moisture and dirt.
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The thermal capacity and thermal conductivity of natural stones are relatively high,
that is why they have high expansion to temperature and must be taken into account
while building (example flexible joints).
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Types of brickwork
Illustration – dry brickwork from limestone
Dry brickwork is slightly conically inclined, some stones must reach through and the top layer
must be from full stones. Bigger stones can be supported by smaller chipped stones.
Illustration- dry brickwork from cobble
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Every next row’s center of gravity should be inwards. The wall can be filled with smaller stones
inside.
Illustration- the brickwork from broken stones
By skilled matching natural stones is possible to build an eye-catching and designed wall, also
with nice joints. In the edges and corners are placed big and possibly angular natural stone blocks.
Smooth and flat sides of the stones are placed outside. To follow the stability, make the joints as
narrow as possible. Avoid crossing and upright joints. The wall should be narrower upward. The
rows should run more or less horizontally, the last row must be horizontal.
Illustration- the brickwork from broken stones with irregular rows
In this form you can recognize leveled rows. To achieve it, after every other row’s or the third
row’s checking is needed. Edges and corners are diminishing straight. Bigger stones are below.
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Illustration- the brickwork from field stones
The wall from the field stones consists of irregular round or angular stones, which are broken
into arbitrary pieces. In this kind of wall granite or limestone is used, and it is not usually possible
to cut them to quadrangular. Facetted and round stones are placed on each other that the
outside wall should be more or less smooth and straight. From the other side you have to fit the
stones next to each other very well. The small gaps between the stones can be filled with chipped
stones to make the wall firmly stay. Big field stones are usually laid up with mortar mixture, but
it cannot be seen in outer side. There should be feeling like the wall is laid up like a dry wall, what
is held together by its weight.
Preparatory work in foundations and constructing walls
Before starting with foundation the preparatory work is needed. For the beginning the ditches
for foundation must be cleaned. Water and waterlogged surface must be removed and tighten
the surface with 5-8 cm gravel layer, with splinters or coarse sand by mashing it in.
Laying the limestone foundation and walls
Brickwork’s strength is acquired by the right laying the stones in the wall. The stones are laid in
rows and the gaps will be filled with mortar.
The stones in the brickwork must be crosswise to the forces applied to them. The neighbor
horizontal joints cannot be in the same places, you have to follow the joints bonds. The superficial
rows of the walls, the corners of foundations and intersections are laid from bigger and better
field stones. The direct contact with another stone without mortar is forbidden, also is not
allowed to use dirty stones.
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The make and structure of mortar is chosen by needed strength, time (winter or summer),
foundation’s ground, also the purpose of structure and other requirements.
Laying walls consists of the following work what is connected- beacons setting, layer bars
installation and direction cord clamping.
Illustration- constructional stones- a- constructional limestone, b- socket with broken or sliced edges, crough socket
Illustration- structure of brickwork
a- reliance of stones in brickwork without mortar, b- reliance of stones in brickwork with mortar, c- the
brickwork from irregular field stones
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When the ditch or trench for the foundation is ready the right location for the foundation will be
placed by using the plummet. After that in the bottom of the ditch the lower layer will be laid by
using the bigger stones. The bottom layer will be stomped. The gaps will be filled with chipped
stones and mortar. Before starting with the new layer, the laid stone layer should be covered
with 2- 2, 5 cm mortar layer.
Limestone foundations and walls are laid as double- wall brickwork. In outer and inner superficial
lines are used stones with longer edges and are more or less straight. Inside the brickwork the
smaller stones and chipped stones are used. For each layer the stones with equal thickness are
chosen and the next layer stones must cover the underneath seams. To avoid the breakage the
upper row’s surface stones must bind the opposite row’s surface stones. Building the foundation
on different heights, you have to start from lower places and go upward by steps. The ratio of
height and length may be 1:1 at dense soil. The height of the step cannot be more than 1m and
in other soils 1:2 and the step’s height till 60 cm. During bricklaying the sole under the wall must
be covered with insulation layer.
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Illustration- a- construction limestone, b- structure of brickwork from limestone
Laying foundation from granite
Construction granite is in different sizes and shapes. That’s why it is not possible to build from
granite so regular walls as from limestone. Building granite walls is more complicated and needs
skilled bricklayers.
The walls are laid similarly to limestone walls, with inner and outer surface lines and with layers.
To save mortar as much as possible the filler and chipped stones are used. While laying granite
walls at least the mortar type M50 is needed.
Tools
The productivity of bricklayer’s work depends on tools and their quality. The same tools are used
in laying natural stones as we use in bricklaying. By purpose the tools are divided into twoproducing, and control- measuring tools.
Producing tools are a brick hammer, trowel, mortar shovel, shovel bucket and jointers. In
addition you have to use the heavy hammers with 4- 10 kg, which are used for splitting and
squaring the natural stone’s edges.
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With mortar shovel the mortar is mixed in the box and raised to the wall. With combined trowel
is possible to fill horizontal joints and hew bricks. With a hammer the stones are cut and hewed.
With curved and concave jointers the surface joints can be given a needed shape.
Control- and measuring instrumentation are- plummet, spirit level, direction rope and its
attachment clamps, ply racks, square, folding ruler, measure tape, inventory beacon, rod. For
high quality brickwork is recommended to use a four-meter long rod.
Illustration- a- brick hammer, b- trowel, c- plummet, d- metal measure tape, e- wooden folding ruler, fspirit level, g- mortar shovel, h- shovel bucket
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Illustration- the shape of the stone wall, measuring height and width with needed tools.
Organization of work in constructing limestone foundations and brick walls
Brickwork is still a handiwork and that’s why its rationalization has a big importance.
Stones can be taken to the construction site by trucks or cranes. Before they have stacked onto
desk stands from big piles and the stands are lifted on the bricklayer’s working place. The stands
are made of 5cm thickness boards, with measurements 80x80 or 100x100cm. The stand must
have four strong hooks and is raised with a four-pronged wag. The crane can also use a scoop
and tip out the stones onto he bricklayer’s working area. Limestone is usually loaded to the
ground in piles over the working object or on the one side of building.
To cart the stones to every needed place on the construction plot, the path must be built, which
is at least one meter width and the distance of 8-10 m. From the piles the stones with different
sizes will be set into the barrow and from there the bricklayer can choose the right size stone for
his work. The stones are tipped out by slides exactly to the bricklayer’s working place. Mortar is
also carried by the path and fell by slides to the mortar box.
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Construction Trainers Training – CT Train
Used literature
Saville, L. 2009, Kivimüüritised õues, Tormikiri, Tallinn, lk 102.
Skaarer, N. 2007, Koduõue kivid ja sillutis, Varrak, Tallinn, lk 53
Volker, F. 2012, Kõik looduslikust kivist. Sillutised, müürid ja trepid aias, Varrak, Tallinn, lk 98 - 99
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Publikatsiooni sisu peegeldab autori seisukohti ja Euroopa Komisjon ei ole vastutav selles sisalduva informatsiooni
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