Laying Limestone Blocks
This price point is often misunderstood as often people believe building in limestone is expensive when in fact it is very affordable and very competitive to common building materials for the average home builder.
Stone is an ageless building material that will never date and offers a warmth and ambience whether used externally or internally and comes in various colour shades and textures
Corner Stones
Set out course height by measurement to suit a 670mm stretcher bond course length.
•Allow for correct corner dimensions to ensure stretcher bond.
•Allow 10mm Vertical and Horizontal mortar courses.
•Set out each corner first to no more than three course heights over existing works.
•Use a spirit level to ensure all vertical and horizontals are to exact requirements. These corners must be accurate.
•Use a string line and line blocks to build wall body. Build in one course at a time to string line.
•Use spirit level to ensure wall body stone is vertical and face flat to last laid stone and previous laid course.
Size of limestone blocks is supplied at 660mm long and either 240mm or 290mm high (depth can vary depending on your requirements)
Laying Limestone Tips
• Ensure face of stone is not hit with any hard objects, as it will show marks.
• Stone should be free of stone dust on bedding surfaces.(scrape off excess stone dust)
• Bedding surfaces should be dampened with clean water before applying mortar.
• Mortar at six of sand, one of lime and one of cement, should be used with a plasticiser if required.
• Mortar colour should be as close to stone colour as possible.
• Use a normal brickies sand to a cream or whitish colour utilising Brightonlite or White cement. Mix a sample for client approval.
• Limestone crushed sand may be available on request.
• Plastic roll irons are recommended to avoid burning the mortar
• Ensure face of stone is built free of mortar splashing and other stains. All work should be wire brushed clean where necessary on a daily basis.
• Closures or special cuts should be cut to exact square.
Laying Limestone | Core Points
Lay the base stone completely square to ensure all other courses that follow are plumb. In this instance, a plain face stone has been used as to offer a skirting effect on an internal wall
A string line acts as a guide and ensure straight levels are always followed
Avoid damaging the stone by using a rubber mallet to help keep stone in line with the stringline
Ensure stone is tied to the stud wall regularly and on every course
Point joints whilst mortar is still damp. Try to avoid mortar resting and drying on the stone
When mortar is evident on the stone wire brush off and then lightly dust again with a soft edge brush
