rock wall skirting

Started by Chateau Prideaux, October 04, 2006, 11:59:39 AM

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Chateau Prideaux

So I've got tons of available limestone and I'd like to polish up the 10x20 studio that I'm building on a beam foundation.

Is it possible to add something like a rock wall effect? I was thinking it would take some 2x4 PT framing and exterior grade ply under the floor joist framing to near grade with some kind of ledger (concrete pavers?) embedded at ground level. Add the wire mesh, mortar and rocks and presto rock siding. The highest point of the wall would extend to 5' above grade. 2' below the floor to about a level 3' around the perimeter of the studio. I'd like to go higher if it'll stick.

I'll attach a diagram in a bit.
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Chateau Prideaux

#1
I have a concern that there will be singificant cracking since the building is bearing on the floor and beams which will likely settle at different rates than the paver supports for the stone exterior. I'm really trying to explore options to dress up the lower half of the structure/exposed piers and footings.

My wife has directed that the building NOT look like the workshop that we built a couple years ago. This studio is going to be much closer to our eventual house site and my wife would like it to look nice. I'm open to suggestions for dressing up a pier/beam foundation that can accomodate minor elevation changes.

Here's the workshop that the studio must not look like :)
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/spriddy89/album/576460762314617883/photo/294928803099116691/38
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Chateau Prideaux

#2
Here's a sample pic of the studio floor framing. I'll upload a better one when I get home.

This shows the 10x12 floor we eventually extended to 10x20 to give us more room to collaborate when building the 20x30 up the hill.

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Chateau Prideaux

Here's the extended 10x20 floor.

You can see the elevation that I'd like to fill in to hide the beam/blocks.

Quidquius Operat

glenn kangiser

I think it is standard to have a 1" airspace behind the rocks and weep holes at the bottom to let accumulated water out rather than forcing it into your wall -- there are little wrinkled strips of tin that nail to your wall then are embedded into the wall as you build it to keep things tied together.  I don't know specifics but have seen this done and read of mold or rotting problems when there wasn't the space there.
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glenn-k

There is a man and his wife with an earth bermed house a few miles from here who said that was the way a mason did his rock fireplace and wall also - no need for the space inside but used the ties for the rock wall.

desdawg

I think if it was me I would lay the stone under the rim joist so it looks like a foundation. For the final gap at the top of the stone insert some wedges and a piece of trim painted to match the building. I see this done all of the time with manufactured homes that are getting a block stem wall installed after the home is set. With the piers you have and the relatively light weight of the storage building there shouldn't be much if any settling to contend with.

jraabe

#8
How about letting the two layers move independently? Have a slip sheet of Tyvek or such and flash the top so the rock work can move a bit up and down. Maybe do a heavier PT ply backer sitting on the skirting paver and eliminate the PT framing you show - or at least leave it unattached to the studio framing.