Timber Framers Guild Forums General General Forum Questions Foundation Questions

1. What keeps your buildings from blowing off stacked-stone foundations?

2. What keeps such foundations from sinking or becoming unlevel due to frost-heave or soft ground?

3. Why not pour concrete footers to prevent these problems?

Thanks for your helping a novice like me get started!

1. Gravity--let's hope it's heavy.

2. Presumably digging down far enough to prevent frost heave from affecting things. It's about 20" where I'm at. About 48" or more in North/Northeast. Check your local building codes.

3. No reason why not to. While your at it, put in some metal stapping for the frame to be connected to. Better yet, build a proper stemwall or grade beam with the appropriate metal connectors.

Good luck!

Your info was very helpful. I didn't realize that a ditch was dug for the stacked stone. I pictured it pretty much just lying on top of the ground.

Thank you Mr. Jones!

Here are more questions:

1. I have several solid concrete blocks that are flat on one side and some rocks like that. Are these acceptable for the foundation?

2. What is a good book or website that desribes how to build a good stacked-stone foundation?

Thanks again!

jack sobon's "timberframe construction -all about post and beam building" has a great photo and some writing about dry laid stone.
In my work at our local museum I built several of these foundations, and replaced "railroad tie" foundations with dry laid stone foundations.... for small or medium sized buildings, I feel dry laid stone makes an excellent foundation.
As far as material goes, stone or block that has two flat sides is easiest to build with. Flat limestone is the first thing I would look for. Try searching the internet for "dry laid stone"....

this page has some good pics and writing:

http://www.ruskinmuseum.com/stone_wall.htm

Thanks Mark.

I have Sobon's book, and looked up that web page. Both were very helpful.

The web page talks about a 4-5 foot wide trench for their freestanding wall. I think that is too much for my small-building foundation, don't you?

yes, of course that would be too big for a small building. The photo in Jack's book is a good guide....

Has anyone ever had a building slide off a foundation? If so, what happened? Thanks.