Seven Reason To Prefer Stone
Now that their owner-built home has stood the test of time, two homesteaders testify to the durability of quality stone masonry.
November/December 1981
By Sharon and Lewis Watson
After spending eight years in our $2,000, self-built stone house in southern Idaho, Sharon and I sometimes wonder whether—were we somehow forced to start construction all over again—we would still build our home with natural stone. After all, the owner-builder can now select from many intriguing lowcost shelter possibilities . . . including log, cordwood, woodframe, pole, adobe, and earth-sheltered homes ... plus yurts, domes, tipis, houseboats, and an endless variety of innovative salvage-material structures.
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Of course, it would be absurd to suggest that any building material or type of structure is "best" for all people under every circumstance, and certainly each one has its own outstanding advantages. Still, we can't help concluding that an owner—built home constructed using "plain old rocks" has more to recommend it—for more people in more building situations—than does a homemade dwelling built with any other material. Here's why:
REASON NUMBER ONE
Good building stone can be found moat anywhere, usually free for the gathering. We built our 1,100-square-foot home with 18 pickup loads of free boulders . . . most of which were gathered from a single field about a mile from our construction site. The rancher who owned the land was delighted to have his field cleared of "all them blankety-blank, machinerybustin' rocks". Similar rancher/farmer/ landowner situations exist all over the country.
Collecting stones—for free—from public lands is also a possibility. However, since "rock foraging" isn't currently a common practice, regulations governing such activity are usually vague or nonexistent . . . so be sure to inquire locally before gathering— Some commercial rock quarries, too, will allow you to handpick inexpensive stones from their huge rubble piles . . . or will even haul the material to your site for a reasonable price!
Of course, the best source of building stone could be your own property . . . if you're lucky (or smart) enough to own a piece of "worthless", rocky ground.
Besides the stone itself, you'll need only cement, sand, and gravel . . . plus maybe some steel reinforcement for corners and lintels. Our own home's 8' X 28' X 45' walls went up for only $250 in 1973, and—though cement and rebar prices have increased substantially since then—it's still possible to put up some really super stone walls for very little money.
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