Rocky idea

[elalexander]

I don't know if anyone else has any rocks on their property but while looking for numbers for our new mail box we came up with an idea. I had the local memorial place do the work. Thought I'd share a few pics. We also have low voltage lites on these at nite. I'm sure I'm not the first to come up with this but we liked how they turned out.

 

[elalexander]

Here is another picture turning onto the driveway from the street. Midleft you can make out the front of the barn among the oaks.

 

[Podunkadunk]

Very nice. I haven't ever seen rocks etched like that before.

I really like your "fence" too. It gives me ideas to trick up my entrance.

Thanks for posting.

Podunk

 

[TedLaRue]

elalexander,

Those do look very nice. If you don't mind my asking, can you tell us approximately how much the memorial place charged you to do the etching/carving for one of those stones? Did the one with the deer picture cost more, or do they just use some kind of template? And one more question, does it matter what kind of stone (sandstone, limestone, etc.)? Thanks.

 

[JDGREEN4ME]

Looks great! Near where my parents live there is a man who sells custom stones like that.

 

[Egon]

That looks very nice. The rock too!

Around here The engraved stones are not uncommon as there are many rocks around.

I have visualized a rock house number with a small solar cell light for night time illumination.

Just of interest, have you considered splitting any stones?

 

[elalexander]

Thanks for all the great remarks. Ted, yes the deer head did cost extra. I do not know what kind of stone they are, each is different. I picked something thick, around 2 inches so it wouldn't break. What worked out great was the memorial place was looking for rocks for flower gardens, pet grave markers etc so we made a deal,rocks for the work. Total cost was $200.00 and I traded they many rocks of different sizes. Everyone was happy, including my better half. I never thought I would be able to "sale" rocks Sadly I only have 3 acres worth of them.

 

[elalexander]

Hi Egon. I did split/cut some stone when I built the foundation for my barn. It really made me appriciate the stone work done in the old days. Anyway, where I put our barn (14*28) is the size of the barn FYI. The location was just beyond the yard in the woods so I cleared it off and built it up to the yard level with stone. Sorry the metal rack hides some of the wall. I was lucky and had all the flat nice shaped rocks I needed for this job and really only had to cut a few.

 

[Egon]

Neat!

 

[ldabe]

Hi Egon. I did split/cut some stone when I built the foundation for my barn. It really made me appriciate the stone work done in the old days. Anyway, where I put our barn (14*28) is the size of the barn FYI. The location was just beyond the yard in the woods so I cleared it off and built it up to the yard level with stone. Sorry the metal rack hides some of the wall. I was lucky and had all the flat nice shaped rocks I needed for this job and really only had to cut a few.

Great job. Looks real good.

ElAlexander, when you do that kind of stacking, do you start at the corner first...how do you end up level?

 

[TedLaRue]

elalexander,

Thanks for the information about the cost. That seems pretty reasonable. I think I'll look into doing something similar.

I especially liked your trading deal. Rocks are unique in that their value ranges from very negative (when they're in the way) to very positive (when you're building something with them).

 

[elalexander]

Hi Ted. Yes you are right. I live just across the Potomac river from Piedmont WV. Tri State Memorial did the work for us. Were happy and have received a lot of nice comments from our neighbors as well as my TBN friends. The sandblasting is fairly deep and they make a rubber type stencal they apply the black paint. I think they said it was an epoxy paint. I figure any place that does work for cemetary's can do the same. When I talked to the workers they were glad to be doing something different too.

 

[elalexander]

Hi Idabe. Yes I did start at the lower back corner first. I had my wife hold a pole with a string and I put a stake in the yard at ground level just to see how high I had to come up. I knew the size of the barn and I wanted to be able to walk around it so I adjusted as needed. First I dug three small ditches through where the barn would set to let any water get out from under the barn and made sure these were beneath the first course of large stones which I buried. Then I set up old pieces of pipe with a string and line level atached and started to stack the rocks. I also stacked them back. I didn't simply build a wall and throw rocks in behind it. I wanted it to last. Spent Coors light cans were used as a binding agent as well. This was before I had my riding mower and wagon and my tractor. Hand tools and a wheelbarrow. It was also 5 years and 7 stents ago, couldn't do it now. When I got close to were I needed to be I started hauling in #57 stone/gravel. 20 tons total. I think it turned out nice. Anyway, there are several good books on stone work that you could read to get an idea of what it is all about. That was what I did and then I just got after it. Thanks for the kind words, EL.

 

[ldabe]

Hi Idabe. Yes I did start at the lower back corner first. I had my wife hold a pole with a string and I put a stake in the yard at ground level just to see how high I had to come up. I knew the size of the barn and I wanted to be able to walk around it so I adjusted as needed. First I dug three small ditches through where the barn would set to let any water get out from under the barn and made sure these were beneath the first course of large stones which I buried. Then I set up old pieces of pipe with a string and line level atached and started to stack the rocks. I also stacked them back. I didn't simply build a wall and throw rocks in behind it. I wanted it to last. Spent Coors light cans were used as a binding agent as well. This was before I had my riding mower and wagon and my tractor. Hand tools and a wheelbarrow. It was also 5 years and 7 stents ago, couldn't do it now. When I got close to were I needed to be I started hauling in #57 stone/gravel. 20 tons total. I think it turned out nice. Anyway, there are several good books on stone work that you could read to get an idea of what it is all about. That was what I did and then I just got after it. Thanks for the kind words, EL.

Again, great job...and thanks for the instruction.