IDEA OF THE MONTH...

How To Build An Outdoor Fireplace
With Dry Stacked Stone!

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This month's Fireplace Design Idea Of The Month features the dry stacked stone (without mortar) fireplace and how to create one for your OWN back yard or patio.     More specifically, it provides guidance and direction from some of today's leading resources to HELP you build an outdoor fireplace employing this age-old art form!

A true dry stacked stone fireplace is built by carefully stacking the stones -- cutting and chipping them where necessary -- so they fit together like the pieces of a puzzle.    Gravity, instead of mortar, is used to hold it all together,  as the weight of the stones and friction between each stone gives it strength and architectural integrity.

In addition to its natural beauty, a dry stacked stone structure or other architectural element will last much longer than one that is held together by mortar, as mortar deteriorates and crumbles over time and has to be replaced periodically to maintain the structural integrity of the stonework. Indeed, many of the dry stone walls that exist today in Scotland can be traced back to the 14th century or earlier when they were erected to divide fields and contain livestock.

As with anything else,  years  of  ex-
perience and practice are required to master this centuries-old art form to the point where you have the skill to create one-of-a-kind works of stone art like the example pictured at right by master stone artisan, Lew French. However, the purpose of this month's newsletter is not to make you an ex-
pert,  but  rather provide you with a basic understanding and some  infor-
mative  resources  to  help you build
an outdoor fireplace that meets  the needs of you and your family -- AND adds value to your home  and  prop-
erty!

One of the best resources I have found for beginners looking to build an outdoor fireplace in their back yard or patio is Dry Stone Walling Across Canada. An enthusiastic group, as shown in the photo below, they offer training seminars, workshops and other events throughout the year to promote and perpetuate this ancient art form.

The striking dry stone fireplace design that follows was also created by members of Dry Stone Walling Across Canada!

Another helpful resource that offers workshops and other educational programs is The Stone Wall Initiative, or SWI  --  a component of the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History and  the  University  of Connecticut.  The SWI also publishes an excellent, though condensed, online primer for building a dry stone wall.  To access this free publica-
tion, please click here.

For more information and photos, as well as an expanded list of informative dry stone resources,  please  visit  Build A Stone Fireplace...Stack It Up Outdoors at our website.

See More Dry Stacked Stone Fireplace Designs
By Clicking On The Following Links!

Dry Stack Stone Fireplaces -
Centuries In The Making!

The Stacked Stone Fireplace -
Stacked In Your Favor!

Stacked Stone Fireplace Pictures -
HIGH & dry!

Stacked Stone Fireplace Pictures -
Simply STUPENDOUS!

See A Sampling Of Fireplace Design Ideas In
Upcoming Issues Of Our Monthly e-Newsletter!

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