Stone Wall Texture Ideas

When creating a stone wall, you need to consider the type of texture you want to produce. Wall texture can vary in degree of smoothness, pattern uniformity, extensions of the wall surface from the flat plane, uniformity of the individual masonry units, size of the masonry units, type of binding - dry stacked or mortar bound.

Silky smooth uniform stone walls may be made of marble or polished stone. Some stone wall surfaces may be uniform but not smooth. Concrete walls are uniform, but the extent of smoothness depends upon how the concrete was applied and treated. There are techniques for transforming a rough concrete wall into a smooth one, including applying a thin layer of plaster or concrete to the surface (parging), sandblasting, or use of a a grinding or sanding disk. Stucco walls are also uniform and their texture ranges from smooth to coarse.

Most stone walls consist of joined masonry units (such as stones or brick). The shape of the individual pieces forming a wall may be uniform or dissimilar. Masonry units that are ordinarily similar include brick, manufactured stones, and sets of identical appearing stones that were harvested from nature. Dissimilar stones may be sets of manufactured stone that are deliberately made to look different one from another or else non-matched, natural harvested stone.

Masonry units such as concrete blocks, manufactured pavers, or flat natural stones, such as slate, can make a flat surface. Three dimensional wall surfaces, on the other hand, bulge outward to some extent  with differing patterns of projection. Varieties of wall surface projections range from rounded, smooth contours created by naturally smooth or polished natural stones to sharp angular contours created by square non-uniform stacked stone. Stones harvested from nature make a rugged but not necessarily jagged looking texture (see photo). Some stone walls consist of regular patterns of semicircular stones that extend out from the surface in a jolly bumpy pattern.

Stones in a wall may be stacked (dry stone wall) or connected with mortar. The mechanism used to join stones will affect the wall’s texture. Mortar , while primarily used to bind stones, also adds to the wall’s texture. Sometimes the mortar is placed so as to blend the individual stones into one uniform surface. Other times the mortar is recessed from the the stone surface, creating an appreciable texture variation.

What is the sense in creating a rough wall? It might be for protection, as a rough wall will be more difficult to climb or it might be for beautification, as surface textures can be applied in myriad aesthetically pleasing patterns.

For expert stone wall installation and building in Westchester County call the
Turf Barbers; 914 302 2469 ; 2929 Quinlan Street Yorktown Heights, NY 10598

http://www.theturfbarbers.com