The Stonebuilder's Primer: A Step-By-Step Guide for Owner-Builders
by Charles Long

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Book Reviews of The Stonebuilder's Primer: A Step-By-Step Guide for Owner-Builders

Book Review: Very readable, not engineering.
Summary: 4 Stars

Mr. Long discusses the "slipform" method, which he rejected for the cost of the lumber, the time spent in preparation,the appearance of the finished work (which, he argues, resembles veneer), and its limitation to modular designs. (From his description, apparently slipforms are moveable forms in which stone walls are built, which forms are slipped up to the next level to build the wall higher.) He acknowledges that the slipform method inspired him in developing part of his own method, which uses an interior frame wall and a loose sheathing piece as a form for the back of the stone wall.

The BOCA National Building Code, which applies in my town, requires that rubblestone walls be a minimum of 16 inches thick. Mr. Long recommends substantially thicker walls (dependant on height of the wall), although he refers to an unidentified building code that allows 12 inch walls to 35 feet in height. To me, it seems to be a great waste of space and energy to build build stone walls thicker than they need to be. I have ordered more books on the subject, as I believe it is easier to read an extra book than to gather, stack and mortar an extra 20 tons of stone. However, I expect that this book will be of use to me if I ever actually get around to building in stone.

Summary of The Stonebuilder's Primer: A Step-By-Step Guide for Owner-Builders

Writer Charles Long has a well-earned reputation as one of North America's self-sufficiency experts. More than 20 years ago, he and his wife, Elizabeth, fled city life and conventional employment for the country, and have flourished there ever since. Now back by popular demand Long's The Stonebuilder's Primer is a highly readable account of the couple's successful effort to build "a house that will outlast anything made of wood."

Developing a compromise method of stone construction that is both simpler and truer to the stonemason's art than the popular slipform method, the Longs built an aesthetically satisfying home of stone on a limited budget and no previous construction experience. In this classic how-to book, the author describes the complete building process in clear, easy-to-follow steps and, in so doing, dispels the myth of difficulty that surrounds stone construction.

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