Stone Masonry: From the Roman Empire to Today

Stone masonry is an ancient construction technique that is worth preserving, today we will see why.

If it is not the oldest, stone masonry is one of the oldest construction techniques in the history of architecture and construction. Today there are techniques and materials that allow building much faster, at a lower cost, and more resistant, but even so, this technique is still used to build walls, and some other small rural buildings.

Today we can come across some structures built with this technique by the Romans, such as the well-known example of the Segovia Aqueduct in Spain, which is believed to date from the 1st century AD. Showing us that this construction technique goes a long way, and in fact, mastery of this technique was essential for the development of the transcendental infrastructures that allowed the Roman Empire to expand as it did.

Basics of stone masonry

The word masonry comes from the Latin manus positus, which means laying with the hands, which perfectly describes this technique. It is about building through constructive elements placed manually so that their own weight, or with the help of a mortar (water, sand and cement or lime), are held together to create walls or pillars.

Stone masonry consists of creating walls or pillars using natural stones that can be previously treated or edged. In fact, one of the difficulties to weigh in stone masonry construction is the irregularity in shape and dimension of natural stone, but on the other hand it is this aspect that gives it its characteristic and valued appearance today.

Types of stone masonry wall

We can consider that the elements built based on stone masonry are categorized into two groups. Structural elements are those that are made in such a way that they can sustain loads from other structural elements or from the ground; and on the other hand we have those that are built with the sole purpose of dividing a space or buffering one of its faces, which are called buffering.

How is it built in stone masonry?

Unlike other construction methods, stone masonry construction elements rely heavily on the skills of the builder and his knowledge of the material and technique. However, we can highlight some key points of construction with this technique:

Preparation of the land: it is important to know in advance where the element will be located, to know if the area is suitable, and to have a well-defined work and excavation area for the foundation.

Foundation: It is a very important phase for stability, and it is about building a flat base with horizontal cells for the construction of the wall or pillar.

The first course: being the first layer and the support of the entire element in masonry, the most regular and larger elements are placed.

Successive courses: It is essential to have a leveling element to confirm the verticality and horizontality of the elements and of the entire wall.

Pieces: We proceed with the meticulous placement of each piece of stone that will make up the wall, reducing their dimension as the top approaches. You can help with the use of a mortar to fill empty holes (if desired), and improve the stability of the pieces.

Reinforcement in height: In the upper part, reinforcement in the form of an inverted anchor, based on concrete or mortar, is usually chosen, in case it is necessary to support another construction element.

Despite the fact that it is a complex construction technique, and that it becomes more difficult with the passage of time and the adoption of the most modern construction techniques, the architectural nature and history of this construction method means that it is still used today. Additionally, if they are built correctly they are very durable and require very little maintenance.