Dry Stack Stone Fireplaces... Centuries In The Making!
Dry stack stone construction techniques are believed to have been utilized in various parts of the world since at least 4,000 B.C. . . . . .
. . . . More "recently," many of the
dry stone
walls that exist today in Scotland can be dated to the 14th century or earlier when they were built to di- vide
fields and retain livestock.
The skill and craftsmanship employed in this construction method has been per- fected over the centuries,
resulting in many outstanding examples of the stone worker's art. By the 15th century A.D., the Inca of
Peru made use of steep slopes that were otherwise unusable by erecting dry stone walls to create ter- races, as
well as to build freestanding walls. Their ashlar type construction uti- lized the classic Inca architectural
style of polished dry stone walls of regular shape. The Incas were masters of this technique, in which blocks
of stone are cut to fit together tightly without mor- tar. Many junctions are so perfect that not even a knife
fits between the stones!
In the United States, dry stone walls are common in areas with rocky soils, such as New England, New
York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. On the west coast, they are common in the Napa Valley of north central
California. They are also a notable characteristic of the bluegrass region of central Kentucky, where they are
usually referred to as rock fences. This technique of con- struction was brought to America primarily by
Scots-Irish immigrants, and has been mastered by present-day stone artisans such as Lew French -- who created
the superb dry stacked stone wall pictured below, left. The pic- turesque outdoor bread oven below, right, was
crafted by Champlain Valley Landscaping.
The romantic "ruins" shown below -- complete with stone arch -- were cre- ated by Vogelman West Associates.
To build a stone fireplace employing the dry stack method, the stones are stacked horizontally and
rely on the weight of the stones and friction be- tween each stone for strength and architectural integrity.
Technically "mor- tarless," the stones used to build a stacked stone fireplace -- though assem- bled tightly
together -- sometimes allow for a very narrow mortared bed joint that is raked back deeply into the stone work
so the mortar is undetectable. As shown in the following photos, this method of construction can be used to
create a wide and varied range of differing looks. The striking -- albeit cozy -- hearth pictured below, left,
was designed for fashion mogul Ralph Lauren by Ewing Architects for Mr. Lauren's mountain ranch in Colorado.
The fireplace designs that follow are crafted from
fieldstone.
The fireplaces at top right and bottom are in the Lake Placid Lodge. Located in the Adir- ondack Mountains of
upstate New York, the de- signs are typical of those in the
Adirondack Style. Note the inglenook in the massive stone hearth pictured at bottom.
The two fireplaces that follow are crafted from river stones . . . . . commonly called river rock. The design
pictured below, right, hints at the wide range of colors available.
Following is an unusual -- albeit striking -- design from Poetry In Stone. The starkly contrasting stone
sizes, colors and textures make for a remarkable composition that is appropriate for both traditional and
contemporary set- tings!
The outdoor stone fireplace design pictured at right is crafted from huge boulders that almost appear to be
floating in air above the
fire- box opening.
The attractive stone outdoor fireplace that follows was created by members of the Dry Stone Wall Association
of Canada.
Dry stack stone arch bridge pictured above created by members of the Dry Stone Wall Association of Canada
For more information about any of the dry stack stone fireplace de- signs pictured here, please
let us know
and we'll be happy to provide it for you.
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as we continually add new photos of dry stack stone hearth designs to our site.
