Stone Walls: The Merits And Demerits
Stone walls have this air of permanence that just makes it popular with people looking for permanent fences. Aside from keeping the property secure and lasting long, a lot of people are gravitating towards the idea using stone walls as a decoration for their landscape.
If you are contemplating about getting a stone wall to enclose your property, this article will provide you with the pros and cons you must consider. This way you can make an informed decision.
Pros
a) They are long lasting and very stable
Nature can be as cruel just as she is kind. Fences have to bear the brunt of her cruelty in the way of elements. Things like humidity, rain, wind and other forms of precipitation can render a wall tremendously weak. However, when you have a stone wall, you don’t have to worry about it caving in or having to replace it as you would with other fences. Stone is very strong and will not rot or be attacked by insects. If you are looking for a permanent answer to the problems nature can throw at fence, then a stone wall is the best response.
b) Stones are readily available
If you have an open field where their countless numbers of stones, you can create a quarry where you can source the materials to build your fence.
Cons
a) Once put up, it is permanent
As was highlighted earlier, stone fences have an air of permanence about them. Thus when you put up a stone fence, you cannot change any characteristic on it. Therefore, you must be sure about the design that you will employ before you making a final decision. Remember: once you decide on a particular stone and work begins, it will be ‘set in stone’ and you cannot change your mind.
b) Cost of stone
If you don’t have stones in your area and still want to build a stone wall fence, then you have to purchase the stones. Depending on the type of stones, you might have to part with a significant amount of money just to get the right stone for the exterior wall. One thing you have to remember about stones is that not all stones are created equal.
c) Cannot be relocated easily and relocation is very expensive
“As still as a rock” is phrase that will instantly come to you when you think about stone fences. If a solitary and heavy rock is very difficult to move, imagine a hundred or more rocks. This type of fence cannot be moved unlike the other types, which can be moved but with tremendously difficulty. As long as stones are placed on the mortar on the foundation and stacked against each, trying to move them will be very problematic. That is not to say it can’t be done. As long you have qualified mason, you can have the rock moved one by one and stacked in the same way but at a gigantic cost to you.
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