Adding a Cobblestone Wall

Have you ever considered adding a cobblestone wall to your modern house? Mason, Paul Briggs of Ithaca, specializes in historic masonry and offers this suggestion.

"The cost to build a cobblestone house would be not too prohibitive if the core was built in concrete block or or even wood frame and a veneer put over it. The veneer should be at least 4 inches thick with plenty of ties. There is a 1-1/2 story cobblestone house on Ridge Road a few mile west of the Hamlet of Gaines that I am confident was built as a veneer over wood frame. They used cut nails as the ties. Even shelves of wood at intervals up the inside of the wall work can stiffen and shore up a thin cobblestone wall. Wood walls with thinner stone veneer show up everywhere and single layer brick veneer has been used for over 100 years. If there was a way to cut cobbles quickly and cheaply to two inches, then panels could be manufactured and competently installed; though craftsmen would have to do the proper mortar. It would cost about $5,000 to do the face of a one story 3-bay house."

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¹ Image courtesy Cobblestone Museum.