Anyone here live in a stone house?

[yrs]

I was initially planning on building an Adobe house but couldn't get planing permission.

Now I'm looking into building a natural lime stone house because i can get planning pemission and, well it's natural.

Just wondering if anyone here is living in a stone house. What's it like? Do you spend alot on heating/cooling? Or is it cool in summer warm in winter? Do you have damp problems? How thick are your walls? What's your roofing, timber, stone?

Do you know any good stonemasons?
Thanks a bunch

[Loobyloo]

We were going to buy a stone house a few years ago and someone put a piece of the stone in a bucket of water try it and see

[Ragged Robin]

I live in a stone house - in paces the walls ae 3ft thick! But it is l00 years old so really no comparison with what you could achieve with modern methods and insulation etc. Flat concrete roof over timber rafters - but I think the roof is a later addition and I have added waterproofing No damp proof course or membrane, but once I sorted the roof the main problem with damp is front walls where water puddles outside - no land drains in villlage street - and speeding cars throw water at the walls and windows.n

Probably cooler than conventional houses in summer, but bitter in winter and takes a lot of heating. The stones feel to hold the cold, but probably the main factors are high ceilings and drafty ill fitting doors and windows. I I were starting from scratch or even if I had the money with stone, except where I wanted it exposed for effect I would be looking internal floor and wall insulated cladding.

Stone is *****y hard to get nails and screws into, and paint tends to flake internal and external.

On the other hand when some idiot driving with the bucket up on a JCB knocked out a 2ft square hold in the wall, it was repaired in 20 mins with no apparent damage to structure (fingers still crossed some years later)! It would have probably done straight through into the lounge with a brick built house!

btw if I was building new I would have a pitched roof, I worked for a construction company in the UK and flat roofs were always aproblem even there. Here with the expansion contraction due climate change,and sun damage to materials, and heavy rain here they are a leak waiting to happen - I have never understood why there arent more pitched roofs.

[yrs]

Hi Ragged Robin

Thanks for the great feedback.

I think if you had big windows on the south you would bring down your heating costs significantly. It sure is cold in the winter but we still have sun, so if you could soak that sun up in your thermal mass walls inside that could easily warm your house. Those windows would have to be shaded in the summer however with overhangs.

Flat roofs were for people to sleep on during the summer in Cyprus. You could try a green roof on your flat roof if its strong enough to support it. That would insulate your roof and prevent heat loss. Almost all heat is lost through the roof. Ceiling fans are also an option to blow the hot air downwards. The green roof would also insulate and reflect summer heat that hits your roof. About 80% of sun will hit your roof. Installing better fitting windows and doors would probably help alot too.

Im thinking of installing underfloor heating and using solar hot water panels for heating. The floor will be a thick thermal mass to store all the heat generated during the day and then releasing it at night when it gets cooler.

Are your stone walls painted or covered in plaster? When you say 3ft thick in places, how thick is it in general? Whats your thinnest walls?

[yrs]

We were going to buy a stone house a few years ago and someone put a piece of the stone in a bucket of water try it and see

You mean it soaks water?

[Ragged Robin]

I think the house has been extended at least once some time in the past - thickness of walls varies from approx 9inches,2ft and 3ft.

Walls plastered and then painted over.Externally and internally. I tried waterproof paint on front elevation but is does not seem to work -- it really does take a lot of water thrown at it.

Front overshadowed by the mountain and a two storey house across the road, so larger windows would not get that much solar gain - and would take a lot of splashing from passing cars, not to mention not much of a view except for drivers and passengers of passing 4 x 4s into my front room. Watch this if you are building new: you might think you have open country but someone could stick a ruddy great building in front - it has happened to a lot of people.

I do have porches over side and back doors: they are brilliant, protect from rain as well as sun and stop expansion and doors sticking due damp. Another thing to watch with stone - you might find it difficult to get exact tolerances to fit windows an doors.

You other ideas are interesting, but in my case a lot of money would help too!

Personally I dont like underfloor heating, but using storage of solar gain is a great idea. Do bear in mind there are days in winter when there is no sun so you need back up heating and water heating incidentally.

Your plans sound interesting - I envy you the opportunity and wish you luck

[yrs]

Hi

You could try expansive polyurethane spray for the gaps at the sides of your windows or doors. Its an insulating foam that expands in the gaps you spray it in, it can also be painted and is fairly reasonably priced for small jobs.

Also the green roof is totally affordable. Alot of hard work is needed however. Its a tough job lugging a load of dirt up your roof but it will get you fit. There are alot of resources online on how to do it.

Can you put n overhang at the front to protect from rain? It may help alleviate the situation. Also possibly some sort of waterproof cladding like pvc possibly. Would be cheap if you could do a diy job. Maybe you could use an overhang at the front and also about 1 M high cladding to stop splashes.

I have a moderate budget but Im hoping to get the most out of it by doing most of the work. Hopefully it will work out. Thank you for your good wishes.

[rabbit]

We live in a stone house for then 20 yrs, build 1993.
Can highly recommend the structure, cool in summer,
warm in winter, low electric bills. Even better since
we converted the system to solar energy.
My husband is architect, knowing what he was planning.-
Rabbit

[yrs]

Hi Rabbit

How thick are your walls? Can you give me more info on design specifics? Do you use any sort of mechanical cooling or heating? What do you use and how often? What is your roofing material? Is your walls/roof insulated?

Thanks

[rabbit]

Hi yrs
please send me a private message with your tel. number, we can talk about it much easier
Rabbit

[Ragged Robin]

yrs : I have sent you a PM

[JoandJelly]

We were going to buy a stone house a few years ago and someone put a piece of the stone in a bucket of water try it and see

You mean it soaks water?

We have stone cladding which we have sealed with a product we bought at Marshalls. Was quite expensive but the water cannot penetrate and runs straight off. My husband sprayed it on in 2 coats.

[waddo]

I live in a brick house - not concrete and not the bricks with holes in - but have a pitched roof and then suspended ceilings inside, good for the summer but the winter can be cold because the heat just goes straight up through the ceilings - I think they are concrete board - so just wondering if anyone knows where I can buy roof/loft insulation to lay across the ceilings? Thanks.