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Stone Arch

5K views 18 replies 12 participants last post by  loneframer 
#1 ·
I am building a garden wall and would like to do a stone arch as an entrance way. My buddy thought it would be cool if we built a round or tubular arch instead of the traditional flat bottom arch that you see. Does anyone have any experience or pictures of one they have built? I have built many stone arches but have never attempted a tubular or round arch.
 
#6 ·
Thanks cjkarl I found it on a link to stonemad. That same pic was on there Stuart. I can't remember who said that it was a thin veneer but it not it's solid stone. Looks pretty complex to build. I think I might give it a shot anyway. After looking at the pics of it I don't know how it could be built with a thin veneer.
 
#12 ·
For me, the one architect that was (and remains still) light years ahead of everyone else, was Antonin Gaudi. You can find pictures of some of his parabolic arches which are round(ed). For some ideas.....Were you thinking of casting concrete, and wrapping it, or using your centering and building it old school? I like that your buddy thought "it would be cool". It would be cool....if done nicely....but you see some of the comments concerning the "shackle".....it could be an eyesore... There are probably a few ways to tackle this...I'm going to roll it around in my noggin for a bit.....
 
#13 ·
The concept of a tubular arch is OK, but I would think that a different choice of stone would have made a much prettier piece. I like weird stuff; hell I am building my pizza oven right now with brick and in the words of a plumb and level mason friend, it is pretty damn wriggly. I will post some pics once it is done.
 
#14 ·
Building brickwork a bit wriggly is sometimes better than straight and plumb on certain jobs. For example I always advice people who are building an old style Inglenook fireplace in a cottage to leave the level at home and start work on it in the afternoon after half a dozen pints of Scrumpy down at the local. The finished job is much more authentic.
 
#19 ·
Here it is so far. It will get the black brick on top to bring it back level. It isn't clean, and I let a friend that wants to build one do most of the work, so don't give me crap about the joints.
I know it ain't easy making it look that crooked. Absolutely one of a kind. Cool stuff.:thumbup:
 
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