How to Build a Field Stone Picnic Shelter

Field stones have been used for centuries in building walls and shelters.

A field stone picnic shelter can be built by the beginning do-it-yourselfer. These shelters are readily supplied by surrounding natural field stones, needing only a small amount of additional materials for completion. Generally, a field stone picnic shelter has walls of 4 feet or more and an entrance that allows easy access. You can build this type of shelter in one to two days, depending on the size and scope of the project.

Things You'll Need

• Pick axe
• Shovel
• Crusher-run gravel
• Type S mortar Sand
• Sand
• Wheelbarrow
• Field stone

Instructions

1. Excavate a square trench with a pick axe and shovel. Dig the trench 6 inches deep and 16 inches wide. The trench must be in the outline of the desired shape of the picnic shelter. For example, if your shelter is 8 feet long and 8 feet wide, then dig the perimeter trench 8 feet long on each side.

2. Place crusher-run gravel into the trench and tamp it with a hand tamper. Compact the gravel tightly by tamping for 30 to 40 minutes. Sprinkle water on the gravel as you tamp. The water will help the gravel bind into a hard surface.

3. Mix eight shovels of sand and type S mortar in a wheelbarrow. Combine the sand and mortar with a hoe, pushing and pulling the ingredients with the hoe blade. Add 3 gallons of water to the mixture and combine until you obtain a pancake batter consistency.

4. Spread a mortar bed on the crusher-run gravel, beginning in one corner. Pile the mortar up 6 inched thick with a mason's trowel. Rake the tip of the trowel through the center of the mortar to create a void in the mortar. This will allow for the displaced mortar from the force of the stones. Spread the mortar out 6 feet along the trench at a time.

5. Stack the stones into a wide base at the bottom. Layout the base 16 inches wide, pressing the larger stones down into the mortar bed. Fill the mortar bed with stones, pressing the stones down into the mortar. Place a small amount of mortar 2-inches thick, on top of the previous row, keeping it 4 inches from the outside of the stones in order to hide its appearance in the construction.

6. Step the stones in ad you precede in height. Add small amounts of mortar to bond the stones together. Keep the mortar off of the outer layer of rocks so that the rocks will appear naturally stacked.

References

• "Masonry Skills"; R.T Kreh; 2002
• "John Deere: Stonescaping Made Simple: Bring the Beauty of Stone into your Yard"; David Griffin, Kristen Hampshire; 2009
• "Building with Masonry"; Dick Kreh; 1998