Building with stone - I have a bunch

I got about 200T of bluestone when they were building a highway locally, ranges from rip-rap size (6-9'') to 24''x24''.  

interested in building a stone "cabin" about 16x16 or so.  similar to the attached pic

i am not a mason nor do i aspire to be so i am not looking to shape the stone much at all.  Each piece has a decent face already I am just wondering about stacking the stone and the mortar.  

I was thinking a rubble trench foundation about 30'' deep and wide would be sufficient and then to stack the stones above grade with mortar filling the gaps.  Am I right to think the stone should be sitting on stone and not really "sitting" on a lot of mortar?  ie, the compressive strength of stone on stone is great but the compressive strength of stone on mortar is mortar... so only maybe 700PSI.  not that it matter much for such a small structure but i was just wondering best practices...

Erik, you might want to research building that with gabions.

Here are some thread that you or others might find interesting:

https://permies.com/t/180459/gabions-combining-wisdom-time-saving

https://permies.com/t/156632/gabion-basket-retaining-wall

https://permies.com/t/61616/Fascinated-gabions

Hi Erik;
What a cool project!
I suggest you start with some books/videos on stone construction.
I agree with your thought that you do not want a large mortar connection.
I believe you fit your stones as close as you can then lay a reasonable amount of mortar to lock them together.
There is a dry stack method with no mortar at all but I suspect that is beyond what you want to learn.

Recently I build a structure using brick. I had never built with brick but in the end, it came out spectacular.
One thing I did learn is the importance of remaining square and plumb as your wall rises.
It is SO very easy to start leaning one way or another and if you do not realize this is happening, in just a few hours you can really get out of plumb and find yourself removing what you just built.

Please keep posting with plenty of pictures as you build.

appreciate it but i think these rocks are better suited for conventional stone construction.  gabions tend to be smaller rocks that can be dropped in from above.  some of these rocks are likely 600-700lbs.  the majority are likely 2-300.  I can move them with my backhoe but i dont think gabions are what i am looking for

just some advice about how to lay "random pattern" stone with mortar.

thanks!

Eric - you say you aren't interested in doing much stone shaping. That said, I think you might benefit from working some of them down to more manageable sizes. Rocks can be split with time and hand tools. The process can be sped up considerably if you don't mind using powered drills for the holes first.

no doubt some need to be touched up a bit.  i do have a hammerdrill and feathers/wedges that i have used to take off odd corners.  also a big sledgehammer and rockhammer.  my point was i dont want to spend the time to make all rectangular rocks.  both because i dont have the time and i like the irregular look.

my intent is to shape them as little as possible.  they are bluestone (granite or basalt?) and were blasted out of the ground originally or broken up with a hoeram so most are surprisingly squared and angular.

primarily I was wondering if the stones should be resting on stone or resting on mortar.  IE, if there is a slightly angular piece and i fill the gap with a smaller rock to "steady" the larger rock should there be an inch of mortar between them or should the rocks be touching and just use mortar as a gap filler.  or even i have have 2 flat rocks, do i put a thin layer of mortar, maybe 1/2'' between them just as space filler and wack the top to set them directly stone to stone?  it seems mortar provides little strength.

i plan on using the large stones pretty much as they are and making obscenely thick walls.  24'' stone thick walls are total overkill for anything short of a castle but it would be way easier.  The smaller stones can be used as facing on either side of the 24'' and infilled with the cuts/chips off the larger ones i think.

I haven't had much experience in building with stone: just a little dry stone walling. I did a few days with an experienced waller and it's quite an acquired skill with irregular stones. It's tricky to get the right stone for the shape of hole you have. There's much use of smaller stones for packing which can be hammered in to give a tight fit. My own dry stone wall is just a few courses and looks more like a pile of rocks than a wall! But it is actually sturdy enough to walk along the top of, so I'm pretty happy with it, despite it's rather rustic appearance.
As far as building with mortar goes, I can only suggest that as our house is stone built (built in the 1920s with local basalt) and two stories tall, then using the mortar to fill in gaps is fine. Otherwise the necessary taper would mean the walls would have been much thicker than the approx 2 1/2 feet ours are at the base.
A further suggestion would be to do a first build somewhere non critical like a garden wall, or shed to get a feel for the process. You will find that after a few courses you get the knack and your wall will look much better than the first few courses you laid, so try and make them somewhere less visible than around the front door for example!

To my eyes, the gorgeous building Erik posts at the beginning of this thread is just the latest incarnation of the ancient methods used world-wide wherever there are stones and people who want to pile them up in marvelous ways. The small-scale stonework that I have done is all informed by the great themes found near my home at
Chaco Culture National Historical Park.
The stones at this vast site are certainly not bluestone but the methods using similarly sized stones are instructive and accessible. Seeing the “cut-away” views of the many types of stonework reveals the careful face work on the visible sides of the structures. Between the facing stones is the rubble and mud mortar infill. Here is one example of many variations:

Today, that infill between the walls could be hidden bottles or other material to help insulate, or concrete instead of mud. The materials for filling (or not filling) the hidden gap will depend on the goals of each unique project. Despite the distance in time, the construction method used by the ancient masters can provide a eureka moment of how to do this build today.
The opportunity to see the insides, outsides, substructures, superstructures and grounds where first stones were placed is like having master stone masons through time as tutors.  If Chaco Canyon National Park is too far away for a visit, consider the many other heritage sites around the world that may be closer to home. These are priceless treasures of building knowledge that are open to the permies.

Erik Krieg wrote:

primarily I was wondering if the stones should be resting on stone or resting on mortar.  IE, if there is a slightly angular piece and i fill the gap with a smaller rock to "steady" the larger rock should there be an inch of mortar between them or should the rocks be touching and just use mortar as a gap filler.  or even i have have 2 flat rocks, do i put a thin layer of mortar, maybe 1/2'' between them just as space filler and wack the top to set them directly stone to stone?  it seems mortar provides little strength.

I don't know a lot about building with stone, but simple physics would make me believe you are correct with the idea that stone to stone contact will be much stronger.  I would do it that way and fill in the gaps.  I would not want any weight resting on mortar.

I have done some stonework.
I would suggest using a lime mortar as a spacer between the non contact points of the rocks.
You will have no draughts or animals living in the wall and it will strengthen it as well, meaning a narrower wall will be ok.
I am with Amy, I build dry stone walls and its very time consuming getting thing set just right.

Another thought;
I have drilled holes in the stones, inserted a ramset hook or eye into that hole and then lifted the stones with a gantry.
It vastly reduced the manual lifting aspects.
Later we added the ability to run the chain along the gantry with wheels to easily install the rocks.
I realise you may use a loader, but a gantry may be needed as the height increases.
Stonewalling with Gantries.