Hi, my name is Noah Bradley and I am an “archoholic”. I can’t help myself, I love the things… I can’t get enough of them.
Wouldn’t you agree that a log bedroom just HAS to have a stone fireplace and that having an arched one would make it perfect? That’s what we built for this cabin.
I find vintage stone arches all over Virginia, and beyond. Masons didn’t stop using them in the Roman times, they were a part of American history. Arches are not just for the wealthy, or for elaborate Cathedrals, but for anyone who desires to build something that not only looks great, but lasts for centuries.
Take a look at this photo that I snapped of a little stone bridge that is spanning a small stream of an old homestead. Actually this “bridge” is no bigger than a culvert pipe that we see commonly used today, but yet it is soooo much more attractive. (This little bridge is over two hundred years old and still serving it’s purpose).
It’s just precious.
Have you ever wondered how a stone arch is built and put into place? The method hasn’t changed. You start by creating a form, then shape the stones, next set the stones in place using the form, and then remove the supporting structure.
I have always liked incorporating a “proud” keystone into our stonework… the top center stone is the keystone and by “proud” I mean a bit taller and larger than the rest of the stones in the arch.
Originally posted 2015-02-07 15:02:40.