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Low Imact Building

FENCES, GATES AND BRIDGES
Author - G. Martin A reprint of a book, first published in 1887, that illustrates every type of wood and wire, fence and gate you can imagine, and some you can't. Excellent resource book. £7.30

BUILDING STONE WALLS
Author - J. Vivian

Clear illustrations are presented together with simple, direct instruction in the materials, equipment, and basic techniques of stonewall building. £8.99

BUILDING WITH STONE
Author - C. McRaven

Intro to the craft of creating stone structures - clear simple directions for making walls, arches, fireplaces, buildings, steps, foundations, fireplaces, chimneys, dams, bridges, homes and other stony stuff. Demonstrates the masonry skills and procedures. This is an excellent first book for those who want to learn about building with stone as an old-world craftsman, rather than a money-hungry contractor or assembly-line modern mason.

Charles McRaven does not fill his book with theory, but with practical methods and ideas that are true to proper masonry techniques but allow even the most novice to begin to lay stone right away. The anecdotal style of this book makes it an easy read, and inspires confidence to pick up that trowel for the first time! £10.12

BOOK OF MASONRY STOVES
Author - D. Lyle

Subtitled - Rediscovering an Old Way of Warming - masonry stoves offer excellent solutions to the problems of wood burning and once built make a unique and very pleasant source of heat. I had greater hopes from this book than were realised. It is a fascinating read from a historical perspective. The development of masonry stoves in various parts of the world is well covered. It is in the technical aspects of construction that I felt it was lacking.

This was partly due to the confused organisation of content. Even the section entitled Technical Details: Masonry Stoves Design and Construction deviated into historical issues that should have been dealt with in other chapters. A section on modern materials was just three paragraphs and three book references long. Perhaps I was looking for more than the book was designed to convey.

David Lyle does make the point in his introduction that after reading the book no one will be in a position to design and build a stove. In presentation the book is also a disappointment. The beautiful stove depicted on the cover receives no mention anywhere and is the only colour photograph in the book.

There are a plethora of line drawings for visual information but these are scattered about without any sense of order or development. The tables of data are very limited, giving unqualified and unspecific information. The major lack in the book for the prospective constructor is detailed references to modern examples of masonry stoves and how well they perform. Altogether an enjoyable read, but for anyone who wants to learn how to design a masonry stove, very little help. £15.62