posted 04-22-99 12:01 PM            

building codes: I've heard there are parts of the US that are not subject to local building codes. If you are in an enforced area, and not part of a suburb that has covenants and restrictions, you can still build your castle. The codes won't really prevent it. The only real restriction in my code is that if the building is over 35' high, an engineer must approve the structural parts.

windows: I have 2-ft thick walls. (As I've read some of you have even thicker.) According to a 3D model I have, normal windows in these walls will look more like little tunnels. They do not let much light in. Also, masonry is antithetical to horizontally large openings. (I'm assuming
all of you use arched, relatively narrow, tall openings for windows.) I've gotten around the light problem by putting a 45-degree bevel on both my inside and outside arch blocks.

building with stone: I used to think that mortar (lime or portland) was what held a masonry wall togather. On the contrary, structural engineers define mortar as "the
stuff that holds bricks apart". It may be an order of magnitude stronger than mud, but it's still awful in the tensile stress resisting department. I would caution anyone building in a seismic zone to reconsider using stone for a load-bearing wall --unless you find some way to reinforcing it with steel. I started off with the romantic notion of using stone. Then I read a few
books on stone building (vivian, mcraven). And when I found out the tremendous time in labor involved (wont iterate it all here) to build a load-bearing wall, uninsulated on top of that, I looked for a better way. (More later.)

for you green-aware builders: There is a new challenge to portland cement (which has high embodied energy) out there called MRT Cement. It's made by Mineral Resource Technologies out of 100% coal fly ash. Coal fly ash is a waste product produced by coal burning power
plants. The cement is naturally a buff color. Requires less water than an equivalent mix of portland. Should cost as much or less. Contact at MRT: Robert Styron (770) 989-0089.

soil bearing pressure: Ditto Savoy on "Choosing Your Site". Masonry of any kind is mucho heavy. Paying attention to your foundation design and soil properties is the most important building step you'll do.

floors: Masonry walls will last for hundrededs of years while wood disintegrates relatively quickly. I think a castle really asks for concrete floors. I'm using 4.5" concrete floors supported by composite steel deck and open web steel joists for all floors above grade. Granted wood is more authentic and is going to have a warmer, rustic appearance. I'm going for more of a partition-free loft-like interior space.

water: When thinking about the weather resistant properties of your castle, think of concrete and mortar as a sponge. Water can always find a way thru plain masonry, albeit slowly. I've read somewhere though that castles had few water problems because of the shear thickness of their walls.

mistakes: I've made tons of mistakes already, but they're all"virtual" mistakes that cost me only keystokes. Since all of your designs are probably pretty unconventional, I would encourge you all to use a 3D drafting program.

my design: As I said, mine's an "updated" castle. I'm using regular ol' concrete block, a 6" thickness and a 12" thickness
to build a cavity wall. (The cavity wall has wonderful weather proofing characteristics.) The cavity will contain 1" air space and 3" of rigid insulation. I'm doing custom cast concrete blocks for my window arches and surrounds, and matching quioned corners. Eletrical conduit can be embedded vertically
and horizontally in the wall. I heavily researched doing a walkable rooftop concrete deck with parapets and all but I concluded the water and drainage problems it introduced were too technically difficult for me. (Maybe on my next one.) For those who dare, look for a commercial product called "The Ultimate Assembly" on the web by "American Hydrotech".
Its a protected membrane roof assembly, i.e. the sun isn't frying the crap out of the waterproofing membrane, it's protected by
pavers and ridid insulation.