irregular limestone rip rap veneer?

[rob ghatt]

I have huge pile of rip rip that is usually used to on the ground to stop erosion. It has an irregular shape and size ranging from 5 inches to 8 or 9 inches in length and ranging in thickness from 3 to 4 inches.
I was thinking I might be able to use them like feild stone on a large bunky. The problem I see is that they are so irregular that the mortor joints will all be different sizes. Is that something I should be worried about. I dont want to cut them. Does this even sound feasable?

 

[hardhathustle22]

Using rough stone for a natural look is cool, but it takes some serious skill to put together. You can get away with different sized gaps between stones if you know what you're doing, just keep in mind it might cost you extra time and materials

 

[TheStoneBuilder]

I have huge pile of rip rip that is usually used to on the ground to stop erosion. It has an irregular shape and size ranging from 5 inches to 8 or 9 inches in length and ranging in thickness from 3 to 4 inches.
I was thinking I might be able to use them like feild stone on a large bunky. The problem I see is that they are so irregular that the mortor joints will all be different sizes. Is that something I should be worried about. I dont want to cut them. Does this even sound feasable?

Riprap can be tough to work with because of the inconsistency, and you're right to be concerned about the mortar joints. The key with irregular stone like that isn't to try and make every joint the same size, so your real concern is to keep those bigger joints packed and structurally sound. You'd need a fairly stiff mortar mix, something a bit drier than what you'd use for brick, like a Type S mix. When you lay the stone, really push the mortar into the voids between the rocks to get a solid bond. It's going to be a slow process, as you'll spend a lot of time finding the right stone for each spot, but it's definitely feasible!

 

[StoneStacker47]

I am not sure if you want to continue it or not, but if you do, you should also think about drainage. Irregular joints can trap water, so flashing or good overhangs might make a big difference in keeping the mortar from cracking later.

 

[Valentino]

Building with irregular rip rap will cause uneven mortar joints, so it's feasible if you're okay with a more rustic, natural look