How to Build a Fieldstone Picnic Shelter
- 1). Select and prepare your shelter location. Choose a location where the ground is already fairly level. If needed, you can use a shovel to level out any small hills or dips. With the spray paint, mark out the location of your shelter, then remove any vegetation in the area.
- 2). Prepare the footers for your fieldstone columns. Dig 12 inches below grade to create the footer area for your columns. These holes should be at least six inches greater in diameter than the finished column size. Fill six inches of the hole with the crushed stone. Lay your largest, flattest fieldstones to create the base of each column.
- 3). Build the fieldstone columns. Because of the unique size and shape of fieldstones, building picnic shelter columns with this material can be a time-consuming challenge. Test fit each stone, or combination of stones, as you build the column. When you're happy with the design, mortar the stones into place with the trowel. As you work your way up the column, continuously check the plumb of the column with the level, on all four sides. Measure the columns as you build to ensure they all reach the same height.
- 4). Build the roof of your shelter. Affix the surface wood mounts to the top of each column, per the manufacturer's instructions. Measure from the center of each column's mount to the center of the next column's mount. Cut the dimensional lumber to size and install around the upper perimeter of the shelter. Create roof trusses, per your design or plan, cover with plywood sheeting, and finish with your selected roofing materials.
- 5). Install shelter flooring. The floor of your shelter can be a variety of materials. Two of the most popular are crushed stone and concrete. Pouring a concrete floor creates a durable surface; however crushed stone is much easier to install. Stone pavers can also be used as a flooring material, providing durability plus natural beauty. Choose a flooring surface that best suits your needs.
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